Singapore Permanent Resident (Singapore PR) status gives eligible foreigners the opportunity to reside in Singapore for longer term. One of the main advantages of obtaining Singapore PR status is that it enables the individual to live and work in Singapore for a long period of at least five years. Once an individual is Singapore Permanent Resident, he/she does not require an Employment Pass to work. And if one lose his/her job, he does not have to leave Singapore as Employment Pass will be taken if a job loss occur. Singapore PR is the step before one applies to Singapore Citizenship.
Between 2005 - 2008 period, there was a significant surge in Singapore PR approvals and the numbers have peaked in 2008 by 79,200 Singapore Permanent Resident status approvals in a single year. But since 2009, to reduce the intake of foreigners to Singapore, things has chanced significantly and the yearly approval rates fell to around 28,000 SPR approvals per year by 2012.
Something called re-entry permit is given alongside Singapore PR which allows the Singapore Permanent Resident status holder to leave and enter country freely. This re-entry permit is currently given for 5 years (before it was 10 years) and when it expires it needs to be renewed. These permit may be renewed if the Singapore PR meets some criteria such as being gainfully employed and having family roots in Singapore. A PR who travels out of Singapore or remains outside the country without a valid permit will lose his PR status.
In November 2012, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Grace Fu told in Parliment that about 10 per cent of permanent residents (PRs) in Singapore have held their PR status for 20 or more years and her ministry have no plans to limit duration of PR status:
However, her ministry does not plan to stop renewing the re-entry permit for people who have held their PR status for a certain number of years, she said in response to a question by Mr Ong Teng Koon (Sembawang GRC).
PRs are issued with a re-entry permit which are valid for a maximum of five years. The permit may be renewed if the PR meets criteria such as being gainfully employed and having family roots in Singapore. A PR who travels out of Singapore or remains outside the country without a valid permit will lose his PR status.
Ms Fu said taking up citizenship is a "serious commitment" which is ultimately a personal decision.
Source : No plans to limit duration of PR status: Grace Fu
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