VNExpress/StraitsTimes-Mar 29
Singapore will offer new parents up to 30 weeks of government-paid leave starting April 1, one of the most generous parental leave packages in Asia, as the city-state scrambles to reverse a deepening baby bust. The Ministry of Social and Family Development confirmed on March 26 that shared parental leave will expand from six to 10 weeks for parents of children born on or after April 1, 2026. Combined with 16 weeks of maternity leave and four weeks of paternity leave, eligible couples can now take more than seven months of paid time off in their child’s first year, The Straits Times reported. All 10 shared weeks are funded by the government, capped at SGD2,500 (US$1,879) per week, according to the Ministry of Manpower. To qualify, the child must be a Singapore citizen or become one within 12 months of birth, and each parent must have worked continuously for their employer for at least three months. The leave will be split equally by default, with each parent receiving five weeks. Parents can reallocate their share through the LifeSG app within four weeks of the child’s birth if one needs more time, MSF said. The shared leave must be taken within 12 months and only after maternity or paternity leave has been used. The expansion arrives at a fraught moment. Singapore’s total fertility rate plunged to 0.87 in 2025, with roughly 27,500 resident births recorded, the lowest in the country’s history, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong told parliament in February. A decade ago, the rate stood at 1.24. Read more at:
