From 1 April next year, eligible fathers will be entitled to four weeks of government-paid paternity leave.
Parents-to-be will receive another 10 weeks of shared parental leave on top of their current leave entitlements. This brings the total amount of government-paid parental leave to 30 weeks by 1 April 2026.
In his first National Day Rally speech on Sunday (Aug 18), Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said that the moves are to encourage fathers to play a bigger role in caregiving and housework responsibilities. They are part of efforts to build a more family friendly Singapore, he added.
Currently, eligible working fathers whose children are Singapore citizens, are entitled to two weeks of government-paid paternity leave. They may take an extra two weeks if their employers allow it. With the change, eligible working fathers with Singaporean children born on or after 1 April 2025 will be entitled to four weeks of government-paid paternity leave.
Changes to the shared parental leave scheme will be made in two phases, starting with six weeks of shared leave from 1 April 2025, followed by the full 10 weeks from 1 April 2026. This phased approach gives employers time to adjust. The 10 weeks of shared leave will be paid for by the Government.
Mr Wong noted that although the country has “come a long way” in promoting women’s development, some people still believe that “fathers should be the exclusive breadwinners, and mothers the main caregivers”. That attitude must change.
“Women these days have every opportunity to excel in their careers. It’s not possible for them to pursue their goals, and still carry a heavier share of the caregiving and housework responsibilities. So, fathers must play a bigger role.”
Mr Wong said the Government has studied countries that offer longer parental leave of a year or more. However, in these countries, a portion of the leave is provided at reduced pay or may be unpaid, he noted. In addition, employees may have to take on a different role when they return to work.
While Singapore’s leave provisions are shorter, most of the leave is fully paid and people can typically return to the same job, Mr Wong added.
“I hope this move will go some way in reassuring young couples – we are building a Singapore made for families; and we will help you keep a good balance between your working and parenting responsibilities.”
PAP MPs have pushed for more parental leave and welcome the announcements
Over the years, PAP Members of Parliament like Louis Ng (Nee Soon GRC), Desmond Choo (Tampines GRC), Melvin Yong (Radin Mas), Yeo Wan Ling (Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC) and Hany Soh (Marsiling-Yew Tee) have advocated for expanded parental and paternity leave.
In August 2017, Mr Ng moved an adjournment motion urging the government to extend parental leave for parents of pre-term or multiple babies. He called for a review of leave policies in September last year.
Mr Ng lauded the move for more parental leave which allows parents to “have more precious time with their babies especially during their formative year – the first year of their life”. He also said the move to allocate shared leave equally between parents by default “sends a very strong signal that the childcare responsibility should be equal”.
Mr Choo said enhanced parental leave would provide younger parents greater support and allow young fathers to spend more time with their children. “This will need employers and workers to work together to tackle our national problem of low TFR”.
Ms Yeo is excited that the measures will also apply to Self-Employed and freelance workers. “More Singaporeans are choosing to be freelancers due to its flexibility, many because they are caregivers. These measures will undoubtedly provide much relief to this community,” she said.
She added that the announcement will provide more inroads in the workplace, to the normalisation of fathers taking on more family caregiving responsibilities.
The parental leave enhancement announced during the National Day Rally underscores the PAP Government’s commitment to building a family-friendly Singapore that supports marriage and parenthood. The change also represents significant progress in recognising the importance of shared parenting responsibilities for both parents in raising children.
However, as PM Wong acknowledged, marrying and having children remain deeply personal choices.
“What the Government can and will do is to create a more family-friendly environment in Singapore. And hopefully this will motivate more Singaporeans to translate their aspirations into reality.”
| Other family-friendly measures announced during NDR 2024: Keeping pre-schooling affordable and convenient Fees for full-day childcare at government-supported preschools will fall to about $300 a month for families where both parents work. This is comparable to the combined cost of primary school and after-school student care. Those with lower incomes will get extra subsidies, so their childcare expenses may be as little as $3 a month. Support for large families Families thinking about having a third child or with three or more young children will receive additional assistance covering the costs of raising them. The government will reveal more details at a later date. |
