| |
Recognising that the local population could not be depended on for generational replacement, encouraging more migrants to Singapore was a natural policy option9. Table 2 shows that in the 1950s prior to independence, net migration was substantial; it supplemented the high rates of natural increase to produce extraordinarily high rates of population growth from 1947 to 1957. Only in the second phase of demographic development was migration turned off. In the third phase starting from the late 1980s, migration again became an important component of population growth. These were permanent settlers who had applied for long term residence with a view to stay, live and work in Singapore, akin to the early migrants10. By 2009, permanent residents accounted for approximately 11% of the total population.
TABLE 2. COMPONENTS OF RESIDENT POPULATION GROWTH, SINGAPORE, 1947–2008
Phase |
Year |
Resident Population* |
Inter-period |
Natural Increase |
Net Migration |
I |
1947 |
938,100 |
- |
- |
1957 |
1,445,900 |
395,300 |
112,500 |
1965 |
1,886,900 |
397,000 |
44,000 |
II |
1970 |
2,013,600 |
190,000 |
-63,000 |
1975 |
2,147,900 |
170,000 |
-36,000 |
1980 |
2,282,100 |
142,000 |
-8,000 |
1985 |
2,482,600 |
144,000 |
57,000 |
III |
1990 |
2,735,900 |
166,000 |
87,000 |
1995 |
3,013,500 |
174,000 |
104,000 |
2000 |
3,273,400 |
152,000 |
108,000 |
2008 |
3,642,700 |
181,900 |
187,400 |
* Resident population from 1970; 1975 estimated.
Source: Author’s computations of estimates based on Saw S. H.1 and Reports on Births and Deaths, various years, Immigration and Checkpoints Authority.
TABLE 3. SINGAPORE'S POPULATION COMPOSITION, 1970–2009
|
Total Population |
Citizens |
Permanent Residents |
Foreigners |
|
('000) |
Percent |
1970 |
2,074.5 |
90.4 |
6.7 |
2.9 |
1980 |
2,413.9 |
90.9 |
3.6 |
5.5 |
1990 |
3,047.1 |
86.1 |
3.7 |
10.2 |
2000 |
4,027.9 |
74.1 |
7.1 |
18.7 |
2009 |
4,987.6 |
64.2 |
10.7 |
25.1 |
Source: Censuses of Population, General Household Survey, Population
Trends 2009, Singapore, Department of Statistics
Singapore also saw population growth coming from foreigners with permits to work and live here for a specified period of time (Table 3). In the third phase of demographic development during 1987–2009, foreigner growth more than tripled that of 1970–1987 (Table 4). They were a complementary source of manpower in addition to the locals as Singapore’s economy grew. By 2009, the foreign population had grown to over one million. From 8% of the total population in 1987, its share had increased to 25% in 2009.
TABLE 4. FOREIGN POPULATION GROWTH, SINGAPORE, 1970–2009
Year |
Number |
Inter-Period Growth |
1970 |
60,900 |
- |
1987 |
220,900 |
160,000 |
2009 |
1,253,700 |
1,032,800 |
Source: Population Trends 2009, Singapore Department of Statistics
| NOTES |
| 01. |
Saw, S. H. Singapore Population in Transition (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1970). |
02.
|
Saw, S. H. Changes in the Fertility Policy of Singapore (Singapore: Institute of Policy Studies and Times Academic Press, 1990): 1-2. |
03.
|
Saw, S. H. Population Control for Zero Growth in Singapore (UK: Oxford University Press, 1980): 53. |
04.
|
The Singapore Family Planning and Population Board formed in 1966 promoted measures ranging from those affecting key intermediate determinants of fertility such as abortion, sterilisation, and usefulness of and access to family planning methods, to those influencing socioeconomic factors such as cost of delivery fees, limitations of maternity benefits, taxation, housing benefits, and education. See Chen, P. S. J. and Fawcett, J. T. Public Policy and Population Change in Singapore (New York, The Population Council, 1979). |
05.
|
Easterlin, R. A. and Crimmins, E. The Fertility Revolution: A Supply-Demand Analysis (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1985). |
06.
|
Goh, C. T. The Second Long March. Speech delivered at the Nanyang Technological Institute, 4 August 1986. http://stars.nhb.gov.sg/stars/public/, accessed 8 December 2007. |
07.
|
Yeoh, B. and Wong, T. "An Overview of Pro-natalist Population Policies in Singapore." Asian Metacentre Research Paper Series No. 12, 2003. |
08.
|
Thang, L. L. "Private Matters, Public Concern: Procreation Issues in Singapore." The Japanese Journal of Population 3 (2005): 76-108. |
09.
|
Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng emphasised this position in 2004 when he became the Minister-in-Charge of Population Issues, stating that "having more babies and bringing in more foreigners and making them citizens, are [therefore] complementary" approaches to building a competitive economy and a vibrant society. [Wong K S 2004. Responses to Media Queries on Population Issues. Ministry of Home Affairs, 3 September 2004 http://www.mha.gov.sg/news_details.aspx?nid=NDU1-7sGu7w8ImQU%3d, accessed 28 Nov 09. |
10.
|
Yeo, G. "Building a Silicon Valley in Singapore." Business Week, 19 June 2000. |
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