PR Application rejected 2 times and wife feels upset..

[the lynx]

Food For thought
If your Singapore PR (Permanent Residency) is rejected recently, you are not alone. Singapore PR is an important to immigrate to Singapore and rejection is a heart breaking experience after long months of waiting and maybe witnessing less qualified people getting approval. But nowadays it is though to get Singapore PR. Since 2009, fewer applications for Singapore PR and Singapore Citizenship are approved.

This is because in late 2009, Singapore Government decided to tighten the criteria for PR and citizenship, to better manage the inflow of foreigners. And they immediately took action! In 2008, 79,200 Singapore PR applications were approved. PR approval numbers sharply dropped down to 59,500 in 2009. This trend continued in 2010 and The Government granted only 29,265 permanent residents, more than a 50% drop compared to 2009. It is almost certain that this trend will continue in 2011 Singapore PR applications.

2010 numbers point to the lowest PR intake in at least five years:

The sharp drop in PRs is a result of the tightening of immigration policy in 2009 to better manage the inflow and quality of new immigrants, said Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng on Monday.

A policy change that drew clearer distinctions between the benefits citizens and PRs enjoy also 'underlines our principle that Singaporeans will enjoy priority over non-citizens', he said at the Singapore Perspectives 2011 conference organised by the Institute of Policy Studies.

Source: The Apek Source Jan 18, 2011


Number of Singapore PRs approved per year (2001 - 2010)
It is also interesting to note that the number of Singapore permanent residents has almost doubled in the last 10 years, from 287,500 in 2000 to 541,000 in 2010:

Most of the increase is accounted for by immigrants from Malaysia and the Indian subcontinent, according to census data released by the Department of Statistics yesterday.

The share of Indians in the PR ethnic mix climbed from 14.9 per cent in 2000 to 20.4 per cent this year. In absolute numbers, they more than doubled, from 42,700 to 111,000.

The share of Chinese in the PR ethnic mix dropped from 76.1 per cent to 61.4 per cent, although the total number increased from 218,800 to 332,000.

For PRs of Malay ethnicity, the share dropped from 4.1 per cent to 3 per cent, although actual numbers went up from 11,800 to 16,000.

Most of the ethnic Chinese PRs in Singapore hail from Malaysia.

Source: The Ah Lian Sep 1, 2010

This looks like sharp drop but Singapore is still one of the least stringent country in the world in terms of approving PR. As far as I know Australia PR or Canada PR are more difficult.

Singapore is considered one of the best cities to live in Asia and many aspire to make this country their home forever by applying for Singapore Permanent Residence or Singapore Citizenship. While Singapore’s immigration policy remains open, the government wants to make sure that it takes in good quality candidates who can be better integrated into the Singapore society and who can contribute economically. There is no formula that guarantees success of an application. Each application is approved on a case-by-case basis.

Source: The Ah Chong Source

Singapore PR approval criteria, naturally, is not open to public and subject to change depending on the foreigner policies of The Government at a given time. But there are some known factors playing significant role in approval or rejection.

For example although it is theoretically possible to apply to PR just after receiving several pay slips, it is wise to wait at least 6 months to 1 year and it is better to pay tax. When I see someone just arriving Singapore and working several months apply to Singapore PR, I always think that "giving Singapore PR to this guy has more good to him then to Singapore". Probably Immigration Officers feel the same when they see such an application on their desk. And do not confuse them with the typical government employees in your homeland, Singapore Government jobs are so attractive that very bright people compete for them and get them.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ulP8elDepYo/T ... r+year.png

+1

Thanks for the stats and solid info.

Now we should make this a sticky somewhere so that any self-entitled wannabe or genuine applicant can take a hard look and consider carefully.

And why aren't we seeing this sort of info in places like Stomp or AsiaOne where the regulars seem to be oblivious to such moves and still flapping the 'anti FT' sentiment.

[butterdogpoppy]

Hi guys

Thanks for all the advice here.

I do not hate them for rejecting them.

Instead, my years of staying in SG is only 2 years and I only submit income tax once upon 2nd application of PR.

See it from the brighter side, I tell myself I will work harder to earn more money and improve my skillset. And see in what way I can further contribute to Singapore.

Having said that, when I next apply, I must show to the ICA controller that I have improved compared with last time.

Thanks.

[AndrewV]

I think nowadays the voice on the ground is getting louder and louder (With good reason i would imagine). The infrastructure of the place just hasn't kept up in my opinion. This may get ironed out in future with the:
1. doubling of rail lines
2. addition of new buses and routes(1billion worth)
3. building of new HDB's

in my opinion, the govt is sincerely trying to help singaporeans (although one thing I wish they would implement is a generous healthcare system whereby locals would need to pay only around 10% of the charged bill)

[butterdogpoppy]

Just a quick update:

My college from Malaysia (chinese male who is 5 years younger than me) got his 1st PR application approved last week

1. Waiting Time: 2 months
2. Apply a lone, girl friend in Malaysia.
3. Work in SG since June 2010.
4. Pay income tax once.
5. Graduate from Australia Uni, did his final year there.

