--- type: "Article" title: "What 19 years of Singapore PR statistics show, and how to chart them yourself" description: "Singapore PR statistics from 2007 to 2025: annual PR and citizenship grants, the PR population, who gets PR, and how to chart the data with our free tool." resource: "https://www.eh-immigration.com/articles/what-19-years-of-singapore-pr-statistics-show-and-how-to-chart-them-yourself" tags: ["permanent-residency", "citizenship", "application-process"] timestamp: "2026-10-20T09:40:37.000Z" --- # What 19 years of Singapore PR statistics show, and how to chart them yourself Singapore PR statistics from 2007 to 2025: annual PR and citizenship grants, the PR population, who gets PR, and how to chart the data with our free tool. TL;DR: - Singapore granted 35,352 new permanent residences (PR) in 2025, the highest annual total since 2009 but less than half the 79,167 granted in 2008.[[1]](#source-1)[[2]](#source-2) - Since 2010, annual PR grants have stayed between about 27,000 and 35,500. The big change happened in 2009–2010, not recently.[[1]](#source-1)[[2]](#source-2) - The PR population reached 546,636 at end-June 2026, the highest in the official series, after dropping to 488,651 in 2021.[[1]](#source-1)[[3]](#source-3) - New PRs are getting older: 31–40-year-olds rose from 23.3% of grants in 2012 to 32.2% in 2025, while 21–30-year-olds fell from 38.9% to 32.5%.[[1]](#source-1) - ICA does not publish application numbers, so no official PR approval rate exists.[[4]](#source-4) - The free [Singapore PR statistics chart tool](https://www.eh-immigration.com/singapore-pr-statistics) plots every series. Singapore PR statistics are published once a year in Population in Brief.[[2]](#source-2) The National Population and Talent Division has released it every year since 2008. Each edition only shows a few years, so the long-run picture is scattered across 19 PDFs. E&H collected every edition and checked the figures against Department of Statistics tables. The full history now sits on one page with an interactive chart tool. The sections below cover what that history shows, what it cannot tell you, and how to check any figure yourself. ## Four eras of PR grants since 2007 Annual PR grants fall into four clear periods when you plot the full series.[[1]](#source-1)[[2]](#source-2) Period PR grants per year What happened 2007–2008 63,627 to 79,167 Peak intake during rapid population growth 2009–2010 59,460, then 29,265 Immigration framework tightened from late 2009 2011–2019 27,521 to 32,915 A stable band of roughly 30,000 a year 2020–2025 27,470 (2020), then 33,435 to 35,352 Pandemic dip, then a slow climb The 2010 drop halved grants in a single year, and that lower level has held for 16 years. Every year since 2010 sits within about 8,000 of every other year. The rise from 2021 to 2025 is real but small: the 2025 total is only 88 higher than 2024. Plot it yourself with the [grants chart, 2007–2025](https://www.eh-immigration.com/singapore-pr-statistics?chart=grants&from=2007&to=2025). Citizenship grants moved differently, rising from 14,327 in 2011 to 25,094 in 2025, the highest figure since at least 2009.[[1]](#source-1) In 2025 Singapore granted 71 citizenships for every 100 new PRs, compared with roughly 64 in most years since 2012. A further 1,646 children born overseas to Singaporean parents received citizenship by descent in 2025; Population in Brief now reports that group separately.[[1]](#source-1) Our [Population in Brief 2026 breakdown](https://www.eh-immigration.com/articles/population-in-brief-2026-singapore-pr-citizenship) covers the latest edition in detail. For related guidance, see [Will approvals for Singapore residency decline ahead of General Elections next year?](https://eh-immigration.com/articles/will-approvals-for-singapore-residency-decline-ahead-of-general-elections-next-year). ## The PR population is at a record, but grants are not The number of people holding PR at end-June 2026 was 546,636, or 12.9% of Singapore residents.[[1]](#source-1)[[3]](#source-3) That is the highest figure in the series, slightly above the 541,002 recorded in 2010. The path between those two points matters. The PR population drifted down from 2010 to 2020, then fell sharply to 488,651 in June 2021 as many PRs stayed abroad or gave up their status during the pandemic. It recovered to 538,595 by 2023 and has edged up since.[[3]](#source-3) So the population record reflects recovery and steady intake, not a surge in new grants. The population figure is not last year’s population plus this year’s grants. Grants count people approved during a calendar year. The population counts people holding PR at end-June. People who become citizens, leave Singapore or lose their re-entry permit leave the PR count. Compare the two directly with the [new PRs vs PR population chart](https://www.eh-immigration.com/singapore-pr-statistics?chart=grantRates&from=2009&to=2025). For related guidance, see [What Do Singapore’s Record-Low 2025 Births Mean for PR Applicants?](https://eh-immigration.com/articles/singapore-births-2025-lowest-since-independence-natural-increase). ## Who receives PR has shifted older and more Southeast Asian Population in Brief publishes the age, region of origin and education of new PRs from 2012 onward.