Singapore Expats

Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Singapore PR Rejected? Appeal or not?

If your Singapore PR (Permanent Residency) is rejected recently, you are not alone. Singapore PR is an important to immigrate to Singapore and rejection is a heart breaking experience after long months of waiting and maybe witnessing less qualified people getting approval. But nowadays it is though to get Singapore PR. Since 2009, fewer applications forSingapore PR and Singapore Citizenship are approved.

This is because in late 2009, Singapore Government decided to tighten the criteria for PR and citizenship, to better manage the inflow of foreigners. And they immediately took action! In 2008, 79,200 Singapore PR applications were approved. PR approval numbers sharply dropped down to 59,500 in 2009. This trend continued in 2010 and The Government granted only 29,265 permanent residents, more than a 50% drop compared to 2009. It is almost certain that this trend will continue in 2011 Singapore PR applications.

The sharp drop in PRs is a result of the tightening of immigration policy in 2009 to better manage the inflow and qualityof new immigrants, said Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng on Monday.

A policy change that drew clearer distinctions between the benefits citizens and PRs enjoy also ‘underlines our principle that Singaporeans will enjoy priority over non-citizens’, he said at the Singapore Perspectives 2011 conference organised by theInstituteofPolicy Studies.

Source: Jan 18, 2011

It is also interesting to note that the number of Singapore permanent residents has almost doubled in the last 10 years,from 287,500 in 2000 to 541,000 in 2010:

Most of the increase is accounted for by immigrants fromMalaysiaand the Indian subcontinent, according to census data released by the Department of Statistics yesterday.

The share of Indians in the PR ethnic mix climbed from 14.9 per cent in 2000 to 20.4 per cent this year. In absolute numbers, they more than doubled, from 42,700 to 111,000.

The share of Chinese in the PR ethnic mix dropped from 76.1 per cent to 61.4 per cent, although the total number increased from 218,800 to 332,000.

For PRs of Malay ethnicity, the share dropped from 4.1 per cent to 3 per cent, although actual numbers went up from 11,800 to 16,000.

Most of the ethnic Chinese PRs inSingaporehail fromMalaysia.

Source: Sep 1, 2010

This looks like sharp drop butSingaporeis still one of the least stringent country in the world in terms of approving PR. As far as I know Australia PR or Canada PR are more difficult.

Singaporeis considered one of the best cities to live inAsiaand many aspire to make this country their home forever by applying for Singapore Permanent Residence or Singapore Citizenship. WhileSingapore’s immigration policy remains open, the government wants to make sure that it takes in good quality candidates who can be better integrated into theSingaporesociety and who can contribute economically. There is no formula that guarantees success of an application. Each application is approved on a case-by-case basis.

Source: Singapore

Singapore PR approval criteria, naturally, is not open to public and subject to change depending on the foreigner policies of The Government at a given time. But there are some known factors playing significant role in approval or rejection.

For example although it is theoretically possible to apply to PR just after receiving several pay slips, it is wise to wait at least 6 months to 1 year and it is better to pay tax. When I see someone just arriving Singapore and working several months apply to Singapore PR, I always think that “giving Singapore PR to this guy has more good to him then to Singapore”

They should make this a sticky!

Not a bad idea. Consider it done!

It would be interesting to try and get some stats on the number REPs that have either lapse without being renewed or renewals rejected for PRs granted before 2008.

For the past three years, the Singapore Immigration and Checkpoint Authority (ICA) has rejected about 2 per cent of re-entry permit applications from permanent residents (PRs).

This was revealed by the Home Affairs Minister, K. Shanmugam, in response to a question from Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) Audrey Wong, on the number of PRs who could not renew their re-entry permits.

According to the papers, PRs are required to have a valid re-entry permit if they wish to travel out of Singapore, so they can retain their PR status while away from the country. They are required to renew the re-entry permit on a periodic basis.

However, Mr Shanmugam said that reasons for rejection of applications included an applicant’s prolonged absence from Singapore, lack of gainful employment at the time of a renewal application or lack of family roots in Singapore.

In addition, for PRs who are dependents such as spouses or elderly parents, the loss of the PR status of their sponsor would mean that their re-entry permit applications would also be rejected.

