The Singapore Government released its annual Population in Brief 2021 report recently. And this year’s report was especially noteworthy as it showed the biggest fall in total population in 70 years, shrinking by 4.1% to 5.45 million from 5.69 million in 2020. Due to the impact of the pandemic and further restrictions, this is the second consecutive year that Singapore has seen negative growth and is only the third such instance since 1950.
How does this dip in population affect your Singapore PR chances?
The dip in the population largely stemmed from the 10.7% decrease in the non-resident population. But, that’s not the only significant statistic, the permanent resident (PR) population also reduced by 6.2%.
As per last year’s report, the number of Singapore PR granted in 2019 was 32,915, whereas in 2020 it reduced to 27,470. That’s a deficit of more than 5,000 PRs. Notably, as the chart above shows, this is also the lowest number of PRs granted since 2010.
The report suggests that this was likely due to the travel restrictions as more PRs stayed overseas continuously for 12 months or more. But, the fact remains that presently, the population of PRs residing in Singapore has fallen and so has the steady quota of the number of applications approved, while the uncertainties of easing travel restrictions for more countries still remain.
The rate of citizenships given also fell from 22,714 to 21,085. And the citizen population aged 65 and above continued to grow, with a large number of baby boomers also entering the post-65-age range. Moreover, the proportion of citizens aged 20 to 64 decreased from 65.1% in 2011 to 61.9%.
The report also states that the pace of ageing is faster compared with the last decade while on the other hand, the “younger population” is declining as well and is further expected to decrease to about 56% in 2030.
As such, the Singapore Government has long been using immigration to help moderate the impact of ageing and low birth rate in the citizen population to keep it from shrinking over the longer term. And, giving out Singapore PR is the first step to convert interested PRs to citizens.
So, if you’re wondering whether you fall into the criteria for becoming a Singapore PR/citizen, feel free to consult our immigration experts who will thoroughly evaluate your profile and will provide you with all the answers. Plus, you can also check out our article on the “Top 10 Questions Asked About Singapore PR/Citizenship” to resolve any doubts.
Additionally, a dip in the non-resident population; comprising of Employment Pass and S Pass holders, also means that even fewer people are likely to apply for the Singapore PR. This could mean that your application stands a better chance of getting approved.
And this dip is also causing many industries to still face large job vacancies unfilled for 6 months or more. One of the perks that come with securing a Singapore PR is career flexibility, greater opportunities and the ability to freely switch jobs without having to worry about re-applying for an employment pass or work pass at the risk of delay or rejection.
The decline in all the categories may give some a negative impression and paint a dismal picture, but, if you are a Singapore PR hopeful, that is not the case at all.
Conclusion:
Be it the lower number of Singapore PR granted, falling of the population, etc, this is the most favourable time to start thinking about applying for your Singapore PR before other people also get the same idea and heat up the competition.
Even though the government might want to make up for the deficit of PRs approved this year and in 2022, the criteria of evaluating an application will remain ever so tough and stringent. And as always the sole focus of the ICA would be quality over quantity.
Our experienced immigration experts offer customised solutions, help you create a dynamic application and present an exceptional profile that highlights all your strengths to help increase your chances of approval.
