Singapore expands shared parental leave to 10 weeks from April 2026, raising total paid parental leave to 30 weeks

Singapore is expanding its parental leave framework, with the country’s 10-week Shared Parental Leave (SPL) scheme set to take effect from 1 April 2026, significantly increasing the amount of paid leave available to parents during a child’s first year.

The policy change means eligible working parents of Singapore citizen children born on or after 1 April 2026 will be entitled to 10 weeks of Shared Parental Leave, up from the six weeks introduced previously. The leave can be shared between both parents, giving families greater flexibility in managing caregiving responsibilities during infancy.

The Ministry of Social and Family Development said the leave will be automatically split equally between both parents, although couples may mutually agree to adjust the allocation depending on caregiving needs and work arrangements. Parents are encouraged to inform employers early to facilitate workforce planning and scheduling.

Under the guidelines, parents will have up to four weeks from the child’s birth to decide and submit their leave-sharing arrangement through the LifeSG platform. Any changes after that period will require agreement from both parents and their employers, along with supporting documentation submitted through the same platform.

If parents do not reach a mutual agreement, the Shared Parental Leave must be taken in a continuous block within the first 26 weeks after the child’s birth, subject to a minimum notice period of four weeks to the employer.

Employers, meanwhile, will be required to verify Shared Parental Leave arrangements through the Government-Paid Leave portal after the child’s birth has been officially registered.

The expanded Shared Parental Leave forms part of Singapore’s broader effort to strengthen family support policies and encourage shared parenting responsibilities. The policy fulfils a commitment announced by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in 2024 to enhance parental leave benefits and support families during early parenthood.

With the enhancement, Shared Parental Leave will complement existing leave schemes, including Government-Paid Maternity Leave of up to 16 weeks and Government-Paid Paternity Leave of four weeks. Combined, eligible parents in Singapore can now receive up to 30 weeks of paid leave in their child’s first year.

The Ministry said the enhancement is designed to provide greater support during infancy, when caregiving needs are highest, while also promoting more balanced caregiving roles between mothers and fathers.

The move reflects Singapore’s ongoing efforts to address demographic challenges, including declining birth rates and the need to support working families. By expanding paid leave and encouraging shared caregiving, policymakers hope to make parenthood more manageable for working couples and create a more family-friendly workforce environment.

The 10-week Shared Parental Leave scheme will apply to eligible working parents whose child’s estimated date of delivery is on or after 1 April 2026, including some children born before that date if eligibility criteria are met. Parents seeking eligibility under this provision will need to apply through the LifeSG system after birth registration.

The expanded leave framework marks another step in Singapore’s evolving family and workforce policies, as governments globally continue to review parental leave benefits to support workforce participation, gender equality, and family well-being.