HONG KONG IMMIGRANTS (Rules for immigration)

Mr Chiam See Tong asked the Minister for Home Affairs whether, when a Hong Kong resident is given Singapore permanent residence, he must secure a job first before he is allowed to immigrate here.

Prof. Jayakumar: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, as stated in the Government's press statement of 10th July 1989, Hong Kong applicants who qualify for permanent residence are granted in-principle appro- val valid for five years. They will become permanent residents only when they arrive in Singapore to take up employment, set up businesses or to start the different professional or other practices.

For those applicants who actually relocate their family members ahead of themselves, the whole family (including the applicant) will be granted permanent residence status once their wives and children have physically relocated to Singapore.

Mr Chiam See Tong: Sir, why is preference given to Hong Kong immigrants over other persons who want to apply for permanent residence in Singapore, in that it is not necessary for a Hong Kong immigrant to have a job first in Singapore? You say they come here, they apply, they get a job, then you give them permanent residence. Is that the position?

Prof. Jayakumar: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I thought both in the press statement as well as in my answer to the question posed by the Chairman of the GPC (Home Affairs) on 4th August, this point had been explained. This is due to the special circumstances in Hong Kong. And Hong Kong applicants are different from other applicants in that many of them may not immediately want to leave Hong Kong and what they need is a place of abode if, and only if, the need arises. Our scheme therefore meets the needs of those in Hong Kong who want this place of abode if the need arises. And as I stated in my reply of 4th August, Sir, we also do not want to weaken the Hong Kong economy or to drain off its talents. That is why we offer approval in principle without requiring them to immediately come to Singapore. They can register and not leave Hong Kong immediately. But before they actually become PRs here, they must have a job, business or profession which they will commence.

For other applicants from other countries, the Controller of Immigration tells me that there is really no problem because most of them, in fact, want to and can come here immediately. For those who qualify, in fact, Immigration offers them enough time for them to be here on social visit pass and obtain a job.