World Immigration News

askST: What is total fertility rate? What does Singapore’s record low rate mean?

Release Date: 2026-03-06
Media: The Straits Times
Summary: Singapore’s total fertility rate (TFR) fell to a record low of 0.87 in 2025, down from 0.97 in 2024 and significantly lower than 1.24 in 2015. The continued decline in births, combined with a rapidly ageing population, has raised concerns about long-term impacts on society and the economy. Government officials warned that without new measures, Singapore’s citizen population could begin shrinking in the early 2040s.

The falling birth rate is expected to weaken family support networks and slow economic growth. The proportion of working-age people is projected to decline from the mid-2030s, meaning fewer workers will support a growing elderly population and a smaller share of taxpayers will sustain public finances. As a result, the government has emphasized the need for a carefully managed flow of immigration to help offset the low birth rate.

The TFR measures the average number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime, and about 2.1 births per woman are needed to maintain a stable population without immigration. Singapore’s figure is among the lowest in the world, comparable to other very low-fertility societies such as South Korea and Hong Kong. Economists and demographers note that TFR is a key indicator used for long-term population planning and forecasting demographic change.
Tags: Singapore

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