Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng, the city-state's "population czar", said boosting the number of citizens through immigration was important because "babies take many years to grow up."

Wong was quoted in the Straits Times as saying foreigners wanting to become permanent residents or citizens would soon be assessed not just based on their academic qualifications but also on their talent, skills and experience.

The potential contributions of the applicant's family members and how they could fit into the country's requirements would also be taken into consideration.

Currently, academic qualifications play a central role in deciding to admit applicants for permanent residency and citizenship.

Wong said the government would also target foreign students on scholarships here who could be convinced to settle in Singapore with their families.

"We are exploring all these points," he said.

Singapore's population comprises three million Singaporean citizens, 350,000 permanent residents and 800,000 foreigners on long-term permits.

Singapore's low birth rate has become an urgent concern after the fertility rate hit an all-time low of 1.26 children per woman in 2003.

The low birth rate will also mean a higher proportion of elderly citizens in the long term, resulting in heavy social welfare costs.

About 6500 foreigners chose to become Singaporean citizens last year, down from highs of 10,000 during the 1990s when the economy was booming.

Last month, the government unveiled a S$300 million additional annual package to encourage couples to have more children and reverse the alarming fall in the birth rate.

The package includes tax relief, an extra month of maternity leave on top of the current two months, and lower levies for the right to employ a foreign maid to look after kids.

It comes on top of existing incentives worth $500 million year.

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