When the Australian government extended Paid Parental Leave to 24 weeks in July 2025 — with a further increase to 26 weeks locked in for 2026 — it was genuinely good news. But good news is relative. 24 weeks at minimum wage is an improvement worth celebrating if you're comparing it to where Australia was a decade ago. It's considerably less impressive if you're comparing it to Estonia, where parents can access up to 86 weeks, or Bulgaria, where 58 weeks at 90% of salary is the legal minimum.
Here’s what maternity leave looks like across the globe.
Quick reference: maternity leave by country
All figures reflect government-mandated minimum entitlements. Employer top-ups and extended parental leave schemes vary. Sources: Services Australia, ILO, OECD Family Database (2025), national government sources.
| Country | Paid leave (weeks) | Pay rate |
| Estonia | Up to 86 (incl. parental) | 100% for first 20 weeks |
| Bulgaria | 58.6 | 90% of average earnings |
| Norway | 49 or 59 | 100% (49 wks) or 80% (59 wks) |
| Sweden | ~69 (shared, parental) | ~80% for first 55 weeks |
| India | 26 (first 2 children) | 100% |
| Canada | 50 or 76 (parental) | 55% or 33% |
| United Kingdom | 39 paid (52 total) | 90% for 6 wks, then flat rate |
| Italy | 20 | 80% |
| Greece | 17 + up to 26 post-leave | 100%, then min wage benefit |
| Germany | 14 | 100% |
| France | 16 | 100% |
| Japan | 14 | ~67% |
| China | 14 (national minimum) | 100% (maternity allowance) |
| Australia | 24 (rising to 26 in 2026) | National minimum wage |
| United States | 0 (federal) | No federal requirement |
Australia: 24 weeks at minimum wage, rising to 26
As of 1 July 2025, eligible parents in Australia can access 24 weeks of government Paid Parental Leave at $948.10 per week before tax — the national minimum wage rate. The leave can be shared between both parents, taken in a flexible block, and used within two years of the child's birth. From 1 July 2026, this increases to 26 weeks.
Superannuation is now paid on top of government Parental Leave Pay for the first time, a change introduced in July 2025 that addresses a long-standing gap in women's retirement savings. Employers may offer additional paid leave on top of the government scheme, though this is not legally required and varies widely by industry and organisation. Most eligible employees are also entitled to up to 52 weeks of unpaid parental leave regardless of their employer's policy.
The honest assessment: Australia's scheme has improved considerably in recent years but still pays at minimum wage rather than a percentage of actual salary, which means the financial impact of taking leave is felt more acutely the higher your income.
The countries leading the world
Estonia
Estonia offers the most generous parental leave package globally. The total leave available is up to 86 weeks, with the first 20 weeks of maternity leave paid at 100% of salary. This is funded by the Estonian Health Insurance Fund. After the initial period, extended parental leave continues with additional payments, making Estonia the gold standard by almost any measure.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria offers 58.6 weeks of maternity leave at 90% of average earnings, calculated on the previous 24 months of income. In terms of combining duration and pay rate, Bulgaria is arguably the most generous single-policy maternity system in the world.
Norway
Norwegian parents can choose between 49 weeks at 100% of salary or 59 weeks at 80%. A portion of this leave is reserved specifically for fathers under Norway's father's quota policy, which was introduced specifically to normalise shared parenting. The payments are funded through national insurance contributions.
Sweden
Sweden's system is parental rather than maternity-specific. Parents share 480 days (roughly 69 weeks) of leave per child, with 390 days paid at approximately 80% of salary and 90 days at a flat rate. Each parent has a minimum of 90 days reserved that cannot be transferred to the other, a design intended to encourage fathers to take leave. Sweden consistently ranks among the top countries globally for parental support.
How the rest of Europe compares
European countries vary significantly, but the continent sits well above the global average in almost every measure.
United Kingdom
UK mothers are entitled to 52 weeks of maternity leave in total, with 39 weeks paid. The first six weeks are paid at 90% of average weekly earnings, followed by 33 weeks at a flat statutory rate of approximately £184 per week (or 90% of earnings, whichever is lower). The remaining 13 weeks are unpaid. Critics note that the flat rate in the second phase is significantly below average earnings for most workers.
Italy
Italy provides five months (20 weeks) of mandatory paid maternity leave at 80% of regular salary, reimbursed by the INPS (Italy's national social security institute). The leave is typically structured as two months before the due date and three months after. Mothers with lower incomes receive an increased maternity payment. An additional six months of optional unpaid parental leave is also available after the mandatory period ends.
Greece
Greece provides 17 weeks of paid maternity leave, fully funded through a combination of employer contributions and the national social insurance system. Following this, Greek mothers can access up to six months of special maternity protection leave, during which a monthly benefit equal to the minimum statutory wage is paid through the Manpower Employment Organization. It is one of the more generous post-birth support structures in southern Europe.
Germany
Germany provides 14 weeks of maternity leave at 100% of salary, funded through the statutory health insurance system. This is relatively short by European standards, but Germany also offers a broader parental leave system called Elterngeld that allows parents to take up to 14 months of additional leave at a percentage of prior earnings.
France
France provides 16 weeks of maternity leave at 100% of salary, capped at a daily maximum set by the social security system. French mothers are also automatically protected under maternity leave law from the moment of pregnancy, regardless of when or how the employer is informed.
Asia: a wide spectrum
Japan
Japan provides 14 weeks of maternity leave at approximately 67% of wages, funded through employment insurance. Beyond this, Japan has a parental leave system that theoretically allows up to 12 months of additional leave at partial pay. In practice, uptake among fathers remains low despite policy incentives. Japan's intense work culture means that while the legal entitlements exist, social pressure to return to work early is a well-documented barrier.
China
China's national policy guarantees 98 days of paid maternity leave (approximately 14 weeks) for a standard birth, during which mothers receive a maternity allowance through the social insurance system. This is the federal minimum, but individual provinces and local governments can and do extend this — in some regions total leave reaches 180 days or more. China introduced these extensions partly in response to its now-abandoned one-child policy and declining birth rates.
India
India's Maternity Benefit Act mandates 26 weeks of fully paid maternity leave for the first two children, funded directly by employers in companies with ten or more employees. For a third child onwards, this reduces to 12 weeks. India's entitlement is notably generous on paper, though enforcement and access vary significantly across sectors and regions.
The Americas
Canada
Canada offers two options: 50 weeks of standard parental leave at 55% of insurable earnings, or 76 weeks of extended leave at 33%. Both options are funded through Employment Insurance. Canada's system is more flexible than most, allowing parents to share the leave between them and take it in different configurations.
United States
The United States is the only wealthy nation in the world — and one of fewer than ten countries globally — with no federally mandated paid maternity leave. The Family and Medical Leave Act provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave, but this only applies to employers with 50 or more staff, and only to employees who have worked there for at least 12 months. Approximately 40% of American workers do not qualify even for the unpaid leave. Thirteen states and Washington DC have introduced their own paid leave programs, but coverage remains inconsistent. Many American employers offer paid leave voluntarily as a recruitment benefit, but there is no floor.
The variation in these figures isn't random. It reflects political choices about how a country values caregiving, what it considers a social responsibility versus a private matter, and how seriously it treats the financial penalty women pay for having children. Australia has been moving in the right direction, and the addition of superannuation on Paid Parental Leave is a meaningful step. Whether the pace is fast enough is a conversation worth having.
For Australian parents navigating the return to work, understanding what you're entitled to — and how to make the most of it — is the first step. Once leave ends and childcare begins, Care for Kids makes it easy to search and compare services near you. Start today.
