Singapore expands shared parental leave to 10 weeks

Parents in Singapore welcoming babies on or after April 1 can look forward to more time at home, following a government announcement increasing shared parental leave from six to 10 weeks.

The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) confirmed that the expanded leave is available to eligible working parents, building on existing government-paid maternity and paternity schemes. Combined, these schemes now provide up to 30 weeks of paid parental leave within a child’s first year.

Introduced at the 2024 National Day Rally, the enhancement reflects a commitment to supporting families while promoting work-life balance. Under the scheme, shared leave is automatically divided equally between both parents. However, parents may mutually agree on a different allocation to better suit their caregiving needs, provided they inform their employers in advance to facilitate planning.

READ MORE: Singapore’s parental leave policies foster a family-friendly workforce

MSF emphasised that shared parental leave must be taken within 12 months of the child’s birth and only after both parents have fully utilised their maternity or paternity entitlements. In cases where parents cannot reach an agreement, the leave can be taken in a continuous block within the first 26 weeks after birth, with at least four weeks’ notice to the employer, reported The Straits Times.