Applications for Citizenship and Permanent Residence

Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Prime Minister in respect of the last 10 years (a) what is the breakdown by country of origin for the number of (i) citizenships that are granted; (ii) permanent residence applications that are approved; and (b) what is the breakdown by province of origin for new citizenships granted to those from China.

Mr Teo Chee Hean: From 2001 to 2010, there were on average about 13,000 persons granted Singapore citizenship (SC) annually. Of this, the vast majority came from Asia, with 49.4% from Southeast Asia and 42.1% from other parts of Asia. Singapore citizenship was also granted to applicants from the Americas, Oceania and Europe.

Average Number of SC Granted Annually for 2001-2010

Over the same period, there were on average about 48,000 persons granted permanent residence (PR) status in Singapore annually. These were also predominantly from Asia, with 49.2% from Southeast Asia and 44.5% from other parts of Asia.

The total numbers of PR and SC granted annually have decreased since 2010, following a tightening of the immigration framework.

SC applicants are not required to indicate their province of origin during the application process. Accurate data regarding the provincial origin of new citizens is therefore unavailable.

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