NDR 2026: S’poreans to remain majority; Govt to continue managing size of foreign workforce: PM Wong
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SINGAPORE - Singaporeans will remain the majority in Singapore, even as the country continues to welcome newcomers to maintain a sustainable population, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
The country’s multi-racial and multi-religious character will also remain as the Government will continue to broadly maintain the current ethnic balance, he added at the National Day Rally on Aug 23.
PM Wong gave these two assurances as he spoke of how Singapore has to remain open to immigration as relying only on births would result in a shrinking citizen population.
The Government will refresh the citizen population at a measured and sustainable pace, and welcome new citizens that embrace Singapore’s ideals and values, he said.
At the same time, it will manage the size of the foreign workforce in a “careful and controlled way”, he added.
It will also work at integrating newcomers and Singaporeans, which must go both ways, he added.
PM Wong’s remarks on this topic came after he had earlier in his Rally speech announced wide-ranging measures to better support families here.
“Despite all that we do to support families, we have to be realistic – our total fertility rate is still likely to fall far short of replacement,” he said.
If Singapore relied only on births, its citizen population would shrink and age more rapidly, and there would be fewer younger Singaporeans to support a growing number of seniors, he said.
“Over time, this would have profound consequences - for our economy, our society and our ability to keep Singapore going,” he added.
That is why for many years, Singapore supplemented its population by welcoming new citizens, he said, noting that the country has always been shaped by immigration throughout its history.
The Malays came from different parts of the Malay Archipelago, while the Chinese came from different parts of China and the Indians came from across the subcontinent. Others came from the Middle East, Europe and many other parts of the world, he added.
“Nearly all of us have parents, grandparents or great-grandparents who came to Singapore from somewhere else,” he said.
Today, newcomers continue to be a part of the Singapore story, as Singaporeans work or study overseas and form relationships across borders while others come here to work and settle down, he said.
While it may take time for the first generation to fully settle in, the next generation will grow up with Singapore being their home, attending local schools, making friends and even serving National Service together, he added.
That is why being Singaporean has never been about ancestry or where one’s family first came from,” he said.
“It has always been about commitment. A commitment to put Singapore first. A commitment to our values and way of life. And a belief that, whatever our backgrounds, our future is ours to build together.”
These convictions are captured in the National Pledge, which marks its 60th anniversary this year, and is a promise that generation after generation of Singaporeans have kept, he said.
Newcomers, by embracing the ideals and values in the pledge – to build a democratic society based on justice and equality, and to become one united people regardless of race, language or religion – strengthen the Singapore identity, he added.
“They bring fresh perspective and new energy. They contribute to our communities. They add to the Singapore story, just like the generations before them did,” he said.
“This is how we will continue to welcome newcomers into our Singapore family.”
At the same time, the Government will continue to manage the size of the foreign workforce, he said.
“We welcome foreign manpower to complement our local workforce and support our economy. But we do so in a careful and controlled way.”
But this means in the coming years, the overall population – and labour force – will grow more slowly, said PM Wong.
Businesses often ask the Government to ease foreign worker policies to fill roles that Singaporeans do not want to do, he noted.
But worker permit holders are already the largest group of foreign pass holders in Singapore, so even a modest easing of policies could lead to a significant increase in numbers, he said.
“That is not the path Singapore will take.”
Singapore must then adapt to these realities, said PM Wong.
“Going forward, more of our growth must come from technology and productivity - and from enabling every Singaporean to realise their full potential.”
Even as Singapore stays open, every community will continue to have its place in Singapore, along with its language, culture and traditions, said PM Wong.
He added that the Government will continue to broadly maintain the current ethnic balance so that Singapore’s multi-racial and multi-religious character will remain.
“This has served Singapore well, and it continues to give every community confidence – that their place, representation and voice in Singapore remain secure,” he said.
He said the Government will also work at integration, noting that this works both ways.
He called on newcomers to make every effort to fit in and on Singaporeans to also reach out with open hearts.
He cited the examples of George Wall, originally from England, and Chika Imakita, originally from Japan, as well as Singaporean Dwen Hwee.
Wall and Imakita met in Singapore in 2011 while working here, and got married in 2016. They became Singaporeans in 2025.
Both of them serve in the SAF Volunteer Corps and also mentor young people and volunteer in the community.
Wall, 51, and Imakita, 50, told The Straits Times that they feel a deep connection with Singapore because of the work they do while volunteering.
“We feel like Singapore is home, and that made us stay here,” said Imakita.
On the other hand, Hwee, in her 40s, made the effort to introduce her foreign colleagues to Singapore’s food, traditions and festivals.
The head of human resources at Tata Consultancy Services for Singapore and Korea said: “When I went to England to study more than 20 years ago, I remember how my schoolmates were so welcoming, and how they took the initiative to share about their culture as much as they wanted to learn about mine.”
When she returned to Singapore, she was determined to pay that kindness forward here.
PM Wong, noting that Singapore’s population will continue to evolve, said: “Newcomers will become part of our society, and new generations will grow up together.
“But what makes us Singaporean will endure. Our shared identity and values. Our commitment to one another. And our pledge, which binds us together as one united people.
Watch PM Wong’s National Day Rally speech here:
- Additional reporting by Esther Loi and Nadine Chua.