Population in Brief 2023

[MOCHS]

Population in Brief 2023 is out. Scroll to Page 17 to see the number of PRs & SCs that got approved in 2022. Seems the number increased slightly last year compared to 2021. Not sure if the approval trend would still go up this year or plateau/go down.

Though it does state there were quite a number of people who were approved in 2020 & 2021 but could not complete their formalities due to travel restrictions until 2022, “hence contributing to the higher numbers granted”.

[NYY1]

The total foreign employment has now reversed the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 declines. However, I'm not sure if this is true for EP + SP (thinking about housing).

Not surprising, but the % of new PR / SC above 40 yrs old also continues to increase.

[Wd40]

The average Singaporean is 43 years old and the average Malaysian is 30 years old! That tells you the stark contrast between the 2 countries.

[smoulder]

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapo ... ns-3808021

[Wd40]

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapo ... ns-3808021

The 4% student population surprises me. There are only 5 universities in Singapore and bulk of the seats go to Singaporeans. 4% is a huge number for a country not really popular as an international education hub. So who are these students? I am guessing these are all the fraudulent hotel management diploma colleges who offer 6 month study and 6 month OJT.

[Lisafuller]

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapo ... ns-3808021

The 4% student population surprises me. There are only 5 universities in Singapore and bulk of the seats go to Singaporeans. 4% is a huge number for a country not really popular as an international education hub. So who are these students? I am guessing these are all the fraudulent hotel management diploma colleges who offer 6 month study and 6 month OJT.

Are those a thing here? I know they're huge in Australia.

[Lisafuller]

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapo ... ns-3808021

A 5% increase, wow!

[smoulder]

Returning Singaporeans they say.

[x9200]

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapo ... ns-3808021

The 4% student population surprises me. There are only 5 universities in Singapore and bulk of the seats go to Singaporeans. 4% is a huge number for a country not really popular as an international education hub. So who are these students? I am guessing these are all the fraudulent hotel management diploma colleges who offer 6 month study and 6 month OJT.

There is a constant drive present here for decades already where the only imaginable career for many Singaporeans (those who could afford at least) is considered with university level education. As perceived by many, decent, fulfilling, socially respected jobs belongs to these categories. The desire to have a manager wording on the business card is a part of this problem.
For many countries jobs not requiring uni level education are seen equally worthy. Not so much in Singapore.

[jalanjalan]

There is a constant drive present here for decades already where the only imaginable career for many Singaporeans (those who could afford at least) is considered with university level education. As perceived by many, decent, fulfilling, socially respected jobs belongs to these categories. The desire to have a manager wording on the business card is a part of this problem.
For many countries jobs not requiring uni level education are seen equally worthy. Not so much in Singapore.

Yup. In SG my degree meant everything, and in Canada it was my tech diploma that got me jobs. Rather sad, as the polytechnics in SG have some impressive programmes. Hope non-degree skilled professions get more recognition, as the poly grads I have worked with here really knew their stuff.

[Lisafuller]

Returning Singaporeans they say.

If anything, I would have expected more Singaporeans to have left since Covid.

[Lisafuller]

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapo ... ns-3808021

The 4% student population surprises me. There are only 5 universities in Singapore and bulk of the seats go to Singaporeans. 4% is a huge number for a country not really popular as an international education hub. So who are these students? I am guessing these are all the fraudulent hotel management diploma colleges who offer 6 month study and 6 month OJT.

There is a constant drive present here for decades already where the only imaginable career for many Singaporeans (those who could afford at least) is considered with university level education. As perceived by many, decent, fulfilling, socially respected jobs belongs to these categories. The desire to have a manager wording on the business card is a part of this problem.
For many countries jobs not requiring uni level education are seen equally worthy. Not so much in Singapore.

Really sad reflection of our backwards priorities.

[Lisafuller]

There is a constant drive present here for decades already where the only imaginable career for many Singaporeans (those who could afford at least) is considered with university level education. As perceived by many, decent, fulfilling, socially respected jobs belongs to these categories. The desire to have a manager wording on the business card is a part of this problem.
For many countries jobs not requiring uni level education are seen equally worthy. Not so much in Singapore.

Yup. In SG my degree meant everything, and in Canada it was my tech diploma that got me jobs. Rather sad, as the polytechnics in SG have some impressive programmes. Hope non-degree skilled professions get more recognition, as the poly grads I have worked with here really knew their stuff.

I do think public perception is improving here, though it is obviously a very slow process with a long way to go.

[Wd40]

This is a bit off topic, but I just came to know that in Malaysia, their entire education is in Malay language. My Malaysian chinese colleague who has now turned into a Singaporean told me, she did her primary education in Chinese language and then secondary in Malay language. She speaks English pretty well just like other Singaporeans. She must be really talented and skilled to have done well inspite of the language barrier.

Now I realize why so many Malaysians live in JB and send their kids to Singapore for education for the English language. The poor kids wake up at 4Am,really pity them

I just realize how fortunate we Indians are because our entire education is in the English medium. We do have 2nd language Hindi etc. But main subjects instruction is in English medium.

I realize now why Indians do so well globally and why there are hardly any Malaysians or Indonesians who are famous at the global stage.

[smoulder]

This is a bit off topic, but I just came to know that in Malaysia, their entire education is in Malay language. My Malaysian chinese colleague who has now turned into a Singaporean told me, she did her primary education in Chinese language and then secondary in Malay language. She speaks English pretty well just like other Singaporeans. She must be really talented and skilled to have done well inspite of the language barrier.

Now I realize why so many Malaysians live in JB and send their kids to Singapore for education for the English language. The poor kids wake up at 4Am,really pity them

I just realize how fortunate we Indians are because our entire education is in the English medium. We do have 2nd language Hindi etc. But main subjects instruction is in English medium.

I realize now why Indians do so well globally and why there are hardly any Malaysians or Indonesians who are famous at the global stage.

Actually, among other things, there are plenty of Chinese schools in Malaysia where the medium of instruction is Mandarin. My wife is from one such school. As are many Malaysian Chinese you see in Singapore. This includes many who are doing well in the corporate world.

As far as India is concerned, I think you are perhaps forgetting that there is a large number of Indians who either don't have access to school or they are studying in non English medium schools. For us middle class Indians, it's easy to be blinded by the sight of the more privileged Indians (which includes us). Also, there is a billion and a half of us which is nearly 18 percent of the world's population. Of course, we are going to be prominent on the world stage, as are Chinese who are another 18 percent of the world.