Paternity Leave in Singapore (2026): Eligibility, Entitlements and How to Apply

Quick Answer

Eligible working fathers in Singapore are entitled to 4 weeks of Government-Paid Paternity Leave (GPPL) for a child born on or after 1 April 2025. For children born or due on or after 1 April 2026, parents also share 10 weeks of Shared Parental Leave (SPL), split 5 weeks each by default. To qualify, your child must be a Singapore citizen at birth or within 12 months, you must be married to the child’s mother, and you must have worked for your employer (or been self-employed) for at least 3 continuous months before the birth. Your employer continues to pay your salary during GPPL and claims reimbursement from the government, capped at $2,500 a week.

A new baby changes everything at once, including your calendar at work. Singapore’s rules on leave for fathers have changed several times since 2024, so the entitlement you have heard about may already be out of date. This guide sets out what applies today, who qualifies and how to apply. It also covers how probation or a job change affects your leave, and what employers can offer beyond the statutory minimum.

What is paternity leave in Singapore?

Paternity leave in Singapore is paid time off for a working father after his child is born or adopted. The statutory scheme, Government-Paid Paternity Leave (GPPL), is administered by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), with employment rules set by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). “Government-paid” refers to who funds it: your employer continues to pay you during GPPL and claims reimbursement from the government.

Singapore has no separate male maternity leave or maternity leave for dads. For fathers, the closest equivalents are GPPL plus their share of Shared Parental Leave.

How long is paternity leave in Singapore in 2026?

Paternity leave in Singapore is 4 weeks for a child born on or after 1 April 2025.

For both GPPL and SPL, the relevant date is the child’s date of birth or Estimated Delivery Date (EDD), or the date of Formal Intent to Adopt (FIA) for adopted children.

If your child’s EDD is on or after 1 April 2026 but the child is born earlier, you may still qualify for 10 weeks of SPL. Contact MSF to confirm your entitlement.

Leave is counted in working days: 4 weeks of GPPL equals four times your normal working days per week, capped at 6 days a week. That is 20 days on a 5-day week and 24 days on a 6-day week.

For eligible parents of children born on or after 1 April 2026, combined paid parental leave can reach 30 weeks: 16 weeks of maternity leave, 4 weeks of paternity leave and 10 weeks of shared leave. If both parents agree, the full 10 weeks of SPL can go to the father, giving him up to 14 weeks of paid leave in total.

Who is eligible for Government-Paid Paternity Leave?

A father is eligible for GPPL when three conditions are met:

• Citizenship: The child is a Singapore citizen at birth or becomes one within 12 months.

• Marriage: He is, or was, married to the child’s mother between conception and birth, or within 12 months after the birth. If he marries after the birth, GPPL can only be taken after the marriage and within 12 months of the birth.
• Work: He has worked continuously for at least 3 months before the birth, for his current employer or as a self-employed person. Being on probation does not affect this.

Self-employed fathers must also lose income during the leave, and they claim it directly from the government.

PRs and foreigners working in Singapore

Permanent residents (PRs) and foreigners can get paternity leave in Singapore on the same terms, because eligibility depends on the child’s citizenship rather than the father’s. If the child becomes a citizen after birth, GPPL can only be taken once citizenship is granted, and still within 12 months of the birth. If the child does not become a citizen, ask your employer about company-paid paternity leave.

Adoptive fathers and other situations

• Adoptive fathers: An adoptive father may qualify if he applies to adopt the child under Singapore law, the child is under 12 months old on the FIA date, he is not the child’s biological father, and he has worked for his employer or been self-employed for at least 3 continuous months before the FIA date. For a Singapore citizen child, an adoption application must have been made to the Court. If the child is not a Singapore citizen, he or his wife (as a joint applicant) must have been a Singapore citizen since the child’s Dependant’s Pass was issued.
• Fewer than 3 months with the current employer: The father may qualify for the Government-Paid Paternity Benefit instead (see ‘Starting a new job before the birth’ below).

How does Shared Parental Leave add to a father’s leave?

Shared Parental Leave (SPL) in Singapore adds a separate pool of government-paid leave that parents divide between them: 6 weeks for children born or due from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026, and 10 weeks for those born or due on or after 1 April 2026. It replaced the earlier scheme, under which a mother could share up to 4 weeks of her maternity leave with the father (Made for Families). The older scheme may still apply to some children born before 1 April 2025.

