Eligibility and current entitlement
For a citizen child below 7, an employee with 3 continuous months’ service, or a self-employed parent with 3 continuous months’ work and income loss during leave, qualifies for GPCL. Each parent receives 6 days per year regardless of the number of children, up to 42 days per child. With a non-citizen child below 7, including a legally adopted or stepchild, an Employment Act employee with 3 continuous months’ service receives 2 employer-paid days yearly, up to 14 days per child.
| Days | Payer and rate |
|---|---|
| First 3 | Employer pays gross rate |
| Next 3 | Government reimbursement capped S$500 daily including CPF |
Leave year and official example
Use leave before the agreed leave year ends; it cannot carry forward. The default is January–December, but a different 12-month financial or work-anniversary period can be agreed. For a child born in August 2013, starting leave in 2013 means the final 6 days are in 2019; starting in 2014 means the final 6 days are in 2020. A youngest citizen child aged 7–12 may qualify for extended leave instead. Apply or claim through GPL Portal; Made For Families provides package information. The statutory bases are CDCA Part 3 and Employment Act Part 9.
Announced future changes
The 2026 National Day Rally announced increased childcare leave and full-duration Government reimbursement for parents of citizen children up to the relevant cap. The reviewed MOM pages say implementation dates and eligibility details will be released later; the current entitlements below must not be replaced with unannounced figures.
Related topics and services
Official documents and references
- National Day Rally website ↗ Government source
- Government-Paid Leave (GPL) Portal ↗ Government source
- Made For Families website ↗ Government source
- Part 3 of the Child Development Co-Savings Act ↗ Government source
- Part 9 of the Employment Act ↗ Government source