Maternity Leave in Singapore: How to Apply, When It Starts and How to Take It Flexibly
Maternity leave in Singapore is 16 weeks of Government-Paid Maternity Leave (GPML) if your child is a Singapore citizen and you have worked for your employer — or been self-employed — for at least 3 continuous months before the birth. If you don't meet those criteria but are covered by the Employment Act, you are entitled to 12 weeks instead. By default your leave starts 4 weeks before your delivery date and runs as one continuous block, but with your employer's agreement you can take the later portion flexibly over the 12 months after birth. You must give at least 4 weeks' notice before starting GPML (1 week for the 12-week scheme), according to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).
16 Weeks or 12 Weeks: Which Applies to You?
Singapore has two maternity leave tracks, and which one you're on determines everything downstream — how long you're away, who pays, and how much notice you need to give.
According to MOM's maternity leave eligibility page, you qualify for 16 weeks of Government-Paid Maternity Leave under the Child Development Co-Savings Act if your child is a Singapore citizen and you have served your employer for a continuous period of at least 3 months before the birth. Self-employed mums qualify too, provided they have been engaged in their work for at least 3 continuous months and lose income during the leave period.
If your child is not a Singapore citizen, you fall under the Employment Act track: 12 weeks of maternity leave, provided you are covered by the Employment Act and have served your employer for at least 3 continuous months immediately before the birth.
| 16 weeks (GPML) | 12 weeks (Employment Act) | |
|---|---|---|
| Child's citizenship | Singapore citizen | Not a Singapore citizen |
| Service requirement | At least 3 continuous months before the birth | At least 3 continuous months immediately before the birth |
| Paid portion | All 16 weeks paid | First 8 weeks employer-paid (if fewer than 2 living children); last 4 weeks unpaid unless your contract says otherwise |
| Notice to employer | At least 4 weeks | At least 1 week |
| Legislation | Part 3, Child Development Co-Savings Act | Part 9, Employment Act |
For a full breakdown of the entitlements and how they interact with other family schemes this year, see our guide to maternity leave in Singapore 2026.
Who Pays You During Maternity Leave
The short answer: your employer pays you as usual during your leave, and the Government reimburses them for the government-paid portion. You don't need to claim anything from the Government yourself as an employee — the reimbursement happens between your employer and the state.
Per MOM, the reimbursement structure on the 16-week scheme depends on which child this is:
| Child order | Paid by employer | Reimbursed by Government |
|---|---|---|
| First and second child | First 8 weeks, at your gross rate of pay | Last 8 weeks, capped at $10,000 per 4 weeks, or a total of $20,000 per child order |
| Third and subsequent | — | All 16 weeks, capped at $10,000 per 4 weeks, or a total of $40,000 per child order |
On the 12-week Employment Act track, your employer pays your usual monthly salary for the first 8 weeks — provided you've served at least 3 continuous months and have fewer than 2 living children at the time of delivery. The last 4 weeks are unpaid, unless your employment contract provides otherwise. MOM notes that in the case of multiple births (twins or triplets) during a first pregnancy, the employer is still required to pay 8 weeks of maternity leave for the next pregnancy.
While you're mapping out the money side, it's worth reading up on the cash gifts and CDA matching you may also be entitled to — our Baby Bonus Singapore 2026 guide covers those.
When Your Leave Starts — and How to Split It
This is the part most expectant mums (and their bosses) get wrong, so it's worth being precise. Per MOM's planning maternity leave page:
The default arrangement
If you and your employer make no special arrangement, your leave is taken continuously, starting 4 weeks before the birth of your child. It includes non-working days, rest days and public holidays.
By mutual agreement
With your employer's agreement, you can start your leave anytime within the 4 weeks before the birth. MOM's own example: if your expected delivery date is 7 July, you can start your leave anywhere between 9 June and 7 July. Many mums choose to work as close to their due date as they comfortably can, so more of the leave lands after baby arrives.
Taking the tail end flexibly
You must take the first 8 weeks in one continuous stretch. After that:
- 16-week scheme: the last 8 weeks can be taken flexibly over the 12 months after the birth — calculated as 8 weeks × your working days per week, capped at 48 working days.
