PR Appointment & Singapore Integration

[SGlover]

I just got my SPR application rejected. ICA says, application is assessed based on economic contribution, education and integration with Singapore society.

Two questions

1- Economic contribution, education we can provide documentation, any guess how authority assesses integration with Singapore society?


There is no free slot to book at all on any date - Is that normal? How can we book appointment?

Kind regards

[SGlover]

I booked appointment already on Friday 06 Mar 2015 - Hope this is OK since it is more than 6 months (my rejection date is 01 Sep 2014).


Now left only 1 question:

1- Economic contribution, education we can provide documentation, any guess how authority assesses integration with Singapore society?

Anybody can assist to advise?

[sundaymorningstaple]

Either you have or you haven't. Your history here (and they do investigate) will show it. Apparently, you don't/haven't. This is not likely to change as if it does, they will also know that is it solely for the purpose of show (for trying to obtain PR). Therefore, likely to fail. Your best bet is to think about returning to your home of record as you, in the Singapore gahment's eyes, are not "The Right Stuff" as it were. With just a small land mass, they have to be selective in who they allow to stay here Permanently. If you look like just another working Joe, it doesn't make any sense to give you PR as they have lot's of those anyway, so why put more permanent stress on the infrastructure.

With that admonishment, good luck with your appeal, but unless you have something dramatically different to add to the appeal, it's not likely to succeed.

[SGlover]

Thanks SMS ~ totally agree with you.

Although each application is assessed based on its merits ~ I seen many friends who did not change anything significantly from failed SPR application to successful SPR application but they got it ultimately.

I truly want to stay here permanently and proceed to SG citizenship

The experience I gain on this forum - I can assess my chances are close to zero.

This is my fifth year in lovely SG, I will just keep on applying until I get it.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Well, I wish you luck. We did have somebody on here a year or so ago who claimed they knew somebody who managed to secure PR after/on their 6th try in around 4 or 5 years. However, upon closer interrogation, it would appear that the information was NOT direct information but 3 or 4th hand as it was supposed a friend of his who knew somebody who managed. e.g., we had no way of knowing the truth of the application(s). Also the successful party was Malaysian Chinese so there might have been an added factor there, but we were never able to confirm one way or the other. Who knows, maybe persistence will pay off. It took me 11 years here before I got my PR although I didn't actually apply until I'd already been here 8. I also was rejected the first time as was my appeal, but 3 years later I applied again and was successful. But it was a change of direction where I had never intended on staying here and had already gotten my wife her "green card" for the US. It wasn't till later we decided to change directions and stay here instead.

[brian_singapore]

But to the posters original question - any ideas how they assess integration with Singapore society?

I'm not suggesting this is necessarily the best method(s) but some countries assess language, require a citizenship test etc. (none of which probably measures integration...). What do they do here?

[Wd40]

Also note that the criteria keeps changing and gets tougher and tougher. So what was true even as late as 6 months ago, may not be true anymore.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Let's assume you live in Holland Village, or little America, out in Woodlands, belong to the American club and send you kids to the American school. You whole life revolves around your workplace or the pool if the spouse. You don't try to "mix" with the locals at all. Do you reckon you are integrating? Or do you live in an HDB flat and mix with the locals via the community centre, shop in the local wet markets and generally try to mix with the locals rather than trying to fine an area with a lot of "your own kind". I'm pretty sure all of that comes into play and that's why it takes so long in some cases. In other cases, I'm pretty sure it's a case of 'let's make 'em wait to see how badly they want it. Nobody knows jus how the point spread is geared and how much/often it is tweaked to meet the governments constantly shifting position.

[brian_singapore]

Let's assume you live in Holland Village, or little America, out in Woodlands, belong to the American club and send you kids to the American school. You whole life revolves around your workplace or the pool if the spouse. You don't try to "mix" with the locals at all. Do you reckon you are integrating? Or do you live in an HDB flat and mix with the locals via the community centre, shop in the local wet markets and generally try to mix with the locals rather than trying to fine an area with a lot of "your own kind". I'm pretty sure all of that comes into play and that's why it takes so long in some cases. In other cases, I'm pretty sure it's a case of 'let's make 'em wait to see how badly they want it. Nobody knows jus how the point spread is geared and how much/often it is tweaked to meet the governments constantly shifting position.

The question was really aimed at what they can or do look at. Or more to the point what can they look at. Other then the question of my address and my Children's school (who aren't in one yet), most of the above is opaque to the government.

And times appear to have changed a bit. I live in a private condo development on the east coast and almost all of my neighbours (the ones I've met) are native born Singaporean citizens. The condo building itself is TOP 2014 so this maybe a side effect of the cooling measures brought in by the government starting 2009. Depending on when the kids go down to the park, my wife speaks Chinese with the other mothers or all the helpers speak tagalog

Contrast that to my workplace where all but 3 (4 including me) of my co-workers in my department are Indian nationals on EP / PR. The 3 non-Indians are Singapore citizens, but all naturalized, not one is native born.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Again, I guess you would have to delve further into it, regarding the workplace as to when they because citizens, etc. Did they get citizenship in the last 4 years or before the 2011 GE? The whole dynamics of immigration here has changed considerably since the GE and we can only try to surmise based on input we get from the forum and a few other sources as to what they look at, but you will never see it in print as ICA holds the cards damned close to their collective chests. Are you sure it's opaque? Have you ever noticed the number of camera on this island? They have been successfully using photo recognition software at the airport for a couple of years now. All the government databases are connected together in a massive national database and ICA, MOM, IRAS, MINDEF, the Traffic Police & the Medical Fraternity all are linked together by FIN or NRIC number. Didn't you see the recent article on how your travel history is being tracked and recorded in the iJunk phones? If you ever use data on your phone you can be triangulated at to your location. I know not the extent of their capabilities but do know they are extensive.