A United Nations report, which tracks migration patterns worldwide for the last 30 years, paints a picture of migrants in Singapore that debunks a few popular perceptions among Singaporeans.
The cumulative estimates from 1990 to 2019, obtained by The Sunday Times, highlight two particularly misguided beliefs.
Myth 1: Chinese nationals form the biggest pool of migrants in the country.
Reality: Malaysians top the list, making up almost half of the migrants in the last three decades.
Myth 2: Indian nationals are a close second to Chinese nationals.
Reality: Indian nationals form just 5.9 per cent of the total migrant pool, with 5.1 per cent from Pakistan and 3.2 per cent from Bangladesh. Often, Singaporeans view citizens of the three nations synonymously as Indians.
By mid-2019, they made up 14 per cent of the migrant pool, not far behind the 18 per cent of Chinese nationals.
Beyond helping to disprove widely held notions about the composition of Singapore's migrant population, the figures from the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs show that Singapore's immigration policy has stayed relatively consistent in the last 30 years.
Those from neighbouring Malaysia form the biggest group, accounting for 44 per cent or almost half of the foreign-born population.
Add the 18 per cent of Chinese nationals and together, both account for more than six out of 10 migrants in Singapore.
Indonesia rounds up the top three on the migrants' list, followed by India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, Macau and others.
WHY DO SINGAPOREANS CLING TO THESE MISPERCEPTIONS?
Researchers and social scientists say these popular misperceptions arise partly because Singaporeans have never really considered Malaysians to be migrants or foreigners, owing to the cultural similarities they share and the historically porous border between the two countries.
With Malaysians being the "silent majority", foreigners like Chinese and Indian nationals stand out and appear overwhelmingly dominant even though actual numbers show otherwise.
The lack of public data does not help combat such misperceptions.
https://forums.fuckwarezone.com.sg/images/statusicon/wol_error.gifThis image has been resized.Click to view original image
https://forums.fuckwarezone.com.sg/images/statusicon/wol_error.gifThis image has been resized.Click to view original image
The situation is exacerbated by reports, online and offline, of isolated incidents of antisocial behaviour of foreigners.
"When someone comes here from another region and acts in a different way, the person stands out," said geographer and mapping consultant Mok Ly Yng.
"After a while, people start noticing them rather than the silent majority. It's more a perception thing rather than mathematical."
Recent examples include an Indian expatriate who berated his condominium's security guard over a parking incident. It drew wide coverage in the media as well as on social media.
Amid questions about his citizenship status, the Ministry of Home Affairs later revealed that he is a Singaporean who obtained his citizenship under the Family Ties scheme.
The UN defines a migrant as anyone who is foreign-born, a definition that includes permanent residents, foreigners who work here and their dependants, students, as well as naturalised citizens in Singapore.
In the last three decades, the figures show the proportion of Malaysians has soared, from 27 per cent in 1990 to 44 per cent last year.
As for China-born migrants, the proportion has hovered around 18 per cent for almost the entire 30 years, except in 1990, when it rose to 21 per cent.
Indonesia has consistently been Singapore's third-biggest source of migrants, with 138,338 of its people making up 6.4 per cent of the foreign-born pool last year.
They are followed by Indians (5.9 per cent), Pakistanis (5.1 per cent) and Bangladeshis (3.2 per cent). Those from Hong Kong and Macau together make up 3.3 per cent.
MALAYSIANS AND CHINESE INTEGRATE MORE EASILY
Social scientists say it is a no-brainer that Malaysia and China lead the pack, as their nationals are seen to integrate more easily into Singaporean society.
"Malaysians in many ways are culturally similar to Singaporeans and it is no wonder that labour policies favour their employment here," said Dr Mathew Mathews, senior research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies.
Labour policies, for instance, allow a higher age limit of 58 for Malaysians applying for work permits, while it is capped at 50 for all other foreigners. Employers must also buy a $5,000 security bond for every foreign worker they employ, except Malaysians.
Migrants from China, meanwhile, "assumedly will find it easier to integrate in Singapore considering the ease of using Mandarin here and the fact that around three-quarters of our population are ethnically Chinese," Dr Mathews added.
