Parliamentary Replies

Parliamentary Reply by DPM Teo Chee Hean on persons granted SC

14 May 2012

An average of 18,500 individuals were granted Singapore citizenship annually over the past five years, with close to 90% being existing permanent residents.

TWELFTH PARLIAMENT OF SINGAPORE
WRITTEN ANSWER
MONDAY, 14 MAY 2012

PERSONS GRANTED SINGAPORE CITIZENSHIP (Breakdown in Figures for PRs and Foreigners)

Mrs Lina Chiam:
To ask the Prime Minister of the number of persons granted Singapore citizenship annually from 1980 to 2011, what are the annual breakdown figures in terms of (i) permanent residents; and (ii) foreigners.

Mr Teo Chee Hean (for the Prime Minister):
In the past 5 years, there were on average about 18,500 individuals granted Singapore Citizenship (SC) annually. Close to 90% were Permanent Residents (PRs) when they were granted citizenship. The others who were granted SC were children of Singapore citizens born overseas who subsequently registered for Singapore citizenship, as well as minors of successful SC applicants. Under the Constitution, minors do not need to obtain PR status first in order to be eligible for citizenship.

Source: ICA

Year	SCs Granted
	PRs	Others	Total
2011	13,259 (84%)	2,518 (16%)	15,777¹
2010	16,350 (87%)	2,408 (13%)	18,758
2009	17,709 (89%)	2,219 (11%)	19,928
2008	118,397 (90%)	2,116 (10%)	20,513
2007	15,425 (89%)	1,909 (11%)	17,334
Annual average granted for 1987² - 2006	6,850 (84%)	1,322 (16%)	8,172

^₁_{This excludes about 4,000 SC applicants who were granted citizenship in-principle in late 2011, who were only granted citizenship in early 2012 as they had to go through the Singapore Citizenship Journey.}

^₂_{Records prior to 1987 are not available.}