share on
South Korea clinches first spot within the APAC region, followed by Singapore, Australia, Brunei, and New Zealand rounding up the top five.
Maternity leave and pay policies differ greatly across the globe, influencing how organisations attract, retain, and support talent. Beyond employee wellbeing, these policies play a vital role in shaping workplace equality, driving productivity, and strengthening employer branding.
A recent study by Moorepay revealed the value of maternity pay in each country. Globally, the maximum statutory maternity pay offered is in Norway, with offers up to NOK663,132, which converts directly to US$65,917.
Within Asia Pacific, the top 10 markets are as follows:
| Country | International dollars ($) | Local currency | US Dollars (US$) |
| South Korea | $48,796 | KRW41,067 | $30,300 |
| Singapore | $24,945 | S$20,050 | $15,597 |
| Australia | $22,469 | AUD30,771 | $20,073 |
| Brunei | $14,071 | BND7,306 | $5,684 |
| New Zealand | $13,188 | NZD19,627 | $11,881 |
| Japan | $8,273 | ¥791,717 | $5,481 |
| Bhutan | $6,515 | BTN126,164 | $1,473 |
| Vietnam | $6,416 | VND43,644,955 | $1,676 |
| Malaysia | $6,158 | RM8,776 | $2,074 |
| India | $4,044 | INR81,691 | $954 |
Other mentionable markets include:
- Thailand ($3,067, THB32,666, US$1,000)
- Philippines ($2,670, PHP51,430, US$922)
- Indonesia ($2,483, IDR11,965,584, US$736)
- Myanmar ($1,804, MMK784,537, US$242)
On a wider scale, the top 10 rankings for across the globe are as follows:
| Country | Local currency | US Dollars (USD) | |
| Norway | NOK663,132 | $65,917 | |
| Romania | RON91,543 | $20,730 | |
| South Korea | KRW41,067 | $30,300 | |
| Finland | €37,038 | $42,289 | |
| Sweden | SEK391,200 | $40,737 | |
| Slovenia | €20,576 | $23,493 | |
| Luxembourg | €26,201 | $29,916 | |
| Singapore | S$20,050 | $15,597 | |
| El Salvador | SVC9,984 | $1,142 | |
| Poland | PLN46,073 | $12,329 |
*Countries are ranked by spending power, with national average salaries converted into international dollars (Intl$) to adjust for cost-of-living differences.
Methodology
Moorepay conducted manual research into statutory legislation in every country to determine the duration and payment rates of maternity leave. The team then calculated the average value of the maternity leave in each country in the local currency using the average income sourced from the World Bank.
To make a fair comparison, factoring in the cost of living in each country, the researchers then converted these figures into international dollars using the Purchasing Power Parity conversion factors for each country. As per the World Bank, the international dollar is "the comparable amount of goods and services a US dollar would buy in the United States."
The research and calculations consider the following criteria and assumptions:
- Only paid statutory maternity leave was considered.
- Value calculations concern the first-born child.
- Parental leave was included in the maternity leave if it was continuous from the maternity leave and also paid.
- In circumstances where parents can exchange parental leave, the maximum paid parental leave for the mother was calculated.
- Any maternal grants were added to the total valuations.
- Countries without purchasing power parities were omitted from the data.
READ MORE: UK amends Employment Rights Bill to cover pregnancy loss under bereavement leave
Infographics / Global maternity leave report
share on
