An average of 46,300 people are granted Singaporean permanent resident (PR) status every year for the past eight years, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Mr Wong Kan Seng said in Parliament today.

In his reply to Mr Chiam See Tong's question about the number of PR applications received, granted and PR statuses renounced, Mr Wong said that PR applications have been increasing steadily in recent years.

From 2000 to 2008, an average of 74,500 applications for permanent residency were submitted by foreigners each year. Of these, an average of 46,300 applications were successful.

An average of 2,200 also renounced their PR status each year during the same period.

Mr Wong said that the increase in number of people granted PR was due to two factors, namely a strong economy and the need to augment Singapore's population.

A booming economy growth of 6 per cent to 8 percent between 2004 and 2007 meant that Singapore required more foreigners to work here. Most did not intend to stay long term, but "a good many" are well-qualified, skilled personnel who decided to stay longer and applied for PR.

Singapore's low fertility rate also meant that the country would age rapidly and start to decline by 2020 if the country closes its doors to foreigners. This would increase the burden of Singaporeans and the country's competitiveness would decrease.

Mr Wong also said that the Government recognizes that Singaporeans feel anxious about the large inflow of foreigners in recent years.

Singaporeans should not think that all foreigners here are PRs, he said. A large portion of foreigners are here on short-term passes, with 1,253,000 non-residents in Singapore as compared to 533,000 PRs.

While Singapore needs the continuing inflow of immigrants into the country, Mr Wong said that the government is mindful of the concerns of Singaporeans.