Singapore's population exceeds 6.04M, driven by non-resident growth
As of June 2024, Singapore's total population reached 6.04 million, marking a 2% increase from June 2023, driven largely by a 5% growth in the non-resident population, which rose from 1.77 million to 1.86 million. This growth is attributed to various foreign worker categories. Meanwhile, the citizen population increased by 0.7% to 3.64 million, with a notable decline in births and marriages.
SINGAPORE: As of June 2024, Singapore’s total population reached 6.04 million, reflecting a 2% increase from June 2023, according to the Government’s latest Population in Brief report released by the National Population and Talent Division (NPTD) on Tuesday (24 Sept). This notable rise in population is primarily attributed to a 5% growth in the non-resident (NR) population, which increased from 1.77 million in June 2023 to 1.86 million in June 2024. The increase was observed across various pass types, including foreign workers across all categories, semi-skilled non-professional work permit holders, manager and executive roles, technician (non-PMET) workers, dependants, and international students. Work Permit Holders contributed the most to this growth, followed closely by Migrant Domestic Workers, NDTD report added. "Today, the foreign workforce constitutes about two-thirds of the NR population, while the remaining one-third comprises mainly migrant domestic workers, dependants, and students," the report noted. The report further highlighted that the increase in the NR population was primarily driven by growth in foreign employment from June 2023 to June 2024. It emphasized that, given Singapore's fundamental labour constraints, the foreign workforce complements the local workforce and enables companies to access a broader range of skills from the global labour pool. Additionally, the annualized population growth rate over the last five years (2019-2024) was slightly higher than in the preceding five-year period (2014-2019), mainly due to post-COVID growth in the number of Work Permit Holders in the Construction, Marine Shipyard, and Process (CMP) sectors as companies resumed projects delayed by the pandemic.
citizen population: 3.64 million
The report also highlighted concerning trends among citizens, including a decrease in births and marriages. The citizen population increased by 0.7% from 3.61 million in June 2023 to 3.64 million in June 2024, while the Permanent Resident (PR) population grew by 1.2%, rising from 538,600 to 544,900 during the same period. In 2023, there were 28,877 citizen births, marking a 5.1% decline from the 30,429 births recorded in 2022. This decline continues a downward trend, with the resident total fertility rate (TFR) dropping to a historic low of 0.97 in 2023. The average number of births per year over the last five years was 31,100, lower than the 33,000 average recorded in the preceding five years. Additionally, the median age of citizen mothers at first birth increased to 31.4 years in 2023, compared to 30.2 years in 2013. The report noted that this decline may have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in economic uncertainty and disrupted marriage and parenthood plans for some Singaporean couples. "The decline in TFR is also happening in other advanced societies, where more people are postponing family formation and having fewer children due to reasons such as the prioritisation of careers, shifting attitudes towards marriage and parenthood, and concerns about child-raising costs," the NDTD report added.
Fewer citizen marriage in 2023
According to the report, the number of citizen marriages fell to 24,355 in 2023, a decrease of 1.7% from the previous year's record high, although it remains higher than figures from 2019. The median age at first marriage for citizen grooms and brides was 30.7 and 29.0 years, respectively, in 2023, up from 30.1 and 27.8 years in 2013.
The NPTD report noted that among the citizen population aged 25-49 years, there was a higher proportion of singles across almost all age groups in 2023 compared to 2013, a trend observed among both males and females.
Aging trend
A significant demographic shift is underway as the proportion of seniors in the citizen population continues to rise. As of June 2024, 19.9% of citizens were aged 65 and above, compared to 12.4% in June 2014. Meanwhile, 60.4% of citizens were aged 20-64 years, a decrease from 64.8% in 2014. The number of citizens aged 80 and older has surged by approximately 65%, increasing from 85,000 in 2014 to 142,000 in 2024. The report estimates that by 2030, around 1 in 4 citizens (24.1%) will be aged 65 and above.
Transnational marriages accounted for 36% of all citizen marriages in 2023
The report noted a noteworthy trend in marriages, with transnational marriages accounting for 36% of all citizen marriages in 2023, up from 33% in 2022. Despite fluctuations caused by COVID-19 travel restrictions, the proportion of transnational marriages has consistently remained above one-third over the past decade. As of June 2023, there were 176,900 citizens married to non-citizen spouses. Among the 28,877 citizen births in 2023, more than 1 in 4 were born to couples comprising both citizens and non-citizens. The report remarked, "Many foreign spouses have lived in Singapore for years, often even before meeting their Singaporean spouses. They are now a part of our families and community. These transnational families add to the diversity and vibrancy of our population." Interestingly, the report highlighted that around 3 in 4 transnational marriages today involve citizen grooms and non-citizen brides, a trend that has remained stable over the last decade. However, the profile of transnational families has evolved in recent years. Non-citizen brides are now older and have higher educational qualifications at the time of marriage. The proportion of non-citizen brides aged below 25 decreased from 18.0% in 2013 to 6.5% in 2023, while the proportion with a university degree increased from 36.6% in 2013 to 47.4% in 2023.
