| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立中正大學 === 戰略暨國際事務研究所 === 103 === Though a typical immigrant state from a historical point of view, the imposition of martial law and other political factors have given rise to strict border control and a lack of due attention to our immigration policy. Until recent years, a significant increase in the number of foreign and mainland spouses has led to the establishment of the "Nation Immigration Agency of the Ministry of Interior", an ad-hoc institution for the formulation and adjustment of immigration policies according to current and future needs.
Densely populated with limited land since independence, the declining fertility in recent years has prompted Singapore to strengthen its human resources; incentive measures have been actively implemented to promote birthrate, though to limited avail. Thus, to compensate for the loss in manpower, immigration laws were revised to encourage mass immigration, which not only spawned social and cultural diversity, but also served to maintain Singapore’s continued economic competitiveness.
Plummeting fertility has also become an urgent threat to our nation’s population security, causing severe impact on national security in terms of military defense, social development, and economy. Current solutions rely largely on incentives-based policies, but it remains to be seen how higher bonuses or subsistence allowances can actually boost the birth rate; on the other hand, the minimum 20-year period for a newborn to reach adulthood means that the need in manpower and labor required for national defense and socio-economic activities could not be fulfilled overnight.
Under the tide of globalization, international migration has become an irreversible trend. By examining the immigration policies of Taiwan and Singapore, this study aspires to see increased immigration as the key to addressing the demographic challenges posed by our low domestic birthrate.
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