Singapore's total population grew to 6.21mn as at June 2026

The increase was driven largely by a growth in the non-resident population, particularly from the increase in the number of Work Permit Holders needed on key construction and infrastructure projects.

Singapore’s total population grew 1.6% to 6.21mn as at June 2026, as demand for workers in the construction sector rose to support major projects including Changi Terminal 5, the Marina Bay Sands expansion and the ramp-up in housing and transport infrastructure.

The growth was driven largely by the non-resident population, which increased 3.7% over the year to 1.98mn. The rise came primarily from Work Permit Holders, followed by migrant domestic workers.

According to the Population in Brief 2026, released on 25 September, Singapore had 4.23mn residents and 1.98mn non-residents. Residents comprise citizens and permanent residents, while non-residents include foreign workers across all pass types, their dependants, and international students.

The citizen population rose by 0.7%, from 3.66mn in June 2025 to 3.68mn in June 2026. Meanwhile, the permanent resident population remained broadly stable at 550,000.

Non-resident growth accelerates

As reported above, the non-resident population increased by 3.7% over the year to 1.98mn. The expansion came primarily from Work Permit Holders, followed by migrant domestic workers.

Foreign employment growth between June 2025 and June 2026 was stronger than in the preceding year, largely reflecting construction-sector demand for Work Permit Holders.

Immigration

Alongside foreign manpower, immigration remains an important part of Singapore’s approach to renewing its citizen population.

Singapore granted citizenship to 25,094 people in 2025, while 35,352 individuals were granted permanent residency. From 2021 to 2025, an average of 22,400 citizenships and 34,600 PRs were granted each year, which was higher than the respective annual averages of 20,600 and 31,200 between 2016 and 2020.

All new adult citizens come from the pool of PRs, as individuals must first obtain permanent residency before applying for citizenship. Singapore’s PR population has remained stable at around half a million, with the majority aged between 25 and 59.

Yet immigration can only partly offset a broader demographic shift: Singapore’s citizen population is getting older, while fewer Singaporeans are marrying and having children.

A super-aged society

Large baby-boomer cohorts are continuing to enter their post-65 years, pushing up the share of older citizens.

Citizens aged 65 and above made up 21.4% of the citizen population in 2026, up from 13.7% in 2016. Singapore has therefore become a super-aged society, and by 2035, more than one in four citizens is expected to be aged 65 and above, according to the Brief.

The median age of citizens rose from 43.7 years in 2025 to 44.1 years in 2026. At the same time, the number of citizens aged 80 and above has also climbed sharply, rising 60% over the past decade from 95,000 in 2016 to 152,000 in 2026.

Meanwhile, the share of citizens aged 20 to 64 is expected to remain broadly stable between 2030 and 2035. This will reflect younger cohorts entering the working-age population, alongside managed immigration inflows.

However, the longer-term challenge is not just one of an ageing population, but also of smaller younger cohorts coming behind it, it was highlighted.

Later marriages, fewer births

Marriage and parenthood trends continued to point towards later family formation and lower birth numbers.

According to the data, there were 21,671 citizen marriages in 2025, down 5.6% from 22,955 in 2024. Singaporeans are also marrying later: the median age at first marriage was 30.8 years for citizen grooms and 29.1 years for citizen brides in 2025, compared with 30.1 years and 27.9 years respectively in 2015.

Transnational marriages accounted for 37% of citizen marriages in 2025, while inter-ethnic marriages made up 19%. Both proportions have remained broadly stable since 2015, apart from pandemic-era fluctuations.

The proportion of singles has risen across most male and female age groups between 2015 and 2025, with the trend particularly pronounced among those aged 25 to 34.

This has coincided with a fall in births. Per the statistics, citizen births declined 10.8% to 26,071 in 2025, from 29,237 in 2024, while the resident total fertility rate fell to 0.87, down from 0.97 a year earlier.

Further figures noted include:

• The median age of citizen mothers at first birth rose from 30.3 years in 2015 to 31.9 years in 2025.
• A total of 1,646 children born overseas to at least one Singaporean parent were granted citizenship by descent in 2025.

Family support measures aim to ease pressures on parents

These demographic pressures were a key backdrop to the family-focused measures announced by PM Wong at the National Day Rally (NDR) on 23 August 2026.

As part of a broader package intended to make it easier for Singaporeans to start and raise families, the Government announced that there will be an increase childcare leave for working parents based on the number of children they have. Parents will receive eight days for one child, 10 days for two children, and 12 days for three or more children aged 12 and below.

PM Wong also stated that the Government will also cover the cost of all statutory child-related leave, up to reimbursement limits, to reduce employers’ costs while giving parents greater confidence to take the leave they are entitled to.

Financial support will also be extended beyond a child’s early years. Each Singaporean child is set to receive almost S$70,000 in direct support through Baby Gifts, MediSave grants, Child Development Account contributions, annual Child Credits, Edusave top-ups and a Post-Secondary Education Account top-up.

The Government also aims to progressively lower full-day childcare fees to S$150 a month and infant care fees to S$300 a month for all Singaporean children, regardless of household income. This will take time as the network of government-supported preschool operators is expanded, while lower-income families will continue to receive additional subsidies.

Read our full update on the NDR announcements here.

Infographics & lead image / MOM