Each parent is allocated half by default (3 weeks each under the 6-week scheme, 5 weeks each under the 10-week scheme), and parents can change the split in LifeSG. Within 4 weeks of the birth, the change needs no employer agreement; after that, the employee must submit the employer’s written agreement. The leave dates themselves still need to be arranged with the employer.

Each parent takes SPL after using their own leave (GPPL for fathers, maternity leave for mothers), within 12 months of the birth. Eligibility and the $2,500 weekly reimbursement cap are broadly the same as for GPPL.

How do you apply for and claim paternity leave?

You apply through your company’s usual leave process, and your employer claims the reimbursement. Your job is also protected: from 1 April 2025, it is an offence for an employer to dismiss an employee on GPPL.

Applying as an employee

• Prepare your documents: Your employer may ask you to sign a declaration form and provide supporting documents.

• Give 4 weeks’ notice: From 1 April 2025, fathers must give their employer 4 weeks’ notice before taking GPPL or SPL, unless the employer agrees to a shorter period.

• Agree on how you will take it: Decide with your employer whether to take the leave as one block or split it into days (see ‘Can you take paternity leave flexibly?’ below).

How the reimbursement works

Employers claim back the salary they pay during GPPL on the Government-Paid Leave (GPL) Portal. They verify eligibility before the leave starts and must submit the claim no later than 3 months after the last day of leave. Reimbursement covers all 4 weeks, capped at $2,500 a week or $10,000 in total.

For self-employed fathers

Record your leave dates and submit a claim on the GPL Portal once your GPPL starts, no later than 3 months after its last day. The payment covers income lost during the leave and is calculated from the net trade income in your IRAS Notice of Assessment.

Can you take paternity leave flexibly?

Employees can take paternity leave flexibly if their employer agrees; otherwise, the default GPPL and SPL arrangements shown below apply. Self-employed fathers do not need approval and can take GPPL continuously or in parts within 12 months of the birth.

What happens to paternity leave when you change jobs?

GPPL depends on 3 months of service with your employer before the birth, so changing jobs shortly before your child arrives can affect your eligibility.

Starting a new job before the birth

If your child arrives less than 3 months after you join a new company, you may still receive the Government-Paid Paternity Benefit if you worked at least 90 days in total, continuous or not, in the 12 months before the birth and meet the citizenship and marriage conditions. The benefit is worth up to 4 weeks of paternity leave pay, based on your average income (including employer CPF contributions) over those 12 months. You apply directly on the GPL Portal within 15 months of the birth.

Resigning after the birth

You can take paternity leave during your notice period, and those days count towards serving your notice. You cannot use paternity leave to shorten the notice period itself. Unused paternity leave cannot be encashed and is forfeited once your employment ends.

What employers can offer beyond the statutory minimum

Statutory leave sets the minimum, and government reimbursement stops at $2,500 a week. To compare with a monthly salary, that weekly cap averages out to roughly $10,800 a month over a year. For mid-to-senior professionals [Internal link: ‘Singapore salary guide’] earning above that, full pay during leave depends on the employer’s own policy.

• Salary top-ups above the cap. Employers are not required to pay above the cap, but may choose to pay full salary during GPPL.

• GPPL for new joiners. MSF may reimburse employers that grant GPPL to an employee who meets every criterion except the 3-month service rule.

• Flexible arrangements. Employers can agree to split GPPL or SPL instead of requiring one continuous block.
• Company-paid leave. Employers can offer paternity leave beyond the statutory 4 weeks.

If you are weighing an offer, ask about each of these before you sign. If you are hiring, setting them out in a written policy makes offer conversations simpler and helps candidates compare your offer fairly.

FAQ

Q. What is the difference between paternity leave and parental leave in Singapore?

Parental leave is the umbrella term for all government-paid leave around a child’s birth or adoption. Paternity leave (GPPL) is the part reserved for fathers. Shared Parental Leave is the part both parents divide. Childcare leave and unpaid infant care leave are separate schemes.

Q. Do part-time and contract workers get paternity leave?

Yes, part-time, temporary and fixed-term employees get paternity leave if they meet all the criteria. The entitlement is based on hours worked. A part-time employee working 20 hours a week gets 80 hours of paternity leave for a child born on or after 1 April 2025.

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