Nanyang Technological University sociologist Zhan Shaohua said the consistent mix of migrant source countries over 30 years reflects Singapore's policy of ensuring immigration numbers do not change or impact on the local ethnic proportions of Chinese, Malays, Indians and others.
The UN data also reflects Singapore's policy of drawing workers from countries such as Bangladesh, the Philippines and Indonesia for jobs that Singaporeans shun, such as construction and domestic work.
It also sources for workers from some countries for a particular industry, for example, construction workers from Bangladesh, domestic workers from the Philippines and Indonesia, Dr Zhan noted.
A spokesman for the National Population and Talent Division said the Government has a list of source countries for work permit holders in construction, manufacturing, marine shipyard, process and services sector, as well as for foreign domestic workers.
"Regardless of country of origin, integration efforts between locals and foreigners continue to be important in order to strengthen our social cohesion and the vibrancy of our diverse and inclusive society," he added.
TIGHTER IMMIGRATION RULES IN 2009, FEWER MIGRANTS IN 2019
The UN estimates show migrant numbers from all source countries dipped last year.
The total shrank 15 per cent to 2,155,653 in 2019, from 2,543,638 in 2015. It was 2,164,794 in 2010.
The UN office, when contacted, said the 2019 figures could be an underestimate and may be revised when more data is available.
Singapore researchers said it may also partly reflect the tightening of immigration policies in 2009.
The pace of growth of Singapore's population has slowed since.
Between 2004 and 2009, total population grew by 164,000 on average each year.
But between 2009 and 2015, the annual growth shrank to 91,000, and it decreased further to 48,000 each year between 2015 and mid-2019, said Dr Zhan.
In 2004, the Government relaxed immigration rules to make up for falling birth rates, and from 2005 to 2009, around 400,000 people were made new Singaporeans and PRs.
But the rules were tightened in 2009 after Singaporeans fretted over competition for jobs, school places and rising property prices. People were also frustrated with overcrowding in buses and trains.
With Malaysians, however, such tensions seem almost non-existent.
Historian and law professor Kevin Tan, 58, noted that Malaysians have always been a part of Singapore's social fabric, with shared languages, food and culture.
"When I was at NUS (1982-1986), one-third of my classmates were Malaysians," said Dr Tan, adjunct professor at the National University of Singapore's law faculty.
The cumulative estimates from 1990 to 2019, obtained by The Sunday Times, highlight two particularly misguided beliefs.
Myth 1: Chinese nationals form the biggest pool of migrants in the country.
Reality: Malaysians top the list, making up almost half of the migrants in the last three decades.
Myth 2: Indian nationals are a close second to Chinese nationals.
Reality: Indian nationals form just 5.9 per cent of the total migrant pool, with 5.1 per cent from Pakistan and 3.2 per cent from Bangladesh. Often, Singaporeans view citizens of the three nations synonymously as Indians.
By mid-2019, they made up 14 per cent of the migrant pool, not far behind the 18 per cent of Chinese nationals.
Beyond helping to disprove widely held notions about the composition of Singapore's migrant population, the figures from the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs show that Singapore's immigration policy has stayed relatively consistent in the last 30 years.
Those from neighbouring Malaysia form the biggest group, accounting for 44 per cent or almost half of the foreign-born population.
Add the 18 per cent of Chinese nationals and together, both account for more than six out of 10 migrants in Singapore.
Indonesia rounds up the top three on the migrants' list, followed by India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, Macau and others.
WHY DO SINGAPOREANS CLING TO THESE MISPERCEPTIONS?
Researchers and social scientists say these popular misperceptions arise partly because Singaporeans have never really considered Malaysians to be migrants or foreigners, owing to the cultural similarities they share and the historically porous border between the two countries.
With Malaysians being the "silent majority", foreigners like Chinese and Indian nationals stand out and appear overwhelmingly dominant even though actual numbers show otherwise.
The lack of public data does not help combat such misperceptions.
https://forums.fuckwarezone.com.sg/images/statusicon/wol_error.gifThis image has been resized.Click to view original image
https://forums.fuckwarezone.com.sg/images/statusicon/wol_error.gifThis image has been resized.Click to view original image
The situation is exacerbated by reports, online and offline, of isolated incidents of antisocial behaviour of foreigners.
"When someone comes here from another region and acts in a different way, the person stands out," said geographer and mapping consultant Mok Ly Yng.
