Singapore’s old-age support ratio drops as labour force trends shift

SINGAPORE: Singapore’s old-age support ratio has nearly halved in 2024, reflecting the challenges of an ageing population.

According to the Ministry of Manpower (MoM), there are now fewer than four residents aged 20 to 64 for every senior citizen aged 65 and above, a significant drop from six residents per elderly person a decade ago.

When foreign workers are included, this ratio improves slightly to five working-age individuals per senior.

The labour force participation rate for residents aged 15 and above fell from 68.6% in 2023 to 68.2% in 2024. This decline is primarily due to the increasing proportion of seniors, who generally have lower workforce participation rates than younger individuals.

Despite the drop, Singapore’s overall labour force participation rate remains higher than many other major cities with ageing populations.

The country also stands out for its high participation rate among seniors, which has steadily increased over the past decade thanks to government initiatives to enhance employability for older workers.

The employment rate for seniors aged 65 and above climbed to 31.7% in 2024, reversing declines observed over the past two years.

Seniors were predominantly employed in sectors such as administrative and support services, food and beverage services, and transportation and storage.

This improvement is aligned with long-term trends showing increased labour force participation among those aged 55 and above. Targeted measures, such as training programs and incentives for employers to hire older workers, have contributed to this steady rise.

In age groups where labour force participation increased, employment rates also saw an uptick, indicating that the labour market successfully absorbed the additional workforce.