Singapore's population increases to 6.11 million, mostly due to migrant workers

Singapore, Sep 29 (PTI) Singapore's total population hit a new high of 6.11 million as of June 2025, an increase of 1.2 per cent in a year, mainly due to the growth in the non-resident population, mostly foreigners and migrants, according to a government report published on Monday.

This is the first time that the city-state's population exceeded 6 million, as per the annual Population in Brief report by the National Population and Talent Division (NPTD) of the Prime Minister’s Office and its partner agencies.

As of June 2025, there were 4.2 million Singapore residents - 3.66 million citizens and 0.54 million Permanent Residents (PRs).

The non-resident population increased by 2.7 per cent from 1.86 million in June 2024 to 1.91 million in June 2025. The increase came primarily from work permit holders, followed by migrant domestic workers or maids and domestic helpers, it said.

The foreign workforce makes up about two-thirds of the non-resident population, while the remaining third comprises mainly maids, dependents and students.

"The non-resident population is diverse, and its size and composition fluctuate depending on our economic and social needs," Channel News Asia reported, citing the report.

The citizen population increased by 0.7 per cent from 3.64 million in June 2024. Singapore’s local birth rate among citizens is low, while the PR population remains stable.

Singapore's annualised population growth rate of 1.5 per cent over the past five years – from 2020 to 2025 – was higher than the 0.5 per cent over the preceding five-year period.

The increase in the population was mostly due to an increase in the number of work permit holders in the labour-intensive construction sector to support key infrastructure projects such as Changi Terminal 5 under construction and the ramping up of housing supply through a state-funded scheme, the report said.

The report said that the island nation takes in a "carefully controlled" number of PRs and new citizens each year, with all new adult citizens coming from the pool of PRs, as individuals have to obtain permanent residency before they may apply for citizenship.

Last year, 22,766 people were granted citizenship and 35,264 individuals were granted permanent residency.

The report said the government will "continue to maintain a measured pace of immigration".

The exact number of PRs and citizenships granted each year depends on several factors, including the number and quality of applications received and Singapore's changing needs. PTI GS SKS ZH SKS