Singapore's non-resident population grew at slower pace this year: report

THE growth of Singapore's non-resident population has slowed to 2.1 per cent this year, down from 2.9 per cent a year ago, on the back of easing growth in the foreign workforce.

This is according to the Population in Brief annual report by the National Population and Talent Division.

"Business will continue to face a tight labour market," the report said. "The government will support businesses to shift towards skills- and capital-intensive ways to grow, so that businesses can continue to grow and succeed here to create quality jobs for Singaporeans."

As at June this year, Singapore's total population totalled 5.54 million, up just 1.2 per cent in what was the slowest pace of growth in over a decade, the report noted. Of this, 3.38 million were Singaporeans, while 0.53 million were permanent residents. The remaining 1.63 million were non-residents.

There were more citizen marriages and births last year, with over 24,000 marriages and over 33,000 births, the report showed.

The report also highlighted that Singapore's citizen population continues to age, given increasing life expectancy and low fertility rates. The proportion of citizens aged 65 and above increased from 12.4 per cent in 2014 to 13.1 per cent this year.