FEWER applications for Singapore permanent residency (PR) will be approved this year, said Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng in Parliament yesterday.

image In his response to a question by Nominated MP Paulin Tay Straughan on the number of PR applications in 2009 and this year, Mr Wong said the number "will be noticeably less than that in 2009".

He added that 132,200 applications were received by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority last year.

Of these, 115,900 applications were processed. Only 51 per cent – or 59,500 – were successful.

Most of these were from professionals who qualified under the Professional, Technical and Skilled Workers Scheme, said Mr Wong, who is also the Minister for Home Affairs.

This scheme requires potential PRs to work in Singapore under an Employment Pass. It assesses their tertiary and professional qualifications.

Others who were granted PR were their dependants or dependants of Singapore citizens.

He said: "We will continue to be stringent in our requirements for PR. PR will be granted to those of suitable quality, (who) are able to contribute to Singapore and integrate well into our society."

Mr Wong also noted the worries of Singaporeans, which he said can be heard "every day" through the news, dialogue sessions and at the grassroots level.

He added that the Government would "ensure that the number of PRs is not going to be significantly large and overwhelm the Singapore citizen population".

Still, Mr Wong emphasised the need to welcome immigrants in order to tackle Singapore’s low birth rate.

"Unless there is a significant shift in attitudes towards marriage and parenthood, and we see improved birth rates, we will continue to need immigrants for Singapore to remain a vibrant and competitive economy," he said.

"Unless there is a significant shift in attitudes towards marriage and parenthood, and we see improved birth rates, we will continue to need immigrants for Singapore to remain a vibrant and competitive economy," he said.

Nothing like dropping the ball back in the crybaby whinging local population's lap.

Mad Scientist wrote: However, Mr Shanmugam said that reasons for rejection of applications included an applicant’s prolonged absence from Singapore, lack of gainful employment at the time of a renewal application or lack of family roots in Singapore.

That seems counter-intuitive since they're trying to reduce PR-bagage. Unless that's just a euphemism for "your male son of NS age isn't also a PR for some reason". I suspect the later.

Family roots means your local spouse.

If that's the requirement, do you guys ever see/hear a case where government offers PR to an EP holder? I only heard that government may offer citizenship to a PR holder.

v4jr4 wrote:If that's the requirement, do you guys ever see/hear a case where government offers PR to an EP holder? I only heard that government may offer citizenship to a PR holder.

Yeah !! what is it to you ?trying to do another poll or forming up a plan of attack ?

Mad Scientist wrote:

v4jr4 wrote:If that's the requirement, do you guys ever see/hear a case where government offers PR to an EP holder? I only heard that government may offer citizenship to a PR holder.

Yeah !! what is it to you ?trying to do another poll or forming up a plan of attack ?

Nay. There are many rumors from here and there, but no one can confirm it.

v4jr4 wrote:

Mad Scientist wrote:

v4jr4 wrote:If that's the requirement, do you guys ever see/hear a case where government offers PR to an EP holder? I only heard that government may offer citizenship to a PR holder.

Yeah !! what is it to you ?trying to do another poll or forming up a plan of attack ?

Nay. There are many rumors from here and there, but no one can confirm it.

If you are company director with 500 staff or your turn over is 10 million and above, that will be a no brainer
If you are surgeon or facebook guy, the Gahmen will kow tow to you just to get you on board again a no brainer
A third of the MPs are from other countries and were fast tracked to join the Gahmen again a no brainer
No one will confirm to you but you keep you eyes wide open, you will notice the disparity. Capisce?

Mad Scientist wrote:

v4jr4 wrote:

Mad Scientist wrote: Yeah !! what is it to you ?trying to do another poll or forming up a plan of attack ?

Nay. There are many rumors from here and there, but no one can confirm it.

If you are company director with 500 staff or your turn over is 10 million and above, that will be a no brainer
If you are surgeon or facebook guy, the Gahmen will kow tow to you just to get you on board again a no brainer
A third of the MPs are from other countries and were fast tracked to join the Gahmen again a no brainer
No one will confirm to you but you keep you eyes wide open, you will notice the disparity. Capisce?

Wahseh!

It will be nice if you can also mention the source of the article. It is from http://asiasingapore.blogspot.sg/2011/0 ... ected.html