If you are a working mom in Singapore, it is beneficial to understand your maternity leave entitlement, how much notice you need to give your employer and how your leave could work alongside your partner’s parental leave.
This guide covers maternity leave in Singapore, the 2026 Shared Parental Leave changes, how to notify your employer and practical steps for planning your work handover before your baby arrives.
How much maternity leave are you entitled to?
In Singapore, working mothers generally fall under one of two maternity leave schemes:
- 16 weeks of Government-Paid Maternity Leave (GPML), or
- 12 weeks of maternity leave under the Employment Act.
Your entitlement depends mainly on your child’s citizenship and whether you meet the relevant eligibility requirements [1].
You can qualify for 16 weeks of GPML if:
• Your child is a Singapore citizen
• You have worked continuously for your employer for at least three months before your baby’s birth
• If you are self-employed, you have been engaged in your work for at least three continuous months and experienced a loss of income during maternity leave
• You give your employer at least four weeks’ notice before starting GPML, or inform them as soon as possible if your baby arrives earlier than expected.
For a first or second child, your employer pays your first eight weeks at your gross rate of pay. The Government reimburses the employer for the remaining eight weeks, capped at S$10,000 per four weeks or S$20,000 in total per child order.
For a third or subsequent child, the Government reimburses all 16 weeks, subject to a total cap of S$40,000 per child order.
If you do not qualify for GPML, you may instead be entitled to 12 weeks of maternity leave under the Employment Act. You must generally have worked for your employer for at least three continuous months.
The first eight weeks are paid if you meet the relevant conditions, including having fewer than two living children of your own at the time of delivery and giving at least one week’s notice. The final four weeks are unpaid unless your employment contract provides otherwise.
Can you choose when to take maternity leave?
By default, maternity leave is taken as one continuous block. With mutual agreement from your employer, however, you can arrange for part of your leave to be taken flexibly over 12 months.
For a 16-week entitlement, you can start your leave anytime within four weeks before your baby’s birth if your employer agrees. The first eight weeks must be taken continuously, while the remaining eight weeks can be taken flexibly over 12 months.
This could be useful if you would prefer to return to work gradually, take shorter work weeks or keep some leave available for later in your baby’s first year [2].
What is Shared Parental Leave in Singapore?
Your maternity leave is only one part of the leave available to your family. If you and your partner are eligible, Shared Parental Leave (SPL) gives you additional time to care for your baby during their first year.
From 1 April 2026, eligible parents of Singapore Citizen children born on or after that date can share 10 weeks of SPL, up from six weeks previously [3].
SPL is shared between both parents and must generally be taken after the relevant maternity, paternity or adoption leave has been fully used. By default, the 10 weeks are divided equally between both parents, but parents can mutually agree to allocate the weeks differently based on their caregiving needs.
Eligible parents can use SPL within 12 months of their child’s birth. If you and your partner want to customise how the leave is divided, you have four weeks from your baby’s birth to submit your sharing arrangement through LifeSG. Changes after this period generally require agreement from the relevant employers.
Together with 16 weeks of maternity leave and four weeks of Government-Paid Paternity Leave, eligible families can have access to up to 30 weeks of paid parental leave during the baby’s first year.
What is changing about child-related leave in Singapore?
There is another 2026 change worth knowing about, although it does not affect your maternity leave entitlement today.
The Government announced at the National Day Rally 2026 that it will cover the full cost of eligible child-related leave schemes, including Government-Paid Maternity Leave, Government-Paid Paternity Leave, Shared Parental Leave and childcare leave, subject to the relevant reimbursement caps [4].
The Government has not yet announced when the new funding arrangement will take effect, so the current maternity leave reimbursement structure continues to apply for now.
Childcare leave is also set to change. The existing Childcare Leave and Extended Childcare Leave schemes will be merged into a single scheme for eligible working parents with Singapore Citizen children aged 12 and below.
Under the announced changes, each working parent will receive:
• 8 days of childcare leave a year for one Singapore Citizen child
• 10 days for two Singapore Citizen children
• 12 days for three or more Singapore Citizen children
The implementation date has not yet been confirmed, so these changes should be treated as future enhancements rather than current entitlements.
When should you tell your employer about maternity leave?
