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Singapore new parental leave scheme for employees, Wife can share leaves with husbands and Paternity leave also increased


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In a significant move to support working parents, Singapore’s government will be rolling out a new parental leave scheme starting from April 1, 2026. This announcement was made by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong during his National Day Rally speech on August 18. The new scheme aims to provide additional support to parents, especially in the early stages of their child’s life.

Key Changes to Parental Leave

Additional 10 Weeks of Shared Leave: Under the new scheme, parents will receive an additional 10 weeks of shared leave to care for their infants. This is an increase from the current scheme, where mothers could share up to four weeks of their 16 weeks of maternity leave with their husbands. The government will fully fund this leave, up to a weekly cap of S$2,500 (approximately US$1,900).

Increased Paternity Leave: In addition to the shared leave, new fathers will see their government-paid paternity leave double from two to four weeks. This change, effective from April 1 next year, is a mandatory benefit aimed at encouraging fathers to take a more active role in early childcare.

Phased Implementation

The new shared parental leave scheme will be introduced in two phases to give employers time to adjust:

  1. Phase 1 (Starting April 1, 2025): Parents of children born from this date will be entitled to six weeks of shared parental leave.
  2. Phase 2 (Starting April 1, 2026): Parents of children born from this date will be eligible for the full 10 weeks of shared parental leave.

By default, the 10 weeks of shared leave will be split equally between both parents. For babies born between April 1, 2025, and March 31, 2026, each parent will receive three weeks. For babies born after April 1, 2026, each parent will receive five weeks. However, parents have the flexibility to reallocate the leave based on their needs, even allowing one parent to take the entire 10 weeks.

How the New Scheme Compares Globally

While some countries offer longer parental leave, often at reduced pay or unpaid, Singapore’s approach emphasizes shorter, fully paid leave. Prime Minister Wong highlighted that while Singapore’s system differs from other countries, it ensures that employees can usually return to the same job after their leave, offering more stability for working parents.

Flexibility and Responsibility

Parents will need to decide on their leave-sharing arrangements within four weeks after their child’s birth. Any changes after that will require employer approval. The shared parental leave must be used within the first 12 months of the child’s birth. If there is no agreement between parents and their employers, the shared leave can be taken in one continuous block after the government-paid maternity and paternity leave, within the first 26 weeks after birth.

Support for Working Parents

The current shared parental leave scheme has had a low uptake, with only 6% of eligible fathers using the benefit. The government hopes that by increasing the benefits and making certain leave mandatory, more fathers will participate in caregiving. The Ministry of Social and Family Development reported an increase in fathers taking paternity leave, from 47% in 2016 to 53% in 2021.

For parents with irregular employment, such as short-term contract workers, the new Shared Parental Leave Benefit will allow them to claim reimbursement from the government for the time taken off to care for their infants. Details on this will be provided closer to the implementation date.

Preparing for the New Scheme

New parents must inform their employers at least four weeks in advance to utilize any of the parental leave schemes, including the new shared leave, paternity leave, and adoption leave. The National Population and Talent Division (NPTD) encourages parents to give their employers ample notice to ensure smooth operational adjustments.

This new parental leave scheme is part of Singapore’s broader efforts to strengthen family support and encourage active participation in childcare by both parents. As these changes roll out, they are expected to make a positive impact on work-life balance for families across the country.

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