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Adoption leave

Eligible adoptive mothers, including those who are self-employed, are entitled to 12 weeks of paid adoption leave to bond with and care for their adopted infants.

For more information on adoption leave administered by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), visit the Government-Paid Leave portal.

Eligibility

As the mother of an adopted child, you are entitled to adoption leave if you meet the following criteria:

  • Your adopted child is below the age of 12 months at the point of your formal intent to adopt. The “formal intent to adopt” happens:
    • For a local child: when you file the court application to adopt.
    • For a foreign child: when in-principle approval is granted for a Dependant’s Pass.
  • The adopted child is a Singapore citizen.
  • If the child is a foreigner:
    • One of the adoptive parents must be a Singapore citizen.
    • The child must become a Singapore citizen within 6 months of the adoption.
  • For employees: you have served your employer for a continuous period of at least 3 months before the date of formal intent to adopt.
  • For self-employed: you have been engaged in your work for a continuous period of at least 3 months before the date of formal intent to adopt and have lost income during your adoption leave period.
  • The adoption order must be passed within 1 year from the date of formal intent to adopt.

If you do not meet the eligibility criteria for adoption leave, you may still qualify for benefits under the Government-Paid Adoption Benefit scheme.

Entitlement

You are entitled to 12 weeks of adoption leave, capped at $10,000 per 4 weeks of leave taken, including CPF.

You can start your adoption leave from the date of formal intent to adopt.

You must consume your adoption leave before the child’s first birthday.

Your employer will pay you during the leave period. They can then claim reimbursement from the Government accordingly:

Adoption Paid by employer Reimbursed by Government
First and second First 4 weeks at your gross rate of pay Last 8 weeks, capped at $10,000 per 4 weeks or a total of $20,000 per child order
Third and subsequent – All 12 weeks, capped at $10,000 per 4 weeks or a total of $30,000 per child order

Protections

From 1 April 2025, it is an offence for an employer to dismiss an employee while she is on adoption leave. 

Planning your leave

From 1 April 2025, you are required to provide your employer with 4 weeks' notice before going on adoption leave, unless your employer is agreeable to a shorter notice period. 

You can take your leave as follows:

Arrangement 12 weeks
Default, without any mutual agreement Taken as a continuous stretch, from the date of formal intent to adopt.
Flexibly, by mutual agreement

The first 8 weeks must be taken in one continuous stretch starting any time between the date of formal intent to adopt and the date when the Adoption Order is granted, including both dates.

The last 4 weeks can be taken flexibly in days before the child’s first birthday.
Calculating working days

4 weeks X number of working days in the week.

Capped at 6 working days per week.

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