SINGAPORE – Singapore’s resident total fertility rate (TFR) sank to a new low of 0.87 in 2025, deepening concerns over how this trend and the rapidly ageing population will reshape society and the economy. Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong said on Feb 26 that with birth rates falling at an unprecedented pace, Singapore’s citizen population may start to shrink by the early 2040s without new interventions. DPM Gan, who spoke at the debate on the budget for the Prime Minister’s Office, said the top priority will be to continue supporting Singaporeans in forming families.   But he also illustrated what it means for Singapore if the TFR, which refers to the average number of babies each woman would have during her reproductive years, remains at 0.87. This would translate to just 44 children and 19 grandchildren for every 100 residents today, he said. “Over time, it will be practically impossible to reverse the trend, as we will have fewer and fewer women who can bear children,” he added.   DPM Gan stressed the need to therefore have a “carefully managed immigration flow to augment our low birth rate”.   Depending on demographic trends, the Government expects to take in between 25,000 and 30,000 new citizens a year over the next five years, he said. About 25,000 individuals became Singapore citizens in 2025. An average of 21,300 citizenships were granted yearly between 2020 and 2024, according to the Population In Brief 2025 report.   Similarly, the number of new permanent residents (PRs) is also expected to increase to about 40,000 a year over the next five years, DPM Gan said. In 2025, some 35,000 people became PRs. DPM Gan said the Government will maintain a stable citizen core and continue to be selective about new immigrants. It will also manage the pace of immigration to ensure that the development of public infrastructure, such as housing and transport, keeps pace with population growth. He also reiterated that Singapore’s total population will be significantly lower than 6.9 million by 2030 – even as the population is expected to grow. However, it is likely to grow at a slower rate than over the past five years. The 6.9 million figure, first revealed in a Population White Paper released in 2013, drew widespread consternation over concerns of overcrowding, among other things. The Government has said that this figure is not a target, but a planning parameter. DPM Gan said that if present demographic trends continue, it would still take “considerable” time to reach 6.9 million. And the Government will review the situation by 2030. He added: “We will maintain the broad ethnic balance of our citizen population, and continue to carefully manage the impact of immigration on our population composition, to preserve the overall texture of our society.” DPM Gan, who said he spoke plainly about Singapore’s demographic challenges, acknowledged concerns and anxieties that Singaporeans have about immigration.         “Will bringing in immigrants mean fewer job opportunities for us? Will the Singapore that my children grow up in feel vastly different from the one I grew up in?” The Government takes such concerns seriously and will continue to address them, such as stepping up integration efforts between new immigrants and Singaporeans, he added. On the existential demographic challenges facing the Republic, DPM Gan stressed that the Government will do more to support Singaporeans in their marriage and parenthood aspirations. He echoed Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s remarks on supporting Singaporeans in their parenthood plans. PM Wong had said earlier in the sitting: “We have not given up. We will not give up.” This is even as marriage rates have fallen, while those who are married have fewer or no children. All these factors led to only about 27,500 resident births in 2025 – based on preliminary figures – the lowest number in Singapore’s recorded history. This is a drop of about 11 per cent from the 30,808 resident births in 2024. A resident birth refers to a child born to at least one parent who is a Singaporean or PR. And the slide downwards is quick, given that the TFR stood at 1.24 a decade ago in 2015. “Low birth rates and an ageing population will profoundly reshape our nation, our society and our economy in the years ahead,” DPM Gan said. He noted that the citizen population, even with immigration, grew just 0.7 per cent in 2025, and this has slowed over the past decade. Meanwhile, he said, Singapore’s population is ageing “faster than ever”. One in five citizens was aged 65 and older in 2025, up from one in eight in 2015. The plunging births and rapidly ageing population have massive implications on multiple fronts, from weakening family support networks to slowing economic growth. He said: “At a macro level, a declining economy means less vitality in our city and economy. Our economic growth and, correspondingly, our income growth will slow. “And with fewer citizens, it will become increasingly difficult to meet our national security and defence needs. This raises the deeper question of what Singapore will be 50 or 100 years from now – will we remain vibrant, liveable and relevant? Will we exist?”         Foreign workers and job competition DPM Gan also noted that local workforce growth has slowed, adding that Singapore needs skilled foreign workers to fill critical manpower gaps and help companies build new capabilities. And in turn, this would also create more jobs for Singaporeans, he said. He gave the example of how the number of Singaporeans in professional, manager, executive and technician jobs rose by 308,000 in the past decade, while the number of Employment Pass (EP) and S Pass holders went up by 24,000. But he also stressed the need to keep a close eye on the growth of the non-resident population, such as foreign workers, to ensure citizens remain the majority of Singapore’s population. In the past five years, the foreign workforce, including domestic helpers, grew an average of 3.3 per cent a year. This was primarily driven by the post-pandemic construction boom. If work permit holders in the construction industry are excluded, the foreign workforce grew an average of 2.5 per cent a year. DPM Gan said migrant workers, such as construction workers and domestic helpers, do not fight with Singaporeans for jobs, but the key is to plan ahead to support their numbers, such as catering