Applications for Permanent Residence

Mr Pritam Singh asked the Prime Minister (a) how many applications for permanent residence have been rejected on a yearly basis from 2000 to 2010; and (b) what are the specific criteria for approval of such applications.

Mr Teo Chee Hean (for the Prime Minister): The number of permanent residence (PR) applications which were rejected on a yearly basis from 2000 to 2010 is appended below.

Source: ICA

Each PR application is evaluated holistically on a set of criteria which includes factors such as the individual's economic contributions, qualifications, age and family profile to assess applicants' ability to contribute and integrate well into society and commitment to sinking roots. It would not be appropriate to reveal the specific criteria for approval of PR applications as this could encourage individuals to attempt to circumvent or abuse the system. For this reason, most countries do not publicly disclose their detailed selection criteria for residency or citizenship.

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