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As the Covid-19 pandemic closed borders and shuttered businesses, Singapore saw its population drop for the first time in 10 years, as many foreign workers left after losing their jobs.
There was movement in the other direction as well, as many Singaporeans who had been living abroad decided to return home.
The number of Singaporeans abroad dropped from 217,200 last year to 203,500 this year. The decline was most pronounced among those between the ages of 20 and 24.
Singapore’s non-resident population, foreigners who are here as students or with work passes, among others, dropped by almost 35,800, on the other hand, to 1.64 million. This was a decrease of 2.1 percent and the decrease outweighed the decline in Singaporeans abroad.
The result of this influx was that Singapore’s total population fell by around 17,800 over the past year to 5.69 million, according to the annual Population in Brief report.
Foreign employment in the service sector declined, and work permit holders saw the biggest drop, the report added.
He noted that since Singapore’s immigration framework tightened in late 2009, the country has accepted around 30,000 new permanent residents a year.
It read: “This keeps the PR population size stable and provides a pool of candidates who may be suitable for citizenship. Most of our PRs are between 25 and 59 years old.”
The pace of immigration will remain measured and stable, the report said.
The number of citizens grew 0.6 percent to 3.52 million in June, while the PR population remained stable at 0.52 million.
Last year, 22,714 people obtained citizenship and 32,915 obtained permanent residency, numbers that have been largely stable over the past 10 years.
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5.69 million Singapore’s total population, which fell by around 17,800 over the past year, according to the annual Population in Brief report.
1.64 million Non-resident population of Singapore. It fell by almost 35,800, a decrease of 2.1% and outpaced the drop for Singaporeans abroad.
Of the new citizens, 1,599, or 7%, were children born abroad to Singaporean parents.
The population growth rate during the last five years was also slower compared to the previous five-year period.
With increasing life expectancy and lower fertility rates, the proportion of citizens aged 65 and over is increasing, and at a faster rate compared to the last decade.
The proportion of citizens aged 65 and over increased from 10.1% in 2010 to 16.8% this year. This figure is projected to increase to around 23.7% by 2030.
The average age of citizens also increased from 42 years to 42.2 years during the last year.
Sociologists were impressed by the aging of Singaporean society and the reduction in the number of work permit holders.
National University of Singapore sociologist Tan Ern Ser noted that the decline in the non-resident population is largely due to work permit holders, who take jobs that Singaporeans don’t particularly like in the first place.
More importantly, he said, it indicates that some sectors of the economy are not doing well. “The problem of foreigners among us cannot be addressed simply by reducing their numbers, without negative consequences for our economy.”
Singapore Management University Dean of Students and Sociology Professor Paulin Straughan told The Straits Times that in the long run this could indicate that Singapore should be less reliant on labor and more reliant on mechanization and digitization.
“That may be a good thing due to our labor constraints, an aging population and a sustained low fertility rate.”
He added that more attention should be paid to unlocking the potential of older Singaporeans.
“This is a group of potential volunteers and promoters of community-based self-help initiatives,” he said, adding that economic activities must be curated to take advantage of their life skills and experiences.
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