What puzzles me are that:
1. He is junior than me.
2. His earning is lower than me as we are from the same company (I am senior)
3. I have more working experience and professional cert than him.


I try not to overanalyse the case but the following facts are the possible reasons I got rejected:
1. I am older than him
2. I am applying together with wife and daughter as a group.
3. I graduated from a Famous Local Twinning College in Malaysia.
4. My wife is not chinese....

The list can go on and on...

I am cluesless to the requirement now, seriously.

[zzm9980]

2. Apply a lot, girl friend in Malaysia.

What do you mean by "apply a lot"?

[the lynx]

And you said it is his 1st PR application?

[zzm9980]

And I hate to address the elephant in the room, but maybe your younger colleague is making a lot more than you?

[skipper]

And I hate to address the elephant in the room, but maybe your younger colleague is making a lot more than you?

He already said that his younger colleague is earning less but is a Malaysian Chinese. Unfortunately, I believe the elephant in the room is the nationality of his wife..

[butterdogpoppy]

sorry, I meant to say " Apply alone". Correction made above.

Well, if that is the case due to my wife nationality, does it mean I should apply PR Alone next time to get a better chance?

[friendlybossy]

sorry, I meant to say " Apply alone". Correction made above.

Well, if that is the case due to my wife nationality, does it mean I should apply PR Alone next time to get a better chance?

I understand your disappointment in not getting your PR approval. However, please note that each case is different from another and only when you take a look at all the factors presented in the application can you draw a conclusion that it has more merits or not. ICA has never released the exact criteria for approving or disapproving PR applications and each case will be assessed holistically based on the contribution of the main applicants, the chance that the individuals can integrate into the Singaporean society and settle down successfully in the long term. Unfortunately applying for PR alone will raise some red flag on your intention to settle in Singapore as a family and will not be looked at favorably.

[zzm9980]

And I hate to address the elephant in the room, but maybe your younger colleague is making a lot more than you?

He already said that his younger colleague is earning less but is a Malaysian Chinese. Unfortunately, I believe the elephant in the room is the nationality of his wife..

But does he know this, or is he assuming this? Age and seniority in a company quite often has no correlation to how much someone is paid. In fact, I've seen quite a few cases where the newer younger employee makes more due to changing market conditions. Just because Employee A was cheaper to higher 5 years ago does not mean they're going to salary adjust him up just because Employee B cost a lot more to hire this year.

[revhappy]

And I hate to address the elephant in the room, but maybe your younger colleague is making a lot more than you?

He already said that his younger colleague is earning less but is a Malaysian Chinese. Unfortunately, I believe the elephant in the room is the nationality of his wife..

But does he know this, or is he assuming this? Age and seniority in a company quite often has no correlation to how much someone is paid. In fact, I've seen quite a few cases where the newer younger employee makes more due to changing market conditions. Just because Employee A was cheaper to higher 5 years ago does not mean they're going to salary adjust him up just because Employee B cost a lot more to hire this year.

What you are saying is possible but non probable especially since he has explicitly said he is "senior". Seniority in most cases means designation and not just work experience also he has explicitly said he earns higher, so you need to take that statement on its face value.

Ofcourse there are many other possibilities since they are 2 totally different persons and we dont know know them at all and may they dont know each so much themselves.

[revhappy]

And I hate to address the elephant in the room, but maybe your younger colleague is making a lot more than you?

He already said that his younger colleague is earning less but is a Malaysian Chinese. Unfortunately, I believe the elephant in the room is the nationality of his wife..

But does he know this, or is he assuming this? Age and seniority in a company quite often has no correlation to how much someone is paid. In fact, I've seen quite a few cases where the newer younger employee makes more due to changing market conditions. Just because Employee A was cheaper to higher 5 years ago does not mean they're going to salary adjust him up just because Employee B cost a lot more to hire this year.

What you are saying is possible but non probable especially since he has explicitly said he is "senior". Seniority in most cases means designation and not just work experience also he has explicitly said he earns higher, so you need to take that statement on its face value.

Ofcourse there are many other possibilities since they are 2 totally different persons and we dont know know them at all and may they dont know each so much themselves.

[zzm9980]

What you are saying is possible but non probable especially since he has explicitly said he is "senior". Seniority in most cases means designation and not just work experience also he has explicitly said he earns higher, so you need to take that statement on its face value.

Ofcourse there are many other possibilities since they are 2 totally different persons and we dont know know them at all and may they dont know each so much themselves.

Never assume you know what anyone else makes, unless they report to you. (Or HR accidentally emails you a spreadsheet of payroll, but that's another story)

It's either a pay discrepancy or his wife's ethnicity imo. None of us will ever know, except ICA.

[butterdogpoppy]

Hi all

Thanks for the reply.

His earning is SGD 5750, we are quite closed and share about our salary.

Apply alone does not seem to be a good idea as it will raise red flag about my intention here.

May I know how many ICA controller there? The same person rejected me twice and I am thinking if it will be appropriate for me to meet him in person to enquire about the rejection.

All feedback are welcomed.