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Government-Paid Paternity Leave

Support fathers in caring for their newborn children and encouraging shared parental responsibility.

About the scheme

From 1 Apr 2025, eligible working fathers can enjoy 4 weeks of Government-Paid Paternity Leave (GPPL). The leave may be taken no earlier than the child's date of birth (for biological fathers) or the Formal Intent to Adopt (FIA) date (for adoptive fathers) and must be taken within 12 months from the child's date of birth (inclusive of the date of birth).

The Government will reimburse all 4 weeks of your GPPL, capped at $2,500 per week* or up to $10,000.

* Government reimbursement is capped at a daily rate of $2,500 / working days a week.

^ A father of multiple births (e.g. twins) will receive the same GPPL entitlement as a father with a single birth.

Who is eligible

For biological fathers

1. Child’s profile

Your child is a Singapore Citizen (SC) at birth or becomes a SC within 12 months from your child’s date of birth (inclusive of date of birth) - Government-Paid Paternity Leave (GPPL) can only be consumed after the child obtains SC and within 12 months of your child’s date of birth (inclusive of date of birth).

2. Marital status

You are / were married to your child’s mother:
- At some point between conception and before your child’s birth (regardless of whether such marriage remains subsisting at the time of your child’s birth); or
- Within 12 months from your child’s date of birth (inclusive of date of birth) - GPPL can only be consumed after you are married and within 12 months from your child’s date of birth (inclusive of date of birth).

3. Employment status

For employees: You have served your employer for a continuous period of at least 3 months right before your child’s date of birth.
If you have worked for less than 3 months, you may still qualify for GPPL if your employer is agreeable to grant you leave. The Government will reimburse your employer your GPPL if:
- you have served your employer at the point of your child’s date of birth,
- you have not claimed Government-Paid Paternity Benefit for the same child, and
- provided that the information declared in the claim is complete and accurate, and it does not contain any error or any false or misleading statement, document, or information.
For self-employed parents: You have been engaged in a particular trade, business, profession or vocation for a continuous period of at least 3 months right before your child’s date of birth, and have lost income from ceasing to be actively engaged during your GPPL period.

For adoptive fathers

1. Child’s profile

You apply to adopt a child in accordance with Singapore Law.
Your child is below 12 months on your Formal Intent to Adopt (FIA) date.

2. Parent’s profile

You are not the biological father of the child.
If your child is not a Singapore Citizen (SC), either you or your wife (if she is a joint applicant to the adoption) has been a SC since the date on which the dependent’s pass (DP) is issued.

3. Employment status

For employees: You have served your employer for a continuous period of at least 3 months right before your child’s FIA date.
If you have worked for less than 3 months, you may still qualify for Government-Paid Paternity Leave (GPPL) if your employer is agreeable to grant you leave. The Government will reimburse your employer your GPPL if:
- you have served your employer at the point of your child’s FIA date,
- you have not claimed Government-Paid Paternity Benefit for the same child, and
- provided that the information declared in the claim is complete and accurate, and it does not contain any error or any false or misleading statement, document, or information.
For self-employed parents: You have been engaged in a particular trade, business, profession or vocation for a continuous period of at least 3 months right before your child’s FIA date, and have lost income from ceasing to be actively engaged during your GPPL period.

To note
The Government or your employer may recover the whole or any part of the payment for the GPPL reimbursed / granted if: Adoption Order for the child is not granted within 12 months from the FIA date (inclusive of FIA date); or The child is not a SC and did not obtain SC within 6 months from the Adoption Order date (inclusive of Adoption Order date).

To note

The Government or your employer may recover the whole or any part of the payment for the GPPL reimbursed / granted if:

Adoption Order for the child is not granted within 12 months from the FIA date (inclusive of FIA date); or
The child is not a SC and did not obtain SC within 6 months from the Adoption Order date (inclusive of Adoption Order date).

How the entitlement is calculated

For both employers and self-employed parents: You may refer here to find out how the reimbursement is calculated.

For employers, you may use the calculator here to estimate the amount of reimbursement from the Government.

How and when GPPL can be taken

For employees

1. Plan and notify

Please discuss and agree on your leave plans with your employer as early as possible. Details of the leave plan to agree on include:
- Whether leave will be taken in one continuous block or non-continuously in separate smaller blocks.
- Start and end date of leave period(s).
If agreement between employer and employee cannot be reached on the leave plans, Government-Paid Paternity Leave (GPPL) should be taken in one continuous block, within 16 weeks of the child’s date of birth, with 4 weeks’ notice to the employer. The employer can choose to waive or shorten the notice period.

