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Effective 1 April, eligible parents can receive up to 30 weeks of government-paid parental leave within their child's first year.
Eligible working parents with babies born on or after 1 April 2026 will be able to receive up to 10 weeks of shared parental leave, Singapore's Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) has confirmed on Thursday (26 March 2026).
The move builds on enhancements first announced in Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's National Day Rally 2024. It marks an increase from the six weeks of shared leave introduced when the scheme began in 2025.
Shared parental leave to increase from six to 10 weeks
From 1 April 2026, the Shared Parental Leave (SPL) entitlement will increase from six weeks to 10 weeks. With this, eligible parents will have up to 30 weeks of paid leave in their child’s first year when combined with Government Paid Maternity Leave (GPML) and Government Paid Paternity Leave (GPPL).
The GPML provides 16 weeks of leave while the GPPL provides four weeks of leave.
The ministry said the additional leave is meant to provide more support during a child’s first year, when caregiving demands are typically higher, and to encourage parents to share responsibilities more evenly.
Leave to be shared, with flexibility for parents
The 10 weeks of SPL will be available to eligible working parents of Singapore Citizen children born on or after 1 April 2026.
It can be shared between both parents and must be taken within 12 months of the child’s birth, and should be taken after the main leave schemes such as GPML or GPPL have been used.
By default, the leave will be split equally. However, parents may agree to adjust the allocation based on their needs. They are encouraged to inform their employers early to allow for work planning.
If no agreement is reached, the leave must be taken in one continuous block within the first 26 weeks after the child’s birth, with a minimum notice period of four weeks required.
Parents given four weeks to decide on leave arrangements
Parents will have up to four weeks from the child’s birth to submit how they intend to share the leave via the LifeSG platform. This can be done during birth registration or through the “manage SPL sharing arrangement” service.
After this period, any changes will require agreement between both parents and their employers. Supporting documents will need to be submitted through the same platform.
Employers are required to verify employees’ leave arrangements through the Government-Paid Leave portal after the child’s birth has been registered.
Total paid leave rises to 30 weeks
With the increase in shared parental leave, the total paid leave available to eligible parents will rise to up to 30 weeks in a child’s first year.
For a full guide on the shared parental leave scheme, refer to HRO's handy guide here.
This confirmation comes amid heightened discussion in Singapore around declining birth rates, which have been raised in Parliament in recent weeks. At the Committee of Supply Debate 2026, leaders highlighted record-low birth rates and a rapidly ageing population as growing concerns, prompting renewed focus on measures to support marriage and parenthood, including enhancements to parental leave.
This story has been updated as of 27 March 2026 with MSF's statement.
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Infographics / Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF)
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