Childcare leave in Singapore: how many days you get, who pays and what changes next

Childcare leave in Singapore gives each working parent 6 days of paid leave a year until the year their Singapore Citizen child turns 7, whatever the number of children. After that, parents get 2 days a year of extended childcare leave while the youngest child is 7 to 12. For a child who is not a citizen, each parent gets 2 days a year under the Employment Act. You qualify after 3 months with your employer. At the 2026 National Day Rally the government announced 8 to 12 days for parents of children aged 12 and below, but as of 11 October 2026 that change has no start date, so the 6-day rule still applies.

This guide covers who qualifies, who pays, how leave is pro-rated, the rules on using it, and what the announced change means. Every rule comes from MOM, MSF and the Employment Act, read on 11 October 2026.

How many days of childcare leave you get

The days belong to each parent rather than each child. You and your spouse each get your own 6 days, so a two-parent family has 12 days between them, but a second child or twins do not add more. When you have children in both age bands, the leave follows the youngest child, and each parent's total stays at 6 days a year. Over a child's life, MOM caps the 6-day scheme at 42 days for each child, and extended childcare leave at 12 days per child.

Who qualifies

• You have worked for your employer for at least 3 continuous months. If you are self-employed, you have worked for at least 3 continuous months and lose income on the days you take.
• For the 6 days and extended childcare leave, your child is a Singapore Citizen. The leave can be used only once the child has citizenship.
• Your own citizenship does not matter. Foreigners and Permanent Residents qualify if they meet the other criteria.
• Mothers qualify whatever their marital status. Fathers qualify if married to the child's mother, and divorced fathers stay eligible. Adoptive parents, foster parents, step-parents and legal guardians can qualify too.

Single, divorced and widowed parents can take childcare leave as long as they meet these criteria.

Who pays, and how claims work

If you are an employee, your employer pays you as normal for every day of childcare leave. For the 6-day scheme, it pays the first 3 days itself at your gross rate of pay, then claims the remaining 3 days from the government, capped at $500 a day or $1,500 a year. Extended childcare leave is reimbursed in full up to $500 a day, or $1,000 a year. You do not need to file anything; your employer submits the claim on the Government-Paid Leave portal, no later than 3 months after the end of the calendar year.

If you change jobs during the year, the government reimburses days 4 to 6 only once. If your previous employer already claimed them, the new one cannot. Self-employed parents claim for lost income on days 4 to 6 through the same portal, worked out from their IRAS Notice of Assessment; the first 3 days are not reimbursed.

Pro-rated leave for new joiners and leavers

The leave year is the calendar year unless you and your employer agree another 12-month period. In the year you join, the 6 days are pro-rated by completed months of service, with a minimum of 2 days:

The same pro-rating applies in the year you leave, if you have served at least 3 months. The 2 days under the Employment Act and the 2 days of extended childcare leave are not pro-rated. Part-time employees get leave in hours, worked out from their weekly hours, again with a minimum of 2 days.

For your first year as a parent, you can start the 6 days in the year your child is born or in the year they turn 1. For twins and other multiple births, the government-paid leave runs one year longer, to the 8th year.

Rules on taking childcare leave

• You do not need a medical certificate, and the leave is not only for sick days. Use it for school registration, vaccinations or a day when childcare is closed.
• Your employer must approve the dates, but MOM strongly encourages employers to grant leave for matters that cannot be postponed, such as immunisations or school registration.
• Unused days lapse at the end of each leave year. You cannot carry them over, cash them in or give them to your spouse, and they are not paid out when you leave a job.
• Childcare leave is on top of your annual leave, sick leave, rest days and public holidays.
• You cannot take paid childcare leave on a day you are on no-pay leave.

Under the Employment Act, an employer who refuses or fails to pay the 2 days without reasonable cause can be fined up to $5,000, jailed up to 6 months, or both, with higher penalties for repeat offences. MOM says it takes a serious view of employers who unreasonably deny statutory leave, so if your request is refused for work reasons, raise it with HR first and then with MOM.

The change announced at the 2026 National Day Rally

On 23 August 2026, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced that childcare leave and extended childcare leave will merge into one scheme for working parents with children aged 12 and below, with more days for larger families:

Under the new scheme the government will also pay for all child-related leave, including childcare leave, up to the reimbursement limit, for self-employed parents too. It is not in force yet. Made for Families says the start date will be announced later, MOM says the implementation date and eligibility criteria will follow, and MSF says the law must be amended first, which will take some time. Until then, plan on 6 days for a citizen child under 7 and 2 days for ages 7 to 12. MOM and MSF have not said whether the 2 days for non-citizen children will change, or what the new reimbursement cap will be.

Making childcare leave go further

Six days disappear fast once a toddler starts preschool and brings home every bug going. Our guide to why children fall sick at childcare explains the first-year pattern. Agree with your partner who takes which days, keep the 12 days of unpaid infant care leave in reserve while your child is under 2, and line up a backup carer. Our guide to returning to work after maternity leave covers backup plans, and our maternity and paternity leave guide covers the leave before this. The maternity leave calculator and shared parental leave calculator help you plan the first year.

Frequently asked questions

How many days of childcare leave do I get in Singapore?

Six paid days a year until the year your Singapore Citizen child turns 7, then 2 days a year while your youngest is 7 to 12. For a non-citizen child under 7, it is 2 days a year. Each parent gets these days, however many children you have.

Has childcare leave increased to 8 days yet?

Not as of 11 October 2026. The 8, 10 and 12 days announced at the National Day Rally on 23 August 2026 need a change in the law, and the government has not given a start date.

Do I get more childcare leave for twins or a second child?

Not under the current rules. MOM caps the leave at 6 days a year per parent for a citizen child, however many children you have. The announced scheme would give 10 days for two children and 12 for three or more, once it starts.

Can I carry forward or cash out unused childcare leave?

No. Unused childcare leave lapses at the end of each leave year. It cannot be carried over, paid out, or transferred to your spouse.

Do I need an MC to take childcare leave?

No. You do not need a medical certificate for your child, and the leave can be used for any reason, subject to your employer approving the dates.