Child is not Singapore Citizen at Birth
Find out how parental leave and benefits apply if your child is not a Singapore Citizen at birth.
If your child is not a Singapore Citizen at birth
For Maternity Leave* and Maternity Benefit
If your child is not a Singapore Citizen (SC), you may qualify for maternity leave under the Employment Act (EA).
- Eligible mothers can take up to 12 weeks of maternity leave under the Employment Act. The first 8 weeks are paid by the employer and the last 4 weeks are unpaid.
- More information can be found on the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) website.
If your child becomes a SC later and you have taken maternity leave under the Employment Act, you may take the remaining weeks under the Government-Paid Maternity Leave or Government-Paid Maternity Benefit schemes under the Child Development Savings Act (CDCA) after your child obtains SC - up to a combined total of 16 weeks. This is subject to the prevailing eligibility criteria.
For Paternity Leave*, Paternity Benefit, Shared Parental Leave* and Shared Parental Leave Benefit
If your child becomes a SC within 12 months from your child’s date of birth (inclusive of date of birth), you may be eligible for Government-Paid Paternity Leave and Shared Parental Leave (or Government-Paid Paternity Benefit and Shared Parental Leave Benefit). This is subject to the prevailing eligibility criteria.
For Adoption Leave* and Adoption Benefit
If your child is not a SC, but either you or your husband (if he is a joint applicant to the adoption) has been a SC since the date on which the dependant’s pass (DP) is issued, you may be eligible for Adoption Leave or Government-Paid Adoption Benefit. This is subject to the prevailing eligibility criteria.
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The Government or your employer may recover the whole or any part of the payment for the Adoption Leave / Government-Paid Adoption Benefit reimbursed / granted if:
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*Please note that Government-paid leave can only be consumed after your child obtains SC and within 12 months from your child's date of birth (inclusive of date of birth).
For Childcare and Extended Childcare Leave
You are not eligible for Government-Paid Childcare and Extended Childcare Leave under the Child Development Co-Savings Act (CDCA), but you may still qualify for childcare leave under the Employment Act (EA). More information can be found on the Ministry of Manpower's (MOM) website.
Once your child obtains SC, you can receive Government-Paid Childcare and Extended Childcare Leave under CDCA, subject to the prevailing eligibility criteria.
Regardless of the type of leave (Government-Paid Childcare and Extended Childcare Leave under CDCA or Childcare Leave under EA), you are entitled to a total of up to 6 days of childcare leave per calendar year*.
*By default, this will be based on calendar year (1 Jan to 31 Dec of the year). However, it can also be any 12-month period agreed between employer and employee. If you are self-employed or if there is no agreement with your employer, the 12-month relevant period will be the calendar year by default.
