Singapore population grew to 4.84 million, boosted by strong non-resident growth

Imelda Saad, Channel NewsAsia 26 Sep 08;

SINGAPORE: Singapore's population hit 4.84 million in June this year, marking a 5.5 per cent increase from a year before. The figure is buoyed by an increasing number of foreigners in the country, boosted by strong economic growth over the past few years.

The number of non-residents grew by 19 per cent, while the resident population went up by a mere one per cent.

The National Population Secretariat said foreigners increasingly view Singapore as an attractive place to relocate.

Most come from neighbouring Asian countries.

There are also more new Permanent Residents (PRs) and citizens. In the first half of this year, 34,800 were granted PRs. That's up by some 20 per cent from the same period last year.

Meanwhile, 9,600 were granted citizenship, up by some 30 per cent, compared to the year before.

And nearly seven in 10 new PRs aged 20 and above had post-secondary qualifications.

Moving forward, the Secretariat said integration would be a key challenge.

It added that the government will also continue to exercise discretion and facilitate the naturalisation of foreigners who can add value and contribute to Singapore socially and economically.

Roy Quek, director, National Population Secretariat, said: "Integration is not just about what the government can do because the government is limited in terms of its ability to reach out to everyone. Integration happens all the time, in our schools at the workplace, in our local community, in the neighbourhoods."

Mr Quek added that a strong non-resident presence in Singapore is also testament to the country's good growth.

"In a way it's a compliment to Singapore that we have a place where others want to come to, that we have economic opportunities, we have enough jobs not just for locals but also for people who are willing to come in to spend time here.

"So the key is not to look at it as competition for jobs but adding value to Singapore's economy and ultimately contributing to a better life for all of us in Singapore," he said.

The number of Singaporeans grew to 3.16 million due to the higher number of citizen babies and more PRs taking up citizenship.

There were some 18,000 births registered in the first half of this year, slightly higher than the numbers registered the same period last year.

So while Singapore is on track for another historic high fertility rate, the biggest concern is still about making babies.

The country's total fertility rate was 1.29 in 2007, far below the replacement level of 2.1.

Mr Quek said: "Of course, it's going to be an uphill task but we are hopeful at least of crossing the 1.3 level at some point in the future."

As for overseas Singaporeans, more are making their homes abroad either for work or study.

As of June 2008, there're about 153,500 overseas Singaporeans compared to 147,500 a year ago.

The countries with a high concentration of overseas Singaporeans are Australia, the UK, US and China.

For a full list of the statistics, you can log on to www.nps.gov.sg. - CNA/vm

Non-residents push up Singapore's population 5.5%
Jamie Lee, Business Times 27 Sep 08;

MORE non-residents coming to Singapore to work and study pushed the population up 5.5 per cent in June from a year earlier, National Population Secretariat (NPS) data released yesterday shows. The population hit 4.84 million, but the surge in the non-resident number is not sustainable, and Singaporeans are making fewer babies, NPS said.

'It is not sustainable or desirable for a population strategy to rely on non-residents for the total population to grow,' said NPS director Roy Quek, adding that while non-residents could make up a potential base of permanent residents (PRs), the inflow of non-residents is tied to the economy, which is expected to post smaller growth in coming years.

'Our biggest concern is fertility,' he said. 'Naturalisation is a supplement. It cannot be the only strategy. The signs point to Singapore becoming a more attractive place to relocate, but we don't want to rely on that.'

The number of non-residents surged 19 per cent to 1.2 million in June compared with a year earlier. Non-residents - mostly from other parts of Asia, such as China, India, and elsewhere in South-east Asia, are often here on work or study passes, NPS said.

At December last year, there were 757,000 non-residents on work permits, 143,000 on employment or S passes and 85,000 on student passes, said Ministry of Manpower divisional director Jeffrey Wong.

With more foreigners from different backgrounds coming to town, Mr Quek said integration remains a challenge and more had to be done to engage the community to accept them.

The number of non-residents has been rising significantly since 2004. In the years from 2004 to 2007, their number rose 0.7 per cent, 5.9 per cent, 9.7 per cent and 14.9 per cent respectively. There are no comparative figures to show how many non-residents take up permanent residence or become Singapore citizens. The number of PRs this year rose 6.5 per cent to 478,200, while the number of citizens was up one per cent to 3.16 million.

These figures exclude about 1,000 Singaporeans that give up their citizenship yearly. The annual growth of Singapore residents has hovered at 1.6-1.7 per cent from 2005-2008, up from 1.4 per cent in 2004, possibly because eligibility to become PRs and citizens was extended in 2004, Mr Quek said.

More Singaporeans are also living abroad. The number of overseas citizens at June this year rose about 4 per cent to 153,500 from 147,500 a year ago, though Mr Quek believes this is an under-estimate. About 40,000 Singaporeans each are based in the UK and Australia, while about 20,000 each are in China and the United States.

Singapore's total fertility rate among residents rose marginally to 1.29 in 2007 from 1.28 a year earlier. There were 18,032 registered resident births in the first six months of this year, compared with 17,325 a year earlier.

The old-age support ratio - the ratio of working-age residents to elderly residents - fell to 8.5 last year, from 9.9 in 2000, and is expected to decline further, said Koh Eng Chuan, acting director of the Department of Statistics' income, expenditure and population statistics division.

Population up a record 5.5%
Biggest increase is among foreigners, the result of a buoyant economy
Li Xueying, Straits Times 27 Sep 08;

THAT feeling of a growing squeeze in shopping malls, MRT trains and hawker centres is now borne out by official figures.

Singapore's population has shot up by a record 5.5 per cent to 4.84 million this June. It is the biggest annual spike since collection of such data began in 1871.

Foreigners are mainly behind the rise.