for dormitories, transport and recreational spaces. In contrast, EP and S Pass holders, who are better qualified and command higher wages than work permit holders, make up less than a quarter of the foreign workforce, he added. He was responding to questions on job competition by PAP MPs Xie Yao Quan (Jurong Central) and Yip Hon Weng (Yio Chu Kang). Workers’ Party chief Pritam Singh (Aljunied GRC) also asked if the Government is prepared to grant citizenship to PRs, for example, who have failed to get citizenship multiple times even though they have assimilated over the years. DPM Gan said the Government will keep open all options, and take a fresh look at many of these applicants. But he noted that there are reasons why they were unsuccessful in the first place. He said the Government will look at more sources of new immigrants. Mr Singh also asked if the Government is prepared to deviate from the current ethnic composition of the population, to which DPM Gan said yes. “We will need to be flexible, but I think it’s very important for us to ensure that we maintain a broad balance,” he said. “I’m not talking about decimal digits, but it’s important to maintain the balance so that we don’t change the overall context, the texture of society.” DPM Gan said the Government will step up efforts to create good jobs for Singaporeans and strengthen measures to ensure fair employment practices. “Let me be clear that we are not chasing growth for growth’s sake. Economic growth is the means to an end, which is to improve the lives of Singaporeans. He added: “We will keep close track of the population size and composition, to ensure that trends are sustainable, that infrastructure needs are met in a timely and adequate way, and that Singaporeans ultimately benefit from our population policies.”

https://www.8world.com/singapore/cos2026-pmo-indranee-marriage-parenthood-mindset-change-3066631   Indranee Rajah, who is also the Second Minister for Finance and National Development, said today (26th) during the parliamentary debate on the Prime Minister's Office expenditure budget in the Appropriations Committee that in addition to strengthening policy support, the government will also start from the level of social mentality and workplace culture to promote a series of changes in concepts related to marriage and parenting. She pointed out that deciding whether to marry and have children is a private choice, but the overall social atmosphere and mindset have a profound impact on these decisions. The government hopes to create a more positive environment so that marriage and parenting are no longer dominated by anxiety and fear. According to Inlani, people who are still hesitant about having children often view parenting from the perspective of "what they will lose," such as limited career development, loss of personal freedom, or disruption of life goals. In contrast, those who are already parents or are planning to have children focus more on the joy, growth, and fulfillment that family brings. Indranee emphasized that marriage and raising children do require time, energy, and change. However, many Singaporean families have proven that having a career and a family are not entirely opposed to other life goals, but can be pursued in parallel. She stated that the government hopes more people can view marriage and childbirth from a more balanced perspective, shifting their focus from "what might be lost" to "what can be gained". Inlani also mentioned that many couples feel immense pressure from the "perfect parenting" ideal and the competition for education, and are hesitant to do so because they worry about not being able to provide their children with the "best resources." Many parents want to spend more time with their children or provide them with the best resources, all out of love and responsibility. However, many parents later admit that parenting is not about preparing "the best of everything" for their children, nor is it about having all the answers from the beginning. It's about doing your best within your capabilities, learning, adjusting, and growing together with your children, and making good use of community support when needed. She further pointed out that this pressure to "become the perfect parent" is particularly evident in children's education. She said, "Many parents feel they must help their children excel academically, otherwise their children will have difficulty establishing themselves in society in the future. They worry about whether they should prepare tutoring for important exams for their children, or whether they have enough financial resources to send their children to tutoring and various talent improvement courses. If they cannot do these things, they feel that they have not fulfilled their responsibilities as parents." Indranee understands that this pressure stems from parents' concerns that "there is only one narrow gate to success," fearing that their children's future prospects will be limited if they cannot cross this threshold. These anxieties are real, and the government hopes to gradually alleviate the unnecessary pressure on parents and children through education reforms and changes in social attitudes. However, she also emphasized that these structural reforms will only be truly effective if society's cultural attitudes toward competition and success change in tandem. At the workplace level, the government will collaborate with businesses to promote a more flexible and inclusive work environment. Indranee pointed out that although statutory parental leave and employment protections have been implemented, some employees still report facing hidden pressures in actual operations. She emphasized that a family-oriented approach is not a burden on businesses, but rather a long-term talent strategy. Supported employees have a greater sense of belonging and loyalty, and are more willing to stay long-term. The government will continue to review relevant measures and explore suggestions such as promoting tiered workplace certification to encourage businesses to cultivate a family-centered culture. She said, "We hope that a family-friendly workplace culture can become part of the DNA of all local businesses. This should also be a shared responsibility – from senior management and HR managers to direct supervisors, colleagues, and even the employees themselves who are parents, everyone should participate and support it."

