The demographics of Singapore are shifting over time. Our citizen population is ageing due to low fertility rates and rising life expectancy. Both ageing and low fertility has profound implications on our economy and society.

To ensure that Singapore remains economically attractive, the Government is looking to various Selective Immigration (Permanent Residence and Citizenship) solutions to support the needs of the country. As documented in the Population White Paper in 2013 and various other Population Trend Papers, as one of the most crucial business and economic hub in Asia, it is imperative that Singapore grows to be diverse, with people of different backgrounds and cultures living and working together.

Immigration helps to balance our shrinking and ageing citizen population. Singapore has tightened the immigration framework significantly in late-2009 to calibrate the inflow of new Permanent Residents (PRs) and citizens. Since 2009, the Singapore government has been issuing out an average of 30,000 PRs and up to 22,000 Citizenships annually. To curb the low citizen birth rate and ageing population, the numbers must be kept at these levels to ensure a stable cap of PRs and Citizens to drive the sustainability and growth of the country. As such, the review process is more stringent now so as to find the right fit for each application. While the exact quota is not revealed to the public, understanding this system enables us to value each application as an opportunity to highlight the merits of applicants to the Singapore Government.