SINGAPOREANS MARRYING WORK PERMIT HOLDERS

Encik Othman bin Haron Eusofe asked the Minister for Labour (a) what is the current success rate of applications made by Singaporeans to marry work permit holders and (b) whether he will consider reviewing the rules to enable applicants to marry work permit holders, who have family members who are Singapore citizens or who have upgraded their education or skills, to be more favourably considered.

Dr Lee Boon Yang: Mr Speaker, Sir, in the past two years, the success rate of applications made by Singaporeans to marry work permit holders has been about 70%.

As for the rules governing the approval of marriage applications, I am pleased to inform the Member that we do take into consideration the work permit holder's family roots here and whether he has upgraded his education or skills.

Members may be interested to know that, since 1989, my Ministry has adjusted the marriage criteria to be consistent with the relaxation in the immigration policy for Hong Kong residents. So long as Singaporeans who wish to marry foreign spouses meet the same criteria, we will approve them on the same basis as the Hong Kong immigrants.

Mr Chiam See Tong (Potong Pasir): Sir, I would like to ask whether the Minister is willing to publish those marriage criteria whereby Singaporeans can marry foreigners or foreigners marrying Singaporeans.

Dr Lee Boon Yang: Mr Speaker, Sir, I have said in my answer that we will be prepared to consider and approve applications from all Singaporeans who meet the same criteria for Hong Kong residents. The criteria for Hong Kong residents have been announced previously, ie, people with 5 'O' levels or equivalent trade qualifications or certificates or people with an income of $1,500 per month for the past five years. These are some of the basic criteria. But for the vast majority of work permit holders in Singapore, a large number of them are unskilled workers and they may not be able to meet these criteria. Then their applications are considered on other basis, ie, whether they have made the effort to upgrade their skills by attending skills training and taking a trade test which will demonstrate that they are able to look after themselves and that they can contribute economically to Singapore after they have been allowed to settle down here.

Mr Chiam See Tong: Further supplementary question, Sir. In view of the fact that the Minister has just said that he is willing to review the criteria in respect of permanent residents in Singapore, would he also be willing to review the criteria in relation to permanent residents who are marrying foreign spouses or permanent residents marrying Singaporeans?

Dr Lee Boon Yang: Mr Speaker, Sir, I do not quite understand Mr Chiam's question. If he is asking a question on the review of the criteria for permanent residents, may I suggest that he take it up with the Minister for Home Affairs.