A passenger was caught on video hurling vulgarities and hitting a private-hire car after being asked to pay for a trip in Punggol on Feb 2. Stomper Anonymous shared dashcam footage of the incident, which he said happened to his friend at Block 315B Punggol Central at about 6.44am. The Stomper, who previously worked as a private-hire driver for three years, remains in a drivers' group chat where the video was shared.   According to him, his friend had picked up a man and a woman from the Sumang Walk area for a short trip. The fare was $12.80 and was to be paid in cash. "When my friend arrived at the destination, he asked nicely for the fare as it was a cash payment order," the Stomper said. He alleged that the male passenger suddenly became aggressive and was believed to be drunk.   In the clip, the driver is heard telling the passengers that the fare had not been paid. A man is heard asking how much it is. After the driver replies that it is $12.80, the man is heard saying: "You come out, you walk out now, f***ing walk out now and come and talk to me." It is unclear whether he was addressing the driver or his companion.   The man is then seen standing in front of the vehicle and pointing his middle finger at the driver as the woman attempts to restrain him and calm him down. Rear camera footage shows the man falling to the ground before throwing punches at the car. He is later seen arguing with the woman, shoving her and shouting vulgarities. He can be heard repeatedly saying: "What the f*** I do to you?" Towards the end of the video, the woman is heard apologising to the driver and exchanging contact details so she can PayNow the fare to him. "By tomorrow I will confirm pay you, please, really very sorry for all this shit," she says. The Stomper was unable to confirm whether the fare was eventually paid. He added that his friend had just completed a graveyard shift and was too tired to make a police report, but agreed when he suggested they "Stomp it". PHOTOS: STOMP  The Stomper said he wanted to share the incident to raise awareness about violence against drivers. "It's unacceptable," he said. "The driver was only asking for the fare, and the passenger asked him out for a fight."

As Singapore ramps up support for Singaporeans to form families and raise children, it must still cautiously introduce new immigrants to compensate for the country's low fertility rate. Over the next five years, Singapore is expected to grant citizenship to between 25,000 and 30,000 individuals each year. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong pointed out in Parliament on Thursday (Feb 26) during the Committee of Supply debate for the Prime Minister’s Office that maintaining a stable core of Singapore citizens is crucial. Ideally, this citizen core should grow moderately to maintain the country's social and economic vitality. While Singapore is increasing efforts to support citizens in starting families and raising children, it remains necessary to cautiously bring in new immigrants to offset the low fertility rate. Last year, Singapore accepted 25,000 new citizens. Gan Kim Yong stated that over the next five years, depending on demographic trends such as the overall resident fertility rate, Singapore estimates it will accept between 25,000 and 30,000 new citizens annually. In addition, the number of Permanent Residents (PRs) accepted will also be adjusted. In recent years, the local PR population has remained at approximately 540,000. Gan noted that over the next five years, Singapore estimates it will accept about 40,000 new PRs annually, which is higher than the 35,000 accepted last year. Gan Kim Yong emphasized that Singapore will maintain the overall ethnic proportions of the citizen population and carefully manage the impact of immigration on the population structure to preserve the overall identity and character of local society. Related Headlines mentioned in the sidebar: * Singapore’s total fertility rate dropped to 0.87 last year, hitting a new record low. * Singapore’s population will still be significantly below 6.9 million by 2030."

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