Many moms choose to tell their manager or HR once they feel comfortable sharing their pregnancy. From a planning perspective, earlier notice gives your employer more time to consider workload, coverage and your eventual return.
The statutory notice requirement is particularly important. For Government-Paid Maternity Leave, you should give your employer at least four weeks’ notice before starting your leave. If you are taking maternity leave under the Employment Act, you should give at least one week’s notice [1][2].
Your employer may also have its own internal process, such as a leave application form or documentation requirements, so check with HR early.
You may want to prepare:
• Your estimated delivery date
• Your intended maternity leave dates
• Whether you want to explore flexible leave
• Your expected return-to-work date
• Any documents or forms required by your employer
If your baby arrives earlier than expected, do not panic about missing the notice period. Inform your employer as soon as possible. The rules allow for situations where you could not reasonably provide the full notice period.
How to plan a maternity leave handover
A good handover is less about documenting every single thing you do and more about making it easy for someone else to keep things moving while you are away.
Start by listing your regular responsibilities, including the small recurring tasks that may not appear in your formal job description.
Then organise your handover into four simple sections:
1. Ongoing work
List active projects, deadlines, current status and the next action required.
2. Key contacts
Include clients, suppliers, colleagues or external partners who may need to be contacted while you are away.
3. Recurring tasks
Note weekly or monthly reports, meetings, approvals and other routine responsibilities.
4. Important files and access
Make sure relevant documents, folders and processes are easy for your covering colleague to find.
Do not leave everything until your final week. Giving your manager and colleagues time to review the handover means you can answer questions while you are still around rather than trying to solve work problems after your baby arrives.
If you are planning to use infant care when you return to work, childcare arrangements are another item worth considering during pregnancy. Popular infant care centres can fill up, so starting your research and registration early may give you more options [3].
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How many weeks of maternity leave do you get in Singapore?
Eligible working mothers can receive 16 weeks of Government-Paid Maternity Leave if their child is a Singapore citizen and they meet the relevant requirements. Those who do not qualify for GPML may receive 12 weeks of maternity leave under the Employment Act.
2. How much notice do I need to give my employer for maternity leave in Singapore?
For Government-Paid Maternity Leave, you should give your employer at least four weeks’ notice before starting your leave. For maternity leave under the Employment Act, the minimum notice is generally one week.
3. Can maternity leave be taken flexibly in Singapore?
Yes. With your employer’s agreement, part of your maternity leave can be taken flexibly over 12 months. For a 16-week entitlement, the first eight weeks must be taken continuously, while the remaining eight weeks can be taken flexibly.
4. How does Shared Parental Leave work in Singapore in 2026?
From 1 April 2026, eligible parents of Singapore Citizen children can share 10 weeks of Shared Parental Leave. The leave is divided equally by default, but parents can agree to a different allocation based on their caregiving needs.
5. Is maternity leave in Singapore becoming fully Government-funded?
The Government announced in 2026 that it will cover the full cost of eligible child-related leave schemes, including Government-Paid Maternity Leave, subject to reimbursement caps. However, the implementation date has not yet been announced, so the current funding arrangement remains in place for now.
References
- Ministry of Manpower. Maternity Leave, Eligibility and Entitlement. Accessed 2 September 2026. https://www.mom.gov.sg/employment-practices/leave/maternity-leave/eligibility-and-entitlement.
- Ministry of Manpower. Planning Maternity Leave. Accessed 2 September 2026. https://www.mom.gov.sg/employment-practices/leave/maternity-leave/planning-your-leave.
- Ministry of Social and Family Development. 10 Weeks of Shared Parental Leave From 1 April 2026. Accessed 2 September 2026. https://www.msf.gov.sg/media-room/article/10-weeks-of-shared-parental-leave-from-1-april-2026.
- Population.gov.sg. Marriage and Parenthood Measures at National Day Rally 2026. Accessed 2 September 2026. https://www.population.gov.sg/marriage-parenthood-measures-at-national-day-rally-2026/.
- AsiaOne. NDR 2026: Working Parents to Get Up to 12 Days of Childcare Leave. Accessed 2 September 2026. https://www.asiaone.com/singapore/ndr-2026-working-parent-get-12-days-childcare-leave.
