A: To answer this, let's first look at immigration numbers. The number of non-citizens in Singapore grew from 1.85 million in 2010 to 2.16 million last year, according to census figures released by the Department of Statistics (DOS) last month.

In percentage terms, non-citizens grew from 36.4 per cent of the population in 2010 to 38 per cent last year. Non-citizens include Permanent Residents and non-residents - foreigners who are working, studying or living in Singapore but who are not granted permanent residence. This group includes those on work permits and work passes but excludes tourists and short-term visitors. The figures show a distinct rise in immigration - defined as the rise in non-citizen numbers in the population.