Paternity Leave - 2 Weeks (Singapore)

A government-paid leave entitlement under Singapore's Child Development Co-Savings Act (CDCA) that grants eligible working fathers two weeks of paid paternity leave, funded by the government and capped at $2,500 per week including CPF contributions.

What Is Paternity Leave in Singapore?

Key Takeaways

  • ✓Eligible working fathers in Singapore get two weeks of government-paid paternity leave under the Child Development Co-Savings Act (CDCA).
  • ✓The government reimburses employers at a cap of $2,500 per week, inclusive of CPF contributions. Employers don't bear the cost directly.
  • ✓Paternity leave must be taken within 16 weeks of the child's birth. It can't be saved up or carried into the next year.
  • ✓The father must be lawfully married to the child's mother at the time of birth (or before) and the child must be a Singapore citizen.
  • ✓Both the first and second week can be taken flexibly as individual days, with the employer's agreement, within the 16-week window.

Paternity leave in Singapore gives working fathers two weeks of paid time off when their child is born. It's not a company benefit. It's a statutory right backed by the Child Development Co-Savings Act (CDCA) and administered by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). The government, not the employer, foots the bill, capped at $2,500 per week including CPF contributions. Before January 2017, fathers only got one week. The increase to two weeks reflected Singapore's push to get fathers more involved in early childcare and to support the country's pro-natalist policies. The leave applies to all employment types, whether the father works full-time, part-time, or on contract. What catches some people off guard is the marriage requirement. The father must be legally married to the child's mother at the time of birth, or must marry her within 12 months after. Unmarried fathers don't qualify under the CDCA, though some employers offer paternity leave to unmarried fathers under their own policies. The child must also be a Singapore citizen. If the child isn't registered as a citizen at birth, the father can still claim paternity leave retroactively once citizenship is obtained, provided it falls within the allowable window.

2 weeksMaximum paid paternity leave entitlement for eligible working fathers in Singapore (CDCA)
$2,500/wkGovernment-paid cap per week, inclusive of CPF contributions (MOM, 2024)
16 weeksPeriod within which paternity leave must be used, starting from the child's date of birth
Jan 2017Date the entitlement increased from 1 week to 2 weeks for qualifying births

Eligibility Criteria for Paternity Leave

Not every working father qualifies automatically. MOM sets four conditions that must all be met before an employee can claim government-paid paternity leave.

Employment requirement

The father must have worked for his employer for at least three continuous months before the child's birth. There's no minimum salary threshold. Part-time employees qualify too. If the father changes jobs during the mother's pregnancy and hasn't completed three months with the new employer by the delivery date, he won't qualify for government-paid leave under that employer. He might still negotiate unpaid leave or use annual leave.

Marriage and citizenship requirements

The father must be lawfully married to the child's mother. The marriage can happen any time up to 12 months after the child's birth, but the leave can only be claimed once the marriage is registered. The child must be a Singapore citizen. For foreign-born children of Singaporean fathers, the child needs to be registered as a citizen before the paternity leave claim is processed. These requirements apply per child, so for each qualifying birth, the father gets a fresh two-week entitlement.

Self-employed fathers

Self-employed fathers are also eligible for government-paid paternity leave if they meet the marriage and citizenship criteria and have been engaged in their work for at least three continuous months before the birth. They can claim the benefit directly from the government. The process is different from employees: self-employed fathers apply through the government portal rather than through an employer.

How Paternity Leave Works in Practice

The mechanics of taking and paying paternity leave involve both employer coordination and government reimbursement.

Taking the leave

The two weeks can be taken in one continuous block or split into individual days. If the father wants to take it flexibly (day by day), he needs his employer's agreement. The employer can't unreasonably refuse, but there's room for scheduling discussions. All paternity leave must be consumed within 16 weeks of the child's date of birth. Anything not taken within that window is forfeited. There's no payout for unused paternity leave.

Payment and reimbursement

Employers pay the father his usual salary during paternity leave and then claim reimbursement from the government. The government reimburses up to $2,500 per week, inclusive of CPF contributions. If the father's weekly salary exceeds $2,500, the employer absorbs the difference. Most employers simply pay the employee as normal and handle the claim with the government afterward through the GovBenefits portal.

Notice requirements

The father should give his employer at least one week's notice before taking paternity leave. For flexible arrangements (taking individual days), both parties should agree on the schedule in advance. While a late notice doesn't void the entitlement, it's considerate and helps with workforce planning. The employer can ask for documentation: the child's birth certificate and marriage certificate.

Government Reimbursement Process

The employer pays the employee first and then claims reimbursement from the government. Here's how the reimbursement calculation works.

