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IMMIGRANTS may one day have to pass a test on Singapore before they are given citizenship.
The idea of a citizenship test - already used in countries such as the United States, Britain and Australia - was raised in Parliament yesterday by Madam Halimah Yacob (Jurong GRC).
In response, Community Development, Youth and Sports Minister Vivian Balakrishnan called it an ' interesting and quite sensible suggestion' and said the Government would study it.
In an earlier speech, Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng said that there were 74,500 foreigners who submitted their applications for permanent residency (PR) in Singapore from 2000 to 2008. During those years, more than half - or 46,300 people - were successful in their applications.
He also said that an average of 2,200 renounced their PR status during the period.
DPM Wong was replying to questions posed by Mr Chiam See Tong.
DPM Wong said: "The Government recognizes that some Singaporeans feel anxious about the large inflow of foreigners in recent years.
"We should not think that all foreigners here are PRs.
"In fact, a very large proportion of these foreigners are non-residents such as foreign workers and foreign students who are here on short-term passes.
"In other words, they are here on a transient basis and will leave Singapore one day when their services are no longer needed by their employer or when they have finished their studies.
"There are some who are on long-term visit passes and they are sponsored by Singaporeans. To put this in perspective, as of June 2009, there were about 1,253,000 non-residents in Singapore as compared to 533,000 PRs.
"Singapore needs to bring in a continuing flow of immigrants to augment our population and enhance our economic competitiveness.
"However, the Government is mindful of the concerns of Singaporeans.
"We will manage the inflow of immigrants taking into consideration how quickly our society can absorb and integrate these new immigrants without diluting our national identity or weakening our social cohesion.
"Such a sustained and calibrated inflow of immigrants will ensure that Singaporeans benefit from immigration in the long term."
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