Committee of Supply 2026 debate, Day 1: Gan Kim Yong on ‘existential challenge’ of falling TFR

Last year, Singapore had 27,500 resident babies, the lowest in its recorded history. Its preliminary resident total fertility rate (TFR) for 2025 is 0.87 - a new low and a significant drop from 0.97 the year before. It means that for every 100 residents, there will just be 44 children and a mere 19 grandchildren. Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong highlighted this “existential challenge” but stressed “we cannot give up”. He told parliament on Thursday (Feb 26) that the government’s first and top priority is to continue to support Singaporeans in forming families. It will also review the immigration intake and approach while addressing the concerns of Singaporeans. Last year, Singapore granted around 25,000 citizenships and expects to take in between 25,000 and 30,000 new citizens annually over the next five years. As for Permanent Residents, the government estimates an intake of about 40,000 annually in the next five years, slightly higher than the 35,000 of last year.