Singapore’s Paid Family Leave Policies Stengthened

Singapore's Paid Family Leave PoliciesSingapore’s paid family leave policies are set to strengthen support for working parents and promote shared parental responsibility. These changes, announced by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at the 2024 National Day Rally, will take effect from April 1, 2025.

Enhanced Government-Paid Paternity Leave

From April 1, 2025, the Government-Paid Paternity Leave (GPPL) will be enhanced:

  • The current two weeks of GPPL will be increased to four weeks of mandatory leave.
  • This enhancement applies to fathers of Singaporean children born on or after April 1, 2025.

New Shared Parental Leave Scheme

A new Shared Parental Leave (SPL) scheme will be introduced, replacing the current system. This scheme will allow parents to share up to 10 weeks of paid leave. To manage the impact on employers, the implementation will occur in two phases:

  1. Phase 1: From April 1, 2025, eligible working parents will be entitled to 6 weeks of SPL.
  2. Phase 2: From April 1, 2026, the entitlement will increase to 10 weeks of SPL.

Key features of the SPL scheme include:

  • The leave must be consumed within the first 12 months of the child’s birth.
  • Parents can reallocate their SPL to each other based on their family’s needs.
  • The SPL will be distributed equally between the two parents as a default arrangement.

Additional Measures

To support the implementation of these enhanced leave policies, the Singapore government is introducing several additional measures:

  1. Minimum Notice Period: Employees must give at least four weeks’ notice before taking any parental leave.
  2. Flexibility for Irregular Employment: Working parents with irregular employment arrangements can benefit from the new Shared Parental Leave Benefit (SPB) scheme.
  3. Employment Protection: New employment protections will be introduced to provide greater assurance to both mothers and fathers when taking parental leave.
  4. Reimbursement Cap: A reimbursement limit of $2,500 per week will apply up to the prevailing cap.

Impact and Future Outlook

When fully implemented on April 1, 2026, parents in Singapore will have 30 weeks of paid leave to spend with their infants. This significant enhancement to parental leave policies is part of a broader suite of measures to support marriage and parenthood in Singapore.

Minister of State for Social and Family Development, Sun Xueling, emphasized that these changes reaffirm Singapore’s commitment to supporting families and promoting active fatherhood. The government is also planning additional support measures, including developing about 6,000 new infant care center places from 2025 to 2029 and launching a new childminding pilot in December 2024.

These comprehensive enhancements to parental leave policies demonstrate Singapore’s dedication to building a society where caregiving is a shared responsibility, and families are strongly supported throughout their parenthood journey.

 

If you need support with your employee benefits in Singapore, please contact Asinta, and we will connect you with Galaxy, our local experts in the country.

 

Sources

The Strategy Group in the Prime Minister’s Office

Ministry of Social and Family Development