788,934 NEW CITIZENS & PRS GRANTED?

February 19, 2014

The Real Singapore

Feb 20, 2014

http://therealsingapore.com/content/788934-new-citizens-prs-granted

I refer to the article “Balance between local and foreign workers a “tricky issue”: Tan Chuan-Jin” (Straits Times, Feb 16).

It states that “His priority is to look after Singaporeans, he said, but the balance between local and foreign workers is a “tricky issue” and Singapore cannot shut its doors to foreigners.

“If we swing too far the other way… some of these companies might find it better off to operate somewhere else,” he said, adding that it will then lead to job losses for locals.”

What are the implications of our liberal foreign labour policies?

Less than 20% of the increase in the labour force to Singaporeans?

In this connection, according to the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) Labour Force in Singapore 2013 report, the Resident Labour Force increased by only 19,200 from 2,119,600 in 2012 to 2,138,800 in 2013.

In contrast, the total labour force increased by a whopping 81,900 from 3,361,800 to 3,443,700 in the same one year period.

Does this mean that only about 23.4% (19,200 divided by 81,900) of the increase in the labour force was due to residents (Singaporeans and PRs)?

Since the statistics are not broken down into citizens and PRs, what was the percentage for Singaporeans? About 19%?

So, whatever happened to the consistent rhetoric that the influx of foreign labour will be curtailed?

2003 to 2013 – resident labour force increased by 432,400 against 1,131,400 total labour force increase?

For the last 10 years, from 2003 to 2013, the resident labour force increased by 432,400 from 1,706,400 to 2,138,800.

In contrast, the total labour force increased by a 1,131,400 from  2,312,300 to 3,443,700 in the same 10 year period.

During this 10 year period, how many new citizens and new PRs were granted?

401,934 new PRs and new citizens granted in 6 years?

During the 6 years from 2007 to 2012 (I believe the 2013 data is not available yet) – 288,931 new PRs and 113,003 new citizenships were granted.

788,934 new PRs and new citizens granted from 2003 to 2013?

As “the Government said it will grant about 30,000 PRs each year – down from the average of 58,000 between 2004 and 2008” (“Singapore’s population growth slows“, Today, Sep 26) and the Population White Paper said 25,000 new citizens going forward – if I assume this average of 58,000 new PRs granted from 2003 to 2006 and 30,000 for 2013 – and 25,000 new citizens a year from 2003 to 2006 and 2013 – the grand total estimate for the number of new citizens and new PRs from 2003 to 2013 is about 788.934 (238,003 new citizens and 550,931 new PRs).

What % of the increase in the labour force to Singaporeans?

So, if we account for the number of PRs, new PRs and new citizens – what percentage of the increase in the resident labour force of 432,400 from 2003 to 2013 were Singaporeans, against the above estimated 788,934 new citizens and new PRs granted?

Uniquely Singapore!

Leong Sze Hian

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About the Author

Leong
Leong Sze Hian has served as the president of 4 professional bodies, honorary consul of 2 countries, an alumnus of Harvard University, authored 4 books, quoted over 1500 times in the media , has been a radio talkshow host, a newspaper daily columnist, Wharton Fellow, SEACeM Fellow, columnist for theonlinecitizen and Malaysiakini, executive producer of Ilo Ilo (40 international awards), Hotel Mumbai (associate producer), invited to speak more than 200 times in about 40 countries, CIFA advisory board member, founding advisor to the Financial Planning Associations of 2 countries. He has 3 Masters, 2 Bachelors degrees and 13 professional  qualifications.