2. Important notes

When you leave your employment, GPPL can be used to serve your notice period for termination of employment, but you cannot bring forward your official last day (e.g. if your official last working day is 30 June and you are serving 1 month’s notice from 1 June, you are allowed to take GPPL during this period, but your official end date will still remain as 30 June).
If you did not consume the 4 weeks (wholly or partly) of your GPPL before the termination of your employment, you will not be eligible for payment from your employer in lieu of leave taking, and unconsumed GPPL cannot be brought forward to your next employment. You may however be eligible for Government-Paid Paternity Benefit from the Government if your employment is terminated due to contract expiry or retrenchment, and you meet the criteria.

Type of arrangement	When GPPL can be taken	Total duration
Default arrangement; or No agreement between employer and employee	Start date: No earlier than the child’s date of birth or adoptive child’s Formal Intent to Adopt (FIA) date. 4 weeks taken in one continuous block. With 4 weeks' notice to employer. Employer can choose to waive or shorten the notice period.	4 weeks
With mutual agreement between employer and employee	Start date: No earlier than the child’s date of birth or adoptive child’s Formal Intent to Adopt (FIA) date. 4 weeks (either continuously or non-continuously) within 12 months of the child’s date of birth (inclusive of date of birth).

Type of arrangement

When GPPL can be taken

Total duration

Default arrangement; or

No agreement between employer and employee

Start date: No earlier than the child’s date of birth or adoptive child’s Formal Intent to Adopt (FIA) date*.
4 weeks taken in one continuous block.

* With 4 weeks' notice to employer. Employer can choose to waive or shorten the notice period.

4 weeks

With mutual agreement between employer and employee

Start date: No earlier than the child’s date of birth or adoptive child’s Formal Intent to Adopt (FIA) date.
4 weeks (either continuously or non-continuously) within 12 months of the child’s date of birth (inclusive of date of birth).

For self-employed parents

1. Record your GPPL dates

2. Important notes

If you do not qualify for Government-Paid Paternity Leave (GPPL) due to your employment arrangements, you may still be eligible for Government-Paid Paternity Benefit.

Type of arrangement	When GPPL can be taken	Total duration
Self-employed parents	Start date: No earlier than child’s date of birth or adoptive child’s Formal Intent to Adopt (FIA) date. 4 weeks taken flexibly (either continuously or non-continuously) within 12 months of the child’s date of birth (inclusive of date of birth).	4 weeks

How to apply and claim

For employees

1. Plan and notify

Notify your employer on your leave arrangements early so that they can verify your eligibility and make alternative work arrangements.

2. Apply for GPPL

Your employer may require you to submit your required supporting documents and for you to apply for Government-Paid Paternity Leave (GPPL) according to your employer’s leave application procedures.
Should you be applicable for GPPL under your employer, no submission of claim is required – your employer will submit any claims for reimbursement, as applicable.

For self-employed parents

1. Record your GPPL dates

Government-Paid Paternity Leave (GPPL) can be taken for 4 weeks (either continuously or non-continuously) starting no earlier than your child’s date of birth or adoptive child’s Formal Intent to Adopt (FIA) date, and within 12 months of your child’s date of birth (inclusive of date of birth).

2. Submit your claim

Submit your claims online via the Government-Paid Leave (GPL) Portal after you have commenced your GPPL.
You may submit a claim for reimbursement for any part of the GPPL that has been taken. There is no need to fully complete your GPPL before you submit a claim, and multiple claims are allowed.
Submissions should be made no later than 3 months after the last date of your GPPL.

3. Check application status

You may check your application status on the Government-Paid Leave (GPL) Portal.
If additional information is required, an officer will follow up with you after your submission.

To note
As a self-employed parent, you will be eligible for payment for the income lost during the GPPL taken. This is calculated based on your relevant Notice of Assessment from Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS). Please refer to our service standards for the processing time.

For employers

1. Verify employee’s eligibility

Confirm your employee qualifies for Government-Paid Leave schemes before their leave starts.
You may use MSF’s declaration form, or your own form / system to capture your employee’s declaration.
- This declaration form is to guide you in verifying the employee’s eligibility. You are not required to submit this form when submitting the claim for reimbursement.

2. Submit reimbursement claim

Submit your claim for reimbursement online via the Government-Paid Leave (GPL) Portal after your employee has taken the Government-Paid Paternity Leave (GPPL).
You may submit a claim for reimbursement for any part of the GPPL that has been taken. Your employee does not need to fully complete the GPPL before you submit a claim, and multiple claims for the same employee are allowed.
Submission should be made no later than 3 months after the last date of your employee’s GPPL.

3. Check application status

You may check your application status on the Government-Paid Leave (GPL) Portal.
Please refer to our service standards for the processing time.
A notification will be sent to you and your employee once your application is approved.