Parliamentary Reply by Minister Indranee Rajah on Increasing Adoption Leave

FIFTEENTH PARLIAMENT OF SINGAPORE

ORAL REPLY

THURSDAY, 7 May 2026

Mr Foo Cexiang:

To ask the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) whether the Ministry will consider increasing adoption leave from 12 weeks to 16 weeks, to align it with maternity leave; and (b) if not, what are the policy considerations militating against such an enhancement.

Ms Indranee Rajah (for the Prime Minister):

Biological mothers are entitled to 16 weeks of maternity leave, while adoptive mothers are entitled to 12 weeks of adoption leave. The duration of maternity leave is longer, by a month, as biological mothers require more time to recuperate physically from childbirth.

 Adoptive parents otherwise receive the same parental and childcare leave benefits as biological parents today. This includes the new 10-week Shared Parental Leave scheme, which was introduced last year to encourage shared parental responsibility, and provide more time for parents to care for and bond with their newborns.