MigrantoSingaporean Diaspora
269.6K Singaporeans live abroad — 4% of the population of Singapore
Singaporean diaspora by country
The top 3 countries are home to 72% of the diaspora
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| Malaysia | 79926 |
| Australia | 68087 |
| United Kingdom | 45936 |
| Bangladesh | 12909 |
| Canada | 12878 |
| Hong Kong | 10660 |
| China | 9088 |
| New Zealand | 7784 |
| India | 5575 |
| Japan | 3472 |
| Taiwan | 1903 |
| Brunei | 1798 |
| Indonesia | 1743 |
| Denmark | 1171 |
| Mali | 1072 |
| Norway | 963 |
| Libya | 755 |
| Italy | 713 |
| Sri Lanka | 619 |
| South Africa | 499 |
| Chile | 354 |
| Finland | 313 |
| Luxembourg | 172 |
| Egypt | 170 |
| Malta | 155 |
| Cambodia | 138 |
| Hungary | 120 |
| Maldives | 88 |
| Greece | 88 |
| Panama | 84 |
| East Timor | 78 |
| Papua New Guinea | 50 |
| Bulgaria | 45 |
| Portugal | 34 |
| Cyprus | 33 |
| Iceland | 32 |
| Slovakia | 22 |
| Bhutan | 18 |
| Estonia | 18 |
| Venezuela | 15 |
| Costa Rica | 11 |
| Liechtenstein | 9 |
| Slovenia | 8 |
| Lithuania | 5 |
| Latvia | 1 |
| Bolivia | 1 |
By region
47% of the diaspora lives in Asia
Ask Migo
Tap a question — our AI assistant answers it in chat, with real migration data
Key facts
The Singaporean diaspora in numbers
Most Singaporeans abroad live in Malaysia
30% of the diaspora lives in Malaysia, while the next country accounts for just 25%.
The share of the diaspora living in Oceania has grown since 1990
17.7% of the diaspora lived in Oceania in 1990, compared with 28.2% today.
Singaporean diaspora population over time
People living abroad, by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 156619 |
| 1995 | 170806 |
| 2000 | 186401 |
| 2005 | 206277 |
| 2010 | 231411 |
| 2015 | 254347 |
| 2020 | 264487 |
| 2024 | 269613 |
Largest communities over time
Singaporeans living in the 5 largest countries, by year
| Year | Malaysia | Australia | United Kingdom | Bangladesh | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 51411 | 24824 | 33699 | 10556 | 6053 |
| 1995 | 55648 | 29696 | 36688 | 9063 | 7353 |
| 2000 | 59885 | 34354 | 39944 | 7569 | 8923 |
| 2005 | 64122 | 43009 | 41187 | 8316 | 9802 |
| 2010 | 68783 | 53631 | 42072 | 9307 | 11811 |
| 2015 | 72596 | 59325 | 43373 | 9583 | 13196 |
| 2020 | 76657 | 64938 | 44803 | 9396 | 12678 |
| 2024 | 79926 | 68087 | 45936 | 12909 | 12878 |
Fastest-changing communities
How the number of Singaporeans in each country has changed since the selected year
Singaporeans among immigrants in other countries
Where Singaporeans make up the largest share of a country's immigrants
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many Singaporeans live outside Singapore?
Around 269.6K Singaporeans live abroad, the world's #123 largest diaspora.
Where do most Singaporeans abroad live?
Most Singaporeans live in Malaysia, Australia and United Kingdom — these three countries account for about 72% of all Singaporeans living abroad.
Which country has the largest Singaporean population outside Singapore?
Malaysia is home to the largest Singaporean community abroad — 79.9K people, about 30% of all Singaporeans living abroad.
What share of the population of Singapore lives abroad?
About 4% of the population of Singapore lives abroad — that's 269.6K out of a total population of 6M.
Is the Singaporean diaspora growing?
Yes — over the past decade, the number of Singaporeans living abroad has grown from 254.3K to 269.6K, about 6%.
Where does the data on the Singaporean diaspora come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born in Singapore who now live in other countries. Descendants of emigrants born abroad are not included.
Where to live?
Score countries, regions and cities by what matters to you
Living in Singapore
See the full country overview