Addressing Prospect of New Immigrants Creating a Larger Elderly Population in Singapore

Debated in Parliament on 15 Oct 2012.

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Pritam Singh questioned how new immigrants might unintentionally increase the elderly population for future Singaporeans to support, citing trends in marriage, singlehood, and declining fertility among PRs.
Teo Chee Hean highlighted Singapore’s sustained low total fertility rate, which has led to an ageing citizen population and projected decline from 2025 onward.
He noted that immigration can delay the ageing and shrinking of the citizen population, as detailed in a 2012 NPTD paper.
However, the government’s priority remains supporting Singaporeans to marry and have children, with immigration serving as a calibrated measure to mitigate demographic challenges.

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Pritam Singh

Mr Pritam Singh asked the Prime Minister what scenarios has NPTD deliberated upon to address the prospect of new immigrants unwittingly creating an even larger elderly population for future generations of Singaporeans to look after in light of trends towards marriage and singlehood in developed countries and the data from Census 2010 which show a downward trend in the average number of children born to ever-married female PRs between 2000 and 2010.

Page: 918

Teo Chee Hean (for the Prime Minister)

Singapore's resident6 Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has been below replacement level for more than 30 years, and has been on a general downward trend. This is a common challenge faced by other East Asian urbanised societies, such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan. Singapore's low TFR has resulted in an ageing citizen population as life expectancies increase.

Without immigration, and if our current low TFR continues, the citizen population will age and shrink rapidly. The size of the citizen population will decline from 2025 onwards, and the citizen population will age from a median age of 39.6 in 2012 to 46.9 in 2030.

Immigration delays the ageing and decline of our citizen population. The effects of immigration on the share of the citizen population aged 65 and above were examined in NPTD Occasional Paper on Citizen Population Scenarios published in April 2012 and widely reported in the media. The data provided in the Occasional Paper is summarised below.

Page: 919

While a calibrated pace of immigration can help to delay the decline and ageing of our citizen population, supporting Singaporeans in getting married and having children is our key priority, and it will continue to be so.

Summary written by AI (learn more)

Pritam Singh questioned how new immigrants might unintentionally increase the elderly population for future Singaporeans to support, citing trends in marriage, singlehood, and declining fertility among PRs.
Teo Chee Hean highlighted Singapore’s sustained low total fertility rate, which has led to an ageing citizen population and projected decline from 2025 onward.
He noted that immigration can delay the ageing and shrinking of the citizen population, as detailed in a 2012 NPTD paper.
However, the government’s priority remains supporting Singaporeans to marry and have children, with immigration serving as a calibrated measure to mitigate demographic challenges.

Questions identified by AI (learn more)

Addressing Prospect of New Immigrants Creating a Larger Elderly Population in Singapore | PAPERCUTS

Addressing Prospect of New Immigrants Creating a Larger Elderly Population in Singapore

Debated in Parliament on 15 Oct 2012.

Summary written by AI (learn more)

Pritam Singh questioned how new immigrants might unintentionally increase the elderly population for future Singaporeans to support, citing trends in marriage, singlehood, and declining fertility among PRs.
Teo Chee Hean highlighted Singapore’s sustained low total fertility rate, which has led to an ageing citizen population and projected decline from 2025 onward.
He noted that immigration can delay the ageing and shrinking of the citizen population, as detailed in a 2012 NPTD paper.
However, the government’s priority remains supporting Singaporeans to marry and have children, with immigration serving as a calibrated measure to mitigate demographic challenges.

Questions identified by AI (learn more)

Full Transcript

Pritam Singh

Page: 918

Teo Chee Hean (for the Prime Minister)

Page: 919

Summary written by AI (learn more)

Pritam Singh questioned how new immigrants might unintentionally increase the elderly population for future Singaporeans to support, citing trends in marriage, singlehood, and declining fertility among PRs.
Teo Chee Hean highlighted Singapore’s sustained low total fertility rate, which has led to an ageing citizen population and projected decline from 2025 onward.
He noted that immigration can delay the ageing and shrinking of the citizen population, as detailed in a 2012 NPTD paper.
However, the government’s priority remains supporting Singaporeans to marry and have children, with immigration serving as a calibrated measure to mitigate demographic challenges.

Questions identified by AI (learn more)

Addressing Prospect of New Immigrants Creating a Larger Elderly Population in Singapore

Summary

Questions Identified

Full Transcript

Pritam Singh

Teo Chee Hean (for the Prime Minister)

Summary

Questions Identified

Addressing Prospect of New Immigrants Creating a Larger Elderly Population in Singapore

Summary

Questions Identified

Full Transcript

Pritam Singh

Teo Chee Hean (for the Prime Minister)

Summary

Questions Identified