[[1]](#source-1)[[2]](#source-2) Three trends stand out: - Age: 31–40-year-olds rose from 23.3% of new PRs in 2012 to a peak of 34.2% in 2022, and were 32.2% in 2025. Grantees over 40 rose from 8.0% to 10.9%. The 21–30 share fell from 38.9% to 32.5%. Most of the shift happened between 2019 and 2022. [Plot new PRs by age](https://www.eh-immigration.com/singapore-pr-statistics?chart=prAge&from=2012&to=2025). - Origin: Southeast Asia’s share rose from 51.2% in 2012 to 61.6% in 2025. Other Asian countries fell from 38.4% to 31.6%, and the rest of the world from 10.4% to 6.8%. [Plot new PRs by region](https://www.eh-immigration.com/singapore-pr-statistics?chart=prOrigin&from=2012&to=2025). - Education: Among new PRs aged 20 and over, 78% to 86% held a post-secondary qualification in every year from 2012 to 2025. This is the most stable profile series. [Plot new PRs by qualification](https://www.eh-immigration.com/singapore-pr-statistics?chart=prQual&from=2012&to=2025). About a quarter of new PRs each year are aged 20 or under. Most of them are children included in a parent’s application, which is why family applications matter so much to the totals. For related guidance, see [An Older, Smaller Singapore: Why Work Passes and PR Will Remain Essential](https://eh-immigration.com/articles/older-smaller-singapore-work-passes-pr-essential). ## What these statistics cannot tell you PR statistics describe who was approved, not who applied. ICA publishes the number of PRs granted but not the number of applications received, so there is no official PR approval rate.[[4]](#source-4) Any approval percentage quoted online is an estimate built on an assumed application count. The profile data has the same limit. A rising share of 31–40-year-olds could mean ICA favours that age group, or simply that more people in that age group applied. The published data cannot separate the two. ICA also reports origin by broad region only. It does not publish grants by nationality, occupation or salary.[[1]](#source-1) For an individual applicant, the national totals say little about a single case. ICA assesses each application on its own merits, including family ties, economic contribution, qualifications, age and length of residence.[[4]](#source-4) The statistics show the scale and direction of the system; they do not score your file. ## What the 2026 plan means In February 2026 the government said it plans to grant about 40,000 PRs and 25,000 to 30,000 citizenships a year over the next five years.[[1]](#source-1) Forty thousand would be the highest annual figure since 2009 and about 4,600 more than in 2025. That is a planning figure. It is not a quota any applicant can claim, and it says nothing about an individual case. The first test is the 2026 grant total, which will be published in Population in Brief 2027, around September 2027. Until then, the most recent observed figure is 35,352 for 2025. For related guidance, see [Singapore PR for Indian Nationals: What Are the 2026 Approval Odds?](https://eh-immigration.com/articles/singapore-pr-for-indian-nationals-approval-odds-and-strategy-for-2026). ## How to use the chart tool The [Singapore PR statistics page](https://www.eh-immigration.com/singapore-pr-statistics) has ten chart modes and full data tables. To use it: - Pick a chart. Choose from PR and citizenship grants, population by residency status, PR share of residents, grants vs population, and age, origin or qualification profiles for both new PRs and new citizens. - Set the year range. Use the From and To menus. Grants start in 2007, population in 1990 and profiles in 2012. - Switch shares to counts. For age and origin charts you can show estimated head counts instead of percentages. These are estimates, because they multiply the total by rounded percentages. - Reuse the data. Open the data table to see the figures, or copy a link that reopens the exact chart and year range. The page is also available in [Chinese](https://www.eh-immigration.com/zh/singapore-pr-statistics) and [Malay](https://www.eh-immigration.com/ms/singapore-pr-statistics). The full source tables are readable without JavaScript, and every figure links back to Population in Brief or the Department of Statistics. For related guidance, see [Singapore’s Population Cools in 2025: Deeper Insights for Residency Applicants](https://eh-immigration.com/articles/singapores-population-cools-in-2025-deeper-insights-for-residency-applicants). ## Frequently asked questions How many PRs did Singapore grant in 2025? Singapore granted PR to 35,352 people in 2025, up from 35,264 in 2024. It is the highest annual total since 2009.[[1]](#source-1) What is the Singapore PR approval rate? There is no official PR approval rate. ICA publishes how many people were granted PR each year but not how many applied, so any approval rate you see is an estimate.[[4]](#source-4) How many permanent residents live in Singapore? There were 546,636 permanent residents at end-June 2026, which is 12.9% of Singapore residents and the highest figure in the official series.[[1]](#source-1)[[3]](#source-3) Is Singapore granting more PRs in 2026? The government plans about 40,000 PR grants a year over the next five years, announced in February 2026. The actual 2026 figure will be published in Population in Brief 2027.[[1]](#source-1) Where do new Singapore PRs come from? In 2025, 61.6% of new PRs came from Southeast Asia, 31.6% from other Asian countries and 6.8% from the rest of the world. ICA does not publish a breakdown by nationality.[[1]](#source-1) ## Sources & References - [Population in Brief 2026 — National Population and Talent Division](https://isomer-user-content.by.gov.sg/520/799cc617-8bdf-420b-a47e-86ececabe12e/PIB%202026%20Report.pdf) - [Population in Brief archive, 2008–2026 — National Population and Talent Division](https://www.population.gov.sg/media-centre/population-in-brief/) - [Population by residential status (M810001) — Singapore Department of Statistics](https://tablebuilder.singstat.gov.sg/table/TS/M810001) - [Apply for Permanent Residence — Immigration & Checkpoints Authority](https://www.ica.gov.sg/reside/PR/apply) # Citations [1] [Canonical article page](https://www.eh-immigration.com/articles/what-19-years-of-singapore-pr-statistics-show-and-how-to-chart-them-yourself)