Singapore to Grant 30,000 New Citizenships Annually Over Next Five Years

Singapore’s government will accept up to 30,000 new citizens annually over the next five years in response to demographic trends, including declining total fertility rates (TFR). Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong announced the citizenship expansion during the Prime Minister’s Office budget debate, noting that last year approximately 25,000 citizenships were granted.

“We will adjust based on demographic trends, including TFR,” said Gan, speaking to the Strait Times on Friday, 27 February 2026.

Beyond citizenship, Singapore will also adjust the number of permanent residents (PR) accepted. PR status serves as the primary pathway to citizenship in the nation. Gan noted that Singapore’s PR population currently stands at a relatively stable 540,000 over recent years. The government estimates accepting approximately 40,000 PRs annually over the next five years, a modest increase from the 35,000 granted last year.

However, Gan emphasised that the precise number of immigrants accepted will be reviewed annually, with adjustments made considering TFR trends, other demographic factors, and the number and quality of applicants.

Beyond population factors, the government is also considering infrastructure readiness and society’s social capacity to receive newcomers. Gan revealed that Singapore’s citizen population growth has continued to slow, with growth rates declining from 0.9 per cent to 0.8 per cent, then 0.7 per cent last year.

Looking ahead, he said citizen population growth is expected to slow further to approximately 0.5 per cent annually, though this remains dependent on maintaining acceptable birth rates.

“Even with growth of around half a percent, it remains challenging because it depends on TFR,” said Gan.