ComponentDetailsCap
Gross salaryFather's actual weekly gross salary$2,500/week (inclusive of CPF)
CPF contributionsEmployer's CPF contribution on the leave periodIncluded in the $2,500 cap
Maximum reimbursement2 weeks x $2,500$5,000 total per birth
Claim deadlineSubmit within 3 months of the last day of leave takenNo extension
Claim methodVia GovBenefits portal (govbenefits.gov.sg)Online only

Shared Parental Leave Option

Singapore also allows mothers to share part of their maternity leave with the father, giving families more flexibility in how they divide caregiving duties.

How sharing works

Under the CDCA, a working mother can share up to four weeks of her 16-week government-paid maternity leave with the child's father. This is in addition to the father's own two weeks of paternity leave, meaning a father could potentially take up to six weeks of leave in total. The shared leave is also government-paid at the mother's salary rate, capped at $10,000 per four-week block. The mother must give written consent, and both parents must meet the respective eligibility criteria.

Practical considerations

While the law allows sharing, not every family finds it practical. The shared weeks reduce the mother's leave balance, which means she returns to work earlier. Families need to weigh the financial implications too, since the cap applies to the mother's salary rate, not the father's. If the father earns significantly more than the mother, the family might receive less total income during the shared leave period.

Employer Obligations and Protections

Singapore law protects fathers from retaliation for taking paternity leave. Employers must follow specific rules during and after the leave period.

  • Job protection: An employer can't terminate, demote, or disadvantage an employee for taking paternity leave. Doing so is an offense under the CDCA.
  • No deduction from annual leave: Paternity leave is a separate entitlement. Employers must not force employees to use annual leave or unpaid leave instead.
  • Continued benefits: CPF contributions, medical coverage, and other contractual benefits must continue during the paternity leave period.
  • Record-keeping: Employers should maintain records of paternity leave taken, payment made, and government claims submitted. MOM can audit these records.
  • Multiple births: Twins or triplets from a single pregnancy count as one birth event. The father gets two weeks total, not two weeks per child.
  • Adoption: Adoptive fathers don't qualify for paternity leave under the CDCA, but they may be eligible for adoption leave under separate provisions.

Paternity Leave Statistics in Singapore [2026]

Data showing the uptake and impact of paternity leave since it was introduced in Singapore.

53%
Of eligible fathers who took paternity leave in 2023, up from 25% in 2013MOM Singapore, 2024
2 weeks
Current statutory entitlement, doubled from 1 week in January 2017CDCA Amendment
$2,500
Government-paid cap per week, inclusive of employer CPF contributionsMOM, 2024
4 weeks
Additional shared parental leave a mother can transfer to the fatherCDCA

Singapore Paternity Leave vs Other Asian Countries

Singapore's two weeks of paternity leave sits in the middle range for Asia. Here's how it compares to other major economies.

CountryDurationPay RateGovernment-FundedKey Condition
Singapore2 weeks100% (capped at $2,500/wk)YesMarriage + citizenship required
JapanUp to 4 weeks (post-reform)67% of salaryYes (social insurance)No marriage requirement
South Korea10 days100% of salaryYes (employment insurance)Regardless of marital status
India0 days (no federal law)N/AN/ASome companies offer voluntarily
Philippines7 days100% of salaryNo (employer-funded)Married, cohabiting, up to 4 children
Malaysia7 days100% of salaryNo (employer-funded)Married, up to 5 children

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I take paternity leave if my wife isn't working?

Yes. The father's eligibility for paternity leave doesn't depend on the mother's employment status. As long as you meet the employment, marriage, and citizenship criteria, you're entitled to two weeks of government-paid paternity leave regardless of whether your wife works.

What happens if I don't use all my paternity leave within 16 weeks?

You lose it. There's no cash payout for unused paternity leave and it can't be carried forward. The 16-week deadline is strict. If you can't take the leave due to work commitments, try to negotiate with your employer early. Some fathers take a few days immediately after the birth and spread the remaining days across the 16-week window.

Does paternity leave apply for stillbirths?

Yes. If the pregnancy lasts at least 28 weeks, paternity leave applies even in cases of stillbirth. The father still needs to meet the other eligibility criteria. This recognizes that families need time to grieve and recover, regardless of the outcome.

Can my employer refuse my paternity leave request?

No. If you meet all eligibility criteria, your employer can't deny your paternity leave. They can discuss the timing of flexible arrangements (taking individual days), but they can't refuse the leave itself. If an employer refuses, you can file a complaint with MOM.

I'm a permanent resident, not a citizen. Do I qualify?

The father doesn't need to be a Singapore citizen, but the child must be. If you're a permanent resident married to a Singaporean spouse and your child is a Singapore citizen, you qualify. If the child is born overseas and isn't registered as a citizen, you'll need to complete the citizenship registration first.

What if I have twins or triplets?

Multiple births from a single pregnancy count as one birth event. You get two weeks of paternity leave total, not two weeks per child. However, each child's birth triggers separate childcare leave entitlements once they're older, so the benefits multiply over time.
Adithyan RKWritten by Adithyan RK
Surya N
Fact-checked by Surya N
Published on: 25 Mar 2026Last updated:
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