- 12-week scheme: the last 4 weeks can be taken flexibly over the 12 months after the birth, capped at 24 working days.
MOM gives a worked example: an employee on a 5-day week has 8 × 5 = 40 flexible days. If she takes 2 maternity leave days per week, those 40 days stretch across 20 weeks — effectively a long, gentle re-entry to work. Flexible leave days are counted in working days only (they exclude rest days and public holidays), which is why the calculation differs from the continuous block.
MOM also suggests discussing half-day work schemes or shortened 3-day workweeks as part of a flexible arrangement — and agreeing upfront on how your performance will be assessed and whether you can revert to a continuous block.
How to Apply: Notice Periods and Paperwork
There's no separate "application" you submit to the Government as an employee — your leave is arranged with your employer, who then claims reimbursement under the GPML scheme. What you must get right is the notice:
- 16-week GPML: from 1 April 2025, you must inform your employer at least 4 weeks before starting your leave, and inform them as soon as possible of your delivery.
- 12-week Employment Act leave: inform your employer as soon as possible, at least 1 week before starting your leave.
This isn't a formality. MOM states that if you don't give the required notice, you are only entitled to half the payment during maternity leave, unless you have a good enough reason for not giving it. Put your intended dates in writing (email is fine), agree the arrangement with your employer, and keep a copy.
For the official scheme details and your employer's claim process, MOM points to the Government-Paid Leave (GPL) Portal, and to the Made For Families website for the wider Marriage and Parenthood Package.
Practical Planning Tips
The rules above are the law; here's how to use them well:
- Decide your start date early. The default is 4 weeks before your due date, but many mums prefer to start later (with employer agreement) so more leave falls after baby arrives. Talk to your obstetrician about how you're likely to feel in the final month before committing.
- Give notice in writing, well before the 4-week deadline. The half-payment penalty for missed notice is real, and an early conversation also lets your team plan cover properly — which makes the flexible-leave negotiation later much easier.
- Sequence the family's leave as a couple. Map maternity leave, paternity leave and SPL on one calendar before either of you talks to your employers. Staggering leave (rather than overlapping all of it) can stretch parental presence at home across many more months of baby's first year.
- Use the flexible tail for the childcare gap. Many parents bank the flexible 8 weeks (up to 48 working days) for the period between confinement ending and an infant care place starting — or for a phased 3- or 4-day workweek return.
- Confirm your own numbers. MOM's maternity leave calculator (linked from its planning page) will generate your exact dates from your expected delivery date and work pattern.
Planning the First Year Together?
Maternity leave is one half. See how dads' leave works — and how to split the load from day one.
Read the Paternity Leave Guide →Frequently Asked Questions
How many weeks of maternity leave do you get in Singapore?
Working mothers are entitled to 16 weeks of Government-Paid Maternity Leave if their child is a Singapore citizen and they have worked for their employer (or been self-employed) for at least 3 continuous months before the birth. Mothers who don't meet the citizenship criteria but are covered by the Employment Act get 12 weeks, with the first 8 weeks employer-paid if they have served at least 3 months and have fewer than 2 living children at the time of delivery.
When can maternity leave start in Singapore?
By default, leave starts 4 weeks before the birth and runs continuously. By mutual agreement with your employer, you can start anytime within the 4 weeks before the birth — MOM's example: for an expected delivery date of 7 July, you can start between 9 June and 7 July.
Can I split my maternity leave in Singapore?
Yes, with your employer's agreement. The first 8 weeks must be one continuous stretch. On the 16-week scheme, the last 8 weeks can be taken flexibly over the 12 months after birth, capped at 48 working days. On the 12-week scheme, the last 4 weeks can be taken flexibly, capped at 24 working days.
How much notice do I need to give my employer?
At least 4 weeks' notice for 16-week Government-Paid Maternity Leave (a requirement from 1 April 2025), and at least 1 week's notice for 12-week Employment Act leave. Without proper notice, you're only entitled to half the payment during your leave, unless you have a good enough reason.
Can my husband share my maternity leave?
Not the maternity leave itself — but under the separate Shared Parental Leave scheme, eligible parents of Singapore citizen children share 6 weeks of leave (births from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026) or 10 weeks (births from 1 April 2026 onwards), to be taken within 12 months of the birth.