Obtaining Singapore PR is a dream come true for many foreigners who want to live long-term in the country or attain Singapore citizenship in future. Apart from enjoying unrestricted travel, PR holders also enjoy benefits such as buying resale public housing at lower ABSD rates, access public healthcare and public schools that are internationally top-rated. In order to qualify for Singapore PR Quota, one must possess certain criteria set by ICA.
Overall Approval Rate
Every year since 2009, SIngapore has approved only 30% of all PR applications. Around 100,000 PR applications are received each year and only about 30,000 PR approvals are given out by the ICA. With a low approval rate, PR applicants need to strategise their applications to stand out amongst the competition.
Racial Quota in Singapore PR Application
The highly-coveted Singapore PR is not easily attainable. Out of 100,000 applications received every year, only about 30% get approved. While the eligibility and requirements are stated clearly, PR approval is never a guarantee. There are many other factors that determine PR approval and one of it is the controversial racial quota.
Singapore is a multi-racial and multi-religious country. Ethnic Chinese, Malay, Indian, and Eurasians make up its local population. A small percentage of the population belong to the Others category which all other races and ethnicities belong to including Americans, Europeans, Africans, Russians, Middle Easterners, and more. With the majority of the population being the ethnic Chinese, people from China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, and even ethnic Chinese from Malaysia and Indonesia have higher chances of PR approvals than people from other countries and ethnicities. This may look discriminating but Singapore has a good reason for this policy.
Singapore is a small nation that has no natural resources. It is highly dependent on its people to run the economy. Singapore has had two riots, in 1950 and 1969, that stemmed from or caused by race and religious intolerance. Social unrest has caused economic instability, high unemployment, and turned away foreign investments. For more than 50 years since its independence from British colonisation, Singapore has always maintained its current local makeup and has managed to attain peace and harmony in its society. Therefore, to ensure social security and harmony, Singapore has developed a specific racial quota in its immigration policy so as to maintain the racial makeup and harmony of its current local population.
However, this does not mean that people that are not ethnically, culturally, religiously or linguistically similar to the local population have no chance to attain PR approval. It just means that they have a lower chance as compared to other PR applicants and therefore, have to use other strengths such as their career, financial standing, and/or family ties in Singapore to strategically stand out amongst the competition.
Conclusion
Getting Singapore PR can be an important milestone in your career and family life. It offers many benefits including the ability to stay and work in Singapore on a permanent basis. Foreign workers are highly valued in Singapore, helping the economy to grow and balance a low birth rate and ageing population. However, gaining Singapore PR is a long process that requires substantial time and commitment. PR applicants also need to understand the racial quota in Singapore PR applications to better manage their expectations and strategize their PR applications to their advantage. For enquiries on Singapore PR applications, call Immigration@SG at +65 6493 1830.
