PUBLIC HOUSING LOAN OF NON-CITIZEN SPOUSES (Use of CPF Contributions)

Mr S. Vasoo asked the Acting Minister for Labour if there are plans to allow non-citizen spouses of Singaporeans to use their Central Provident Fund contributions to repay their loans for public flats.

Mr Lee Yock Suan: Ownership of subsidised Housing and Development Board flats is a privilege. Only Singapore citizens aged 21 and above who have an appropriate family nucleus comprising at least one other citizen or permanent resident, can apply to purchase HDB flats. The adult citizen or permanent resident members of the family nucleus can apply to become co-owners of the flats. Only the owner and co-owner are allowed to use their Central Provident Fund savings to pay for the HDB flat.

Non-citizens who are not permanent residents cannot become co-owners of HDB flats. They have no rights to the flats and are therefore not allowed to use their CPF savings to pay for the flats even if these are owned by their citizen spouses. In the event the flats are sold, only the owners and co-owners would have legal rights to the sales proceeds.

There is no plan to allow such non-citizen spouses of Singaporeans to use their CPF contributions to pay for their HDB flats.