S'pore Needs Immigrants To Mitigate Effects Of Declining, Ageing Citizens: Report

From Tengku Noor Shamsiah Tengku Abdullah SINGAPORE, April 25 (Bernama) -- Singapore needs to attract new citizens through immigration to mitigate the effects of a declining and ageing citizen population, according to a White Paper released by the National Population and Talent Division (NPTD) of the Prime Minister's Office. One of the five scenarios projected is that Singapore's citizen population will start to shrink by around 2025 if the current low Total Fertility Rate (TFR) and high life expectancy continue without the intake of new citizens through immigration. Between now and 2030, Singapore will experience an unprecedented age shift, as over 900,000 Baby Boomers will retire from the workforce and enter their silver years. As more citizens retire and fewer enter the working-age band of 20-64 years, the number of citizens of working ages will start to shrink. At current TFR and without immigration, the size of its working-age citizen population will shrink drastically. The paper said raising its TFR and immigration will delay and slow down the rate at which its citizen population declines. An immigration inflow of between 20,000 and 25,000 new citizens each year will keep the citizen population size stable. At current fertility and without immigration, its citizen population will age rapidly from a median age of 39 yrs in 2011 to 47 years in 2030. With immigration, the citizen population will still age, but at a slower rate. The paper said that while Singapore presses on with efforts to encourage and support marriage and parenthood, raising TFR alone will not fully mitigate the effects of a declining and ageing citizen population, particularly in the next two decades. It said immigration can help mitigate the rate at which its citizen population ages and declines, thereby revitalising its citizen population. The scenarios are not predictions or forecasts, but illustrations of the growth and change in population that will occur if certain assumptions about future demographics trends prevail over a projected period, it said. -- BERNAMA