Singapore's Population Policies

Singapore's Population Policies

1. Why the need for population growth?

   • Declining birth rate since 1980s
     • Fertility rate 1.82 per woman in 1980
       • Not enough to replace population
     • Caused by
       • Early policies to reduce birth rate
       • Increased costs of living
       • People marrying later due to career
   • Need for economic development
     • Cannot produce enough talented people
       • Unable to grow economy
       • Unattractive to multinational companies
         • Larger and cheaper labour market available in China
         • Small consumer market
   • Defense
     • Fewer men for NS
       • Weak defense force
       • Open to external threats
   • Ageing population
     • Effects
       • More resources needed to take care of elderly
         • Healthcare: hospitals, clinics
         • Facilities: lifts, wheelchair ramps
         • Social services: homes for the aged
       • Strain on working population
         • Workforce has to pay increased taxes
     • Solutions
       • "Many Helping Hands" approach
         • Individual
           • Maintain healthy lifestyle
             • - Watching diet and eating healthy - Exercising regularly
           • Plan early for old age
             • - Attend talks on financial planning - Read up on retirement options
         • Family
           • Senior Citizens' Week
             • - Held in November - Encourages elderly to stay active in their families and communities - Promotes a positive attitude towards ageing and the aged
           • Grandparents' Week
             • - Held in November - Show appreciation for the elderly
         • Community
           • Subsidies for voluntary welfare organizations
             • - Home Nursing Foundation for Elders - Encourage community members to help look after senior citizens
           • Provide social and emotional support
             • - Free health checks - Organise recreational activities
         • Government
           • Tax relief
             • Tax relief can be claimed for: - taking care of elderly family members - contributing to CPF accounts of elderly family members - grandparents who look after grandchildren
           • Tribunal for the Maintenance of Parents
             • Elderly over 60 and unable to support themselves can get help to claim financial support from their children
           • CPF
             • - Special Account: retirement, emergency and investment - Medisave Account: medical fees - Retirement Account: save money for old age
           • Public housing schemes
             • Housing grants for buying flats near to parents
       • Senior citizens as assets
         • Jobs for senior citizens

2. How to encourage population growth?

   • Graduate Mothers Scheme
     • Who?
       • BY PM Lee Kuan Yew
       • FOR female graduates
     • When?
       • Started 1984
       • Withdrawn 1985
         • Unpopular among people
     • What?
       • Parents with high level of education were thought to produce smarter children
       • Female graduates encouraged to have children so new workforce will be more educated
   • Three or More if You can Afford it
     • When?
       • Started 1987
     • What?
       • Encourage families who can afford it to have more children
         • Prevent social problems that arise when families cannot cope financially
       • Increase birth rate to 2.1
     • How?
       • Allow use of Medisave to cover delivery charges of first 3 children
     • Result?
       • Limited success
         • Having children in SG still too expensive
           • - Hiring of foreign helpers - Childcare / school fees - Tuition fees
         • Medisave not enough as medical care is costly
         • SGeans prefer to spend money on themselves rather than start a family
       • Birth rate fell to 1.24 in 2004
   • Other pro-family measures
     • Equalised family benefits
       • Both parents can claim medical benefits for children from their companies
     • Grandparent caregiver relief
       • $3000 tax relief for grandparents who take care of grandchildren
     • 5-day work week for Civil Service
       • To promote work-life balance
     • Extended maternity leave
       • From 8 to 12 weeks
   • Attracting foreign talent
     • What?
       • Attract foreign talent to boost quality of workforce
       • Foreign companies create more jobs
       • Boost creativity
     • How?
       • Relaxing immigration policies
       • Assistance to help foreigners relocate to SG