Singapore population growth slows down, expects 25-30k foreigners as new citizens each year

Singapore, Feb 26 (PTI) Singapore’s total fertility rate dropped to a new low of 0.87 in 2025, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong said Thursday, adding the island state needs to carefully manage immigration flow to augment its low birth rate.

The country's fertility rate fell below 1.0 for the first time in 2023 to 0.97, and the figure remained the same in 2024, according to a Channel News Asia report.

Even as the government redoubles its efforts to support Singaporeans in starting families and having more children by giving financial incentives, including those to support parenthood, the country will still need “carefully managed” immigration flow to augment its low birth rate, the deputy prime minister told parliament.

Singapore’s citizen population grew 0.7 per cent in 2025, added Gan.

Singapore granted about 25,000 citizenships in 2025, he said.

The country expects to take in between 25,000 to 30,000 foreigners as new citizens each year over the next five years, said Gan, noting that this depends on other demographic trends including the total fertility rate.

“We will also have to adjust our PR (permanent resident) intake, as permanent residence is the pathway to work towards citizenship,” he added.

Singapore’s PR population has remained stable at 5,40,000 over the last few years, said Gan. The country expects to take in about 40,000 PRs each year in the next five years, more than the 35,000 granted in 2025, he said.

Noting the significant drop in total fertility rate from 1.24 a decade ago, he said low birth rates and an ageing population will “profoundly reshape” Singapore, as well as its society and economy in the coming years.

Singapore saw about 27,500 resident births in 2025, the lowest number in its recorded history, said Gan.

“The overall trend is also of grave concern. Marriage rates have come down, and those who are married have fewer children or no children,” he added. PTI GS NPK NPK