Number and Profile of Stateless Persons Living in Singapore

13 Mr Png Eng Huat asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) as of January 2016, what is the number of stateless residents living in Singapore; (b) what is the gender profile of these residents; and (c) what is the number of such residents who are aged 50 and above.

Mr K Shanmugam: As at 31 January 2016, there were 1, 411 stateless persons living in Singapore.

Of these, 59% are male and 41% female.

One thousand and forty-eight or 74% of them are aged 50 and above.

The majority came from other countries to live and work in Singapore. Others were born in Singapore but were not eligible for Singapore Citizenship (SC) at birth as their parents were not Singapore Citizens at the time of their birth and did not obtain foreign citizenship for them from their home countries.

Many of the stateless persons have since become Permanent Residents (PRs). As PRs, they can enjoy the various benefits, such as healthcare, housing and education, that are accorded to PRs. Stateless PRs can also acquire SC if they meet the requirements for the grant of SC.