Singapore's Paternity Leave (GPPL) Explained

As of 2025, the take-up rate for paternity leave Singapore remains approximately at 53%, consistent with figures from previous years. Despite enhancements to paternity leave policies, nearly half of eligible fathers have yet to fully utilize their entitlements. The government continues to encourage fathers to take advantage of the available leave to support their families during the critical early stages of their newborns.

In this article, we will discuss how Government-Paid Paternity Leave (GPPL Singapore) works, recent parental leave enhancements, and how you can manage paternity leave Singapore to make your workplace more intentional about employee well-being and mental health.

The Ministry of Social and Family Development supports eligible working fathers (including self-employed fathers) to have paternity leave claims. Fathers are also important in caring for their newborn children, and this encourages shared parental responsibility.

Do employees get paternity leave Singapore?

In Singapore, paternity leave is available under the Government-Paid Paternity Leave scheme. To qualify, these three criteria must be met:

• Lawfully married to the child's mother.
• The child must be a Singaporean citizen at birth.
• Must be continuously employed for at least three months before the birth.

From 1 April 2025 onwards, all eligible working fathers are entitled to four weeks of government-paid paternity leave if their child is born on or after that date. Employers are obligated to provide this paternity leave Singapore and will be reimbursed by the government for wages paid during the leave, subject to statutory caps.

Employees who are eligible for paternity leave Singapore must provide at least four weeks' notice before taking GPPL, or as early as possible. Supporting documents such as the child's birth certificate and marriage certificate may be requested at the employer's discretion.

Is it mandatory for employers to provide GPPL Singapore?

Yes. GPPL Singapore is statutory and has to be provided for every eligible employee. All employers in Singapore will need to provide the GPPL to eligible working fathers. The Singaporean government will then reimburse the employer for wages paid for paternity leave up to S$2,500 per week, for a total of S$10,000 across four weeks.

In this way, fathers are encouraged to take the time to bond with their newborns without putting financial stress upon employers. The mere fact that GPPL is mandatory underlines the commitment of the government to supporting family bonding and the well-being of working parents and children in the early stages of parenthood.

What is the eligibility requirement for paternity leave Singapore?

Here are some criteria that need to be fulfilled while determining the eligibility for paternity leave Singapore:

• Status of marriage

The father will be expected to be legally married to the child's mother. This is because it ensures that such time off falls within the recognized setting of a family. 

• Child's citizenship

The child must be a Singaporean citizen by birth. What this means is that at least one of the parents should be a Singaporean, or the child becomes a citizen through other legalities. In this case, when a Singaporean citizen and a foreign national give birth in Singapore and that child becomes a Singaporean citizen, the father can claim paternity leave.

• Employment duration

The father must have been in continuous employment for three months before the birth of his child. This ensures that the father has had an established employment relationship. For example, if an employee has been working with his company for six months before his child is born, he qualifies for paternity leave Singapore. However, if he started his job only a month before the birth, he would not qualify.

In cases where a father is self-employed or his employer does not provide paid paternity leave, the Government-Paid Paternity Benefit (GPPB) provides financial support comparable to the GPPL. Eligible fathers are expected to apply directly to the government for this benefit. 

However, they have to meet similar conditions as GPPL Singapore, such as:

• Being legally married to the mother of the child.
• The newborn must be a Singaporean citizen.

Once approved, they are provided with the GPPB Singapore, which is their income equivalent during the period of leave, subject to a cap. 

What is the current entitlement for paternity leave Singapore 2025?

As of 1 April 2025, all eligible working fathers are entitled to four weeks of paid paternity leave under GPPL Singapore if their child is born on or after the date. The leave can be taken in one continuous block or flexibly in weekly increments, as agreed with the employer.

The leave must be used within 12 months of the child's birth according to general leave management. In return for this time off, the government reimburses that portion of wages to the employer for that period, up to a cap of SGD2,500 per week or a total of SGD10,000.

In addition to expanded GPPL, Singapore has introduced the Shared Parental Leave Benefit (SPB) scheme, aimed at supporting parents in non-traditional or irregular employment arrangements:

• Short-term contract workers and gig workers can now apply for reimbursed parental leave.
• Shared parental leave (SPL) allows eligible fathers to share up to four weeks of the mother's maternity leave if both parents consent.
• SPL and SPB applications must meet similar eligibility requirements and are subject to wage reimbursement caps.

How does GPPL Singapore work?

Now that you know all about qualifying for paternity leave Singapore, let’s talk about how it works. 

Application

The application is straightforward; eligible fathers are required to give a notice period of at least four weeks in advance to their employers before taking GPPL Singapore or as soon as practicable, since there can be cases of birth before the expected dates of delivery. They may be requested to provide additional documents supporting the claim for verification, such as marriage certificates and the child’s birth certificate.

Approval

The employer will then review the application and documentation provided to ensure that the employee is eligible. Once the conditions are met, approval can be given. Employers (mostly through the human resources team) and employees may come to an agreement on the timing and structure of the leave taken.

Payment

During this period of paternity leave Singapore, the employer will continue to pay for the usual wages of the father. The government reimburses such wages to the employer during this period, up to a set cap per week. This relieves the burden on the employer while the father takes time off.

Additional considerations

• Employers can grant additional GPPL on a voluntary basis

Besides the statutory four weeks, employers can voluntarily give more GPPL Singapore. Although this is not reimbursable by the government, this may be granted by companies themselves as part of corporate employee policies and practices for family-friendliness.

• Employers may offer flexible work arrangements

Some employers may provide flexible work arrangements, such as flexible hours or the opportunity to work from home for working fathers, in addition to the basic amount of leave given. This flexibility helps working parents to balance work and family responsibilities more effectively and also signals to the employee that employers care for their well-being.

Manage Paternity Leave Singapore Effectively with Omni

Paternity leave Singapore plays a crucial role in supporting working fathers during the childbirth period. Understanding the policies and ensuring compliance is essential for organizations to create a supportive work environment, boosting morale and employee engagement. Addressing these paternity leave Singapore challenges requires HR professionals to invest in modern leave management systems. 

Read next: The 7 Best HR Software Singapore Has to Offer in 2025

Omni’s all-in-one HRIS makes it possible to manage the entire end-to-end employee life cycle in one platform. Our robust time-off management capabilities allow HR teams to streamline the management process of paternity leave Singapore.  With customizable leave allowances, employers can set paternity leave criteria based on Singapore standards, company policies, or individual eligibility, simplifying compliance efforts and standardizing benefit allocation for their teams. These automated processes help HR professionals track eligibility, manage paternity leave applications, and ensure proper reimbursement with ease, while ensuring employees get the time they need to recover and return to work productive and engaged.

Omni also seamlessly integrates with your team’s most loved work tools, such as Slack, enabling managers to receive and manage time-off approvals directly within the messaging platform, removing time-consuming steps from leave management with a quick push of a button. With automated calculations, employees and managers can easily view paternity leave balances in real time without the intervention of HR. 

Our employee self-service portal empowers employees to swiftly submit their paternity leave requests, automatically routing them to the appropriate managers with customizable approval workflows. And our user-friendly mobile application allows for on-the-go approvals and communication, so you can manage leave balances and employee benefits from anywhere.

Our localized solutions and unified system merge your paternity leave Singapore management efforts with payroll processing, facilitating automatic, accurate calculations and compliance with local regulations. 

Book your demo with us today to learn more about how Omni can transform your leave management processes, saving you time, reducing administrative burdens, and enhancing overall efficiency.