6.9 million in Singapore by 2030
SINGAPORE: Singapore's population could hit 6.9 million by 2030 - up from the current 5.3 million - if strategies outlined in the White Paper on Population to mitigate the country's ageing and shrinking population are met.
The population projection also takes into account a lower GDP growth rate beyond 2020.
Singapore is facing serious challenges of ageing and dwindling population, in particular from 2025 when its citizen population starts to shrink.
The White Paper on Population, released on Tuesday, is the first comprehensive report to outline the country's strategy to ensure a sustainable population.
The proposal is to take in 30,000 new permanent residents (PR) every year which will keep the PR population stable at about half a million. Then, from this pool, take in 15,000 to 25,000 new citizens each year, to stop the citizen population from shrinking.
At this rate, by 2030, Singapore's total population numbers should hit between 6.5 and 6.9 million.
The figures are based on certain assumptions - that the stretched productivity target of between 2 and 3 per cent for this decade is further moderated to between 1 and 2 per cent, between 2020 and 2030. And, a workforce growth rate that dips from the 3.3 per cent growth over the last three decades, to just 1 per cent between 2020 and 2030.
With those numbers, the country's GDP growth beyond 2020 will likely fall to between 2 and 3 per cent a year - from the current 3 to 5 per cent projection for this decade.
To ensure a high quality of life for Singaporeans, the government will build ahead. Long term planning beyond 2020 include setting aside land to build 700,000 more homes and doubling the rail network.
Source: CNA
Here is the white paper for those who are interested.
http://www.population.sg/whitepaper/downloads/population-white-paper.pdf