Drawn here by last year's fast-trotting economy, their numbers soared by 19 per cent to 1.2 million, said the National Population Secretariat yesterday.

But secretariat director Roy Quek was circumspect about the rise in the number of foreigners, saying this is a group that expands and shrinks with the ups and downs of the economy.

'There are levers so we can manage the inflow and outflow,' he added, pointing to measures like the approval of work permits and employment passes.

Latest figures show 757,000 work permit holders, 143,000 on employment passes and 85,000 foreign students.

Citizens and permanent residents (PRs) also added to the population rise, though at a slower pace.

With more births, the number of citizens rose by one per cent. The rise in PRs is 6.5 per cent. Together, they raised the resident population to 3.64 million, from 3.58 a year ago.

Mr Quek stressed that the spike in the population does not mean Singapore is hurtling towards the 6.5 million figure used by government planners as a guide.

It will take 20 to 30 years to get there at the current pace, he said. He expects the resident population to hit 4.8 million by 2030.

The population swell fuelled by foreigners comes at a time when the foreign worker issue is again in the limelight.

Serangoon Gardens residents have been up in arms over the possible siting of a foreign worker dormitory in their residential estate.

Singaporeans interviewed yesterday also expressed concerns over the competition for jobs, as the economy slides.

Accounts executive Iris Sen, 33, said: 'I notice the cleaners at coffee shops and food courts are now mostly young Chinese nationals. What happened to the Singaporean aunties?'

Mr Desmond Lee, 32, who runs a private school, wondered about the 'social costs' of having many foreign workers, citing their tendency to group at void decks to drink.

Mr Quek acknowledged their unease but said Singapore needs the manpower to propel its economy.

He hoped Singaporeans would make the effort to help foreigners integrate even as the Government looks at ways to alleviate their concerns.

As for the Serangoon Gardens uproar, he said it was not possible to isolate all foreign workers on the Southern islands or Tuas.

Meanwhile, on the baby front, the first half of this year saw 18,032 births, 707 more than during the same period last year.

At this pace, the total fertility rate - which was 1.29 last year - may hit 1.3. Still, it is far from the 2.1 replacement rate.

So, Singapore continues to rely on immigration.

The number of citizens and PRs is set to hit a new record this year. In the first half, there were 34,800 new PRs and 9,600 new citizens. The comparative figures for last year were 28,500 and 7,300 respectively.

The statistics show the population's ethnic make-up shifting too. The Chinese proportion has slipped to 74.7 per cent from 76.8 per cent in 2000, while the proportion of Indians inched up to 8.9 from 7.9 per cent.

But Mr Quek did not expect the ethnic picture to change drastically.

Just as more foreigners have arrived, more Singaporeans left to work and study abroad. About 153,500 are now overseas, 6,000 more than last year.

MP Josephine Teo, who is also NTUC's assistant secretary-general, saw common ground between Singaporeans who go away and foreigners who arrive.

'They share a willingness to adapt to different cultures, a certain work ethic and a desire to make good for their families,' she said.

'We need to emphasise the common- ness that draws us closer rather than the differences that pull us apart.'

Additional reporting by Kor Kian Beng

Population Data by Zones
More elderly folk in Outram, Toa Payoh
More young people live in Punggol, Woodlands; Bedok most crowded
Li Xueying, Straits Times 27 Sep 08;

OUTRAM is for the oldies, while Punggol is for the kiddies.

Sitting in an area where Singapore's forefathers landed, Outram has the highest proportion of elderly residents. About one in five - or 21 per cent - of its 17,000 residents are 65 and older.

In contrast, just 4.6 per cent of Punggol's residents are in this silver-haired group.

Instead, this once sleepy fishing village, which has been recently rebranded as an exciting new town, has the highest proportion of toddlers: 12 per cent of its 54,600 residents are four and younger.

This contrasting picture of urban development can be gleaned from the latest population figures released by the National Population Secretariat yesterday.

They offer a glimpse into the profile of Singapore residents - made up of citizens and permanent residents - living in 31 zones, as defined by the Urban Redevelopment Authority development guide plans.

These plans divide areas of the island into different zones, such as Ang Mo Kio, Yishun and Toa Payoh.

The data confirms what is anecdotally known. For instance, Punggol, with amenities like an upcoming waterway, tends to attract young couples, while samsui women and other elderly folk traditionally reside in Outram, which includes Chinatown.

Other areas with a lot of elderly folk include Bukit Merah, Queenstown, Rochor and Toa Payoh. About 15 per cent of their residents are 65 and older.

Those with higher proportions of young residents include Sengkang - Punggol's neighbouring town - Woodlands and Jurong West.

Sociologist Tan Ern Ser said a danger of areas with too high a proportion of elderly residents is that as the old have less spending power, retailers may be affected. Some schools may suffer from declining enrolments, he added.

One way to encourage a better mix of young and old is to give priority allocation of HDB flats to families with old folk, in areas with a preponderance of young people, he suggested.

In those areas with a larger elderly population, build more high-end HDB apartments and condominiums, if construction is part of the game plan, he said.

He added: 'Introduce good-quality nurseries, kindergartens, schools and other amenities that are attractive to young people and families.'

The data also shows Bedok is the most crowded zone, with 285,800 residents, followed by Tampines, with 256,700.

Newton has the fewest (5,900), followed by River Valley (8,400).

The figures also indicate the types of dwelling in each zone.

If dwelling type is used as a proxy for wealth, Bukit Timah residents - unsurprisingly - emerge as the most well-to-do by a wide margin.

Half of its 69,500 residents live in landed property. Another 12 per cent live in condominiums and private flats.

Other middle-class areas include Marine Parade, Serangoon and Tanglin.

At the other end of the spectrum, Outram, Bukit Merah and Kallang have the highest proportion of residents living in one-room flats.