AGEING POPULATION
The citizen population has continued to age, with 20.7 per cent aged 65 and above in June 2025, compared with 13.1 per cent a decade ago.
The number of citizens aged 80 and above also increased by about 60 per cent to 145,000 in 2025, up from 91,000 in 2015.
The proportion of the citizen population aged 65 years and above is rising at a faster pace compared to the last decade.
The median age of the population rose from 43.4 years to 43.7 years between June 2024 and June 2025.
There was also a drop in the percentage of citizens in the 20 to 64 years age group – from 64.5 per cent in 2015 to 59.8 per cent in June 2025.
By 2030, around 1 in 4 citizens – or 23.9 per cent – will be aged 65 and above.
“Immigration helps to moderate the impact of ageing and low birth rates on our citizen population, and keeps the citizen population from shrinking over the long term,” said the report.
“Our PRs and new citizens also add to the vibrancy of Singapore’s society and economy.”
The report said that the country takes in a “carefully controlled” number of PRs and new citizens each year, with all new adult citizens coming from the pool of PRs, as individuals have to obtain permanent residency before they may apply for citizenship.
In 2024, 22,766 people were granted citizenship and 35,264 individuals were granted permanent residency.
The average number of citizenships and permanent residencies granted per year over the last five years (2020 to 2024) was 21,300 and 33,000, respectively.
Those figures were slightly higher compared to the preceding five years, when 20,500 citizenships and 31,700 permanent residencies were granted.
“We are careful to grant citizenships and PRs to individuals who can contribute to Singapore, integrate well, and are committed to making Singapore their home,” it said.
“Many of our new citizens and PRs either share family ties with Singaporeans (for example, through marriage), or have studied, worked or lived in Singapore for some time.”
The report said the government will “continue to maintain a measured pace of immigration”. The exact number of PRs and citizenships granted each year depends on several factors, including the number and quality of applications received and Singapore’s changing needs.
