Key Highlights from Singapore's 2024 Population Brief

According to the Population Brief 2024 released by Singapore's National Population and Talent Division on September 24, 2024, as of June 2024, Singapore's total population exceeded 6 million for the first time, reaching approximately 6.04 million, a year-on-year increase of 2%.

1. Total Population and Growth Rate

• Total population: Approximately 6.04 million, an increase of 2% from the previous year.
• Number of citizens: Increased by 0.7% to 3.64 million.
• Number of Permanent Residents (PR): Increased by 1.2% to 544,900.
• Number of non-residents: Increased by 5% from 1.77 million to 1.86 million.

2. Birth Rate and Birth Statistics

• Number of citizen births: 28,877 citizen babies were born in 2023, a decrease of 5.1% from 30,429 in the previous year.
• Total fertility rate: The overall resident fertility rate fell to 0.97, a historic low.

3. Population Aging Trends

• Proportion of citizens aged 65 and above: Rose from 12.4% ten years ago to 19.9%.
• Number of citizens aged 80 and above: Increased from 85,000 ten years ago to 142,000, a growth of 65%.

4. Immigration and Citizenship

• New citizens: 23,472 people obtained Singapore citizenship in 2023.
• New permanent residents: 34,491 people obtained permanent residency.

5. Non-resident Population Composition

• Main groups: The growth in non-resident population mainly came from work permit holders and foreign domestic workers.
• Non-resident population distribution:
  • 23% hold work permits in construction, marine shipyard and process sectors.
  • 21% hold work permits in other sectors.
  • 16% hold Long Term Visit Pass and Dependant's Pass.
  • 15% are domestic workers.
  • 11% hold Employment Pass.
  • 10% hold S Pass.
  • 5% hold Student's Pass.

6. Future Outlook According to official projections, by 2030, Singapore's population could be significantly lower than 6.9 million.

In summary, Singapore's 2024 Population Brief shows that while the total population has exceeded 6 million, declining birth rates and population aging trends are evident. The government needs to continue monitoring these trends and formulate appropriate policies to address future population challenges.