SINGAPORE PERMANENT RESIDENTS

SINGAPORE PERMANENT RESIDENTS:

(Rights and obligations): 9.

Mr Gautam Banerjee asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs whether the rights and obligations that come with becoming a permanent resident of Singapore are clearly communicated to foreigners when they are conferred permanent residence status in Singapore and whether National Service obligations for all male minors and future male offsprings of Singapore permanent residents are made explicit to

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all foreigners before they accept Singapore permanent residence.

The Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs (Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee) (for the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs): Mr Speaker, Sir, I agree that information on the rights and obligations that come with becoming a Singapore Permanent Resident (PR) should be communicated clearly to potential applicants, to allow them to make an informed decision before they take up PR status. Currently, those who want to have more information on how the various Government policies may apply to them can access the Government information portal at www.ecitizen.gov.sg . As the eCitizen information portal is not a website specifically designed for PRs and new citizens, we are exploring how we can consolidate relevant information on the rights and obligations of PRs and citizens and make them available to applicants for PR and citizenship to assist them in their decision-making process.

Sir, as a first step, in the information package recently developed by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) for foreigners and PRs to encourage them to naturalise, ICA has set out some of the benefits enjoyed by PRs and Singapore Citizens, such as educational subsidies, healthcare financing schemes and eligibility to purchase properties.

As for specific information on National Service (NS) liability for male PRs, this is made explicit to the applicants at the various stages of the application process. For example, at the pre-application stage, when a foreigner checks ICA's website for information on applying for PR, the requirement for all male Singapore Citizens and PRs, including male children who are granted PR status under their parents' sponsorship, to serve NS is clearly spelt out. It is also clearly stated in the website that, should NS-liable PRs renounce or lose their PR status without

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serving or completing full-time NS, there would be an adverse impact on any application by them to work or study in Singapore.

Should he decide to apply for PR status, he will find the same information on NS liability stated in the explanatory notes that accompany the PR application form. If his PR application is successful, he will receive an approval letter from ICA notifying him as to the administrative details for completing his PR formalities. In the approval letter, information on NS liability for male PRs is once again mentioned.

In short, Sir, information on the NS liability for male PRs is made explicit to all foreigners applying for PR, at various stages of the PR application process.