"After a while, people start noticing them rather than the silent majority. It's more a perception thing rather than mathematical."
Recent examples include an Indian expatriate who berated his condominium's security guard over a parking incident. It drew wide coverage in the media as well as on social media.
Amid questions about his citizenship status, the Ministry of Home Affairs later revealed that he is a Singaporean who obtained his citizenship under the Family Ties scheme.
The UN defines a migrant as anyone who is foreign-born, a definition that includes permanent residents, foreigners who work here and their dependants, students, as well as naturalised citizens in Singapore.
In the last three decades, the figures show the proportion of Malaysians has soared, from 27 per cent in 1990 to 44 per cent last year.
As for China-born migrants, the proportion has hovered around 18 per cent for almost the entire 30 years, except in 1990, when it rose to 21 per cent.
Indonesia has consistently been Singapore's third-biggest source of migrants, with 138,338 of its people making up 6.4 per cent of the foreign-born pool last year.
They are followed by Indians (5.9 per cent), Pakistanis (5.1 per cent) and Bangladeshis (3.2 per cent). Those from Hong Kong and Macau together make up 3.3 per cent.
MALAYSIANS AND CHINESE INTEGRATE MORE EASILY
Social scientists say it is a no-brainer that Malaysia and China lead the pack, as their nationals are seen to integrate more easily into Singaporean society.
"Malaysians in many ways are culturally similar to Singaporeans and it is no wonder that labour policies favour their employment here," said Dr Mathew Mathews, senior research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies.
Labour policies, for instance, allow a higher age limit of 58 for Malaysians applying for work permits, while it is capped at 50 for all other foreigners. Employers must also buy a $5,000 security bond for every foreign worker they employ, except Malaysians.
Migrants from China, meanwhile, "assumedly will find it easier to integrate in Singapore considering the ease of using Mandarin here and the fact that around three-quarters of our population are ethnically Chinese," Dr Mathews added.
Nanyang Technological University sociologist Zhan Shaohua said the consistent mix of migrant source countries over 30 years reflects Singapore's policy of ensuring immigration numbers do not change or impact on the local ethnic proportions of Chinese, Malays, Indians and others.
The UN data also reflects Singapore's policy of drawing workers from countries such as Bangladesh, the Philippines and Indonesia for jobs that Singaporeans shun, such as construction and domestic work.
It also sources for workers from some countries for a particular industry, for example, construction workers from Bangladesh, domestic workers from the Philippines and Indonesia, Dr Zhan noted.
A spokesman for the National Population and Talent Division said the Government has a list of source countries for work permit holders in construction, manufacturing, marine shipyard, process and services sector, as well as for foreign domestic workers.
"Regardless of country of origin, integration efforts between locals and foreigners continue to be important in order to strengthen our social cohesion and the vibrancy of our diverse and inclusive society," he added.
TIGHTER IMMIGRATION RULES IN 2009, FEWER MIGRANTS IN 2019
The UN estimates show migrant numbers from all source countries dipped last year.
The total shrank 15 per cent to 2,155,653 in 2019, from 2,543,638 in 2015. It was 2,164,794 in 2010.
The UN office, when contacted, said the 2019 figures could be an underestimate and may be revised when more data is available.
Singapore researchers said it may also partly reflect the tightening of immigration policies in 2009.
The pace of growth of Singapore's population has slowed since.
Between 2004 and 2009, total population grew by 164,000 on average each year.
But between 2009 and 2015, the annual growth shrank to 91,000, and it decreased further to 48,000 each year between 2015 and mid-2019, said Dr Zhan.
In 2004, the Government relaxed immigration rules to make up for falling birth rates, and from 2005 to 2009, around 400,000 people were made new Singaporeans and PRs.
But the rules were tightened in 2009 after Singaporeans fretted over competition for jobs, school places and rising property prices. People were also frustrated with overcrowding in buses and trains.
With Malaysians, however, such tensions seem almost non-existent.
Historian and law professor Kevin Tan, 58, noted that Malaysians have always been a part of Singapore's social fabric, with shared languages, food and culture.
"When I was at NUS (1982-1986), one-third of my classmates were Malaysians," said Dr Tan, adjunct professor at the National University of Singapore's law faculty.
