Countries With the Best Maternity Leave in 2026

Bringing a child into the world is a life-altering event, but where you live determines whether that transition is supported by the state or left entirely to individual resources. As we head into 2026, the gap between countries with strong social safety nets and those without is becoming starker, even as new legislation in places like Singapore and the UK promises to shift the system.

Whether you are growing your family or managing a team, knowing the top global standards for maternity leave is vital. This guide breaks down the countries with the best maternity leave in 2026, highlighting the policies that genuinely support work-life balance.

Global variations in maternity leave

Maternity leave is far from a standardised global right. In 2026, the disparity remains vast. On one end of the spectrum, Scandinavian and Eastern European nations treat parental leave as a fundamental pillar of public health and economic stability, offering over a year of paid time off. On the other end, major economies like the United States remain outliers, offering zero federally mandated paid leave, leaving millions of parents dependent on employer goodwill or state-specific programs.

This year is particularly notable for the rise of "shared parental leave" reforms. Governments are increasingly moving away from "maternity" versus "paternity" concepts, instead adopting gender-neutral "parental leave" models designed to close the gender pay gap and encourage fathers to take active roles at home.

What makes a “good” maternity leave policy?

Length of leave is just one metric. A truly "good" maternity policy in 2026 can be defined by these three key factors:

• Wage replacement rate: A year off is of little use if it is unpaid. The best policies offer 80–100% of the employee's salary for a significant portion of the leave. In 2026, with the cost of living rising globally, this financial aid is often the single biggest factor in whether parents can actually afford to utilise the whole duration of their legal entitlement.
• Job protection: Comprehensive policies legally guarantee that a parent can return to their same role (or an equivalent one) without penalty. This security is critical for preventing career regression, ensuring that a pause in working hours does not translate to a permanent halt in professional advancement.
• Inclusivity & flexibility: Modern policies are expanding to cover adoptive parents, surrogacy, and same-sex couples. They also allow flexibility, such as taking leave in blocks or transitioning back to work on a part-time basis. This shift acknowledges that caregiving looks different for every family, moving away from rigid "primary carer" definitions toward equitable support for all parents.

Leave length & pay rate by country

Country	Total maternity/Parental leave duration	Typical pay rate (% of salary)
Bulgaria	58 weeks (410 days)	90%
Norway	49 weeks (or 59 weeks)	100% (or 80%)
Sweden	~69 weeks (480 days)	~80% (capped)
Estonia	82+ weeks	100% (for first 1.5 years)
Croatia	30 weeks + parental leave	100%
United Kingdom	52 weeks	90% (first 6 weeks), then low flat rate
Spain	16 weeks	100%
Singapore	16 weeks (maternity) + shared (rising in 2026)	100% (capped)
Germany	14 weeks (maternity) + up to 3 years (parental)	100% (maternal), ~65% (parental)
United States	12 weeks (federal)	0% (federal)

Top countries with the best maternity leave

Determining the "best" countries for maternity leave involves looking beyond just the total number of weeks off. It requires analysing the financial support provided (wage replacement rates), the job security guaranteed during absence, and the flexibility offered to diverse family structures. Here are some of the top countries in all aspects of maternity leave:

Scandinavian countries

The Nordic model remains the gold standard, characterised by high tax rates that fund generous, flexible, and gender-equitable leave.

• Sweden: Parents are entitled to 480 days of paid parental leave per child. Uniquely, each parent has 90 days reserved exclusively for them (the "use it or lose it" quota), which encourages fathers to take leave. For 390 of these days, parents receive nearly 80% of their salary.
• Norway: Parents can choose between 49 weeks at 100% pay or 59 weeks at 80% pay. Norway’s system is highly flexible, allowing parents to mix partial work with partial leave.
• Iceland: Known for its drive toward gender equality, Iceland offers a 12-month total leave system, split evenly between both parents (6 months each), with a portion transferable.

Western Europe

While slightly less flexible than their northern neighbours, Western European nations offer strong protections and high pay rates.

• Spain: Spain has aggressively closed the gender gap. As of recently, both mothers and fathers receive 17 weeks of non-transferable leave paid at 100% of their salary.
• Germany: Mothers receive 14 weeks of fully paid maternity leave (6 weeks before birth, 8 weeks after). Following this, parents can access Elterngeld (parental allowance) for up to 14 months, receiving roughly 65% of their income.
• United Kingdom: The UK offers a long duration (up to 52 weeks), but the pay drops significantly after the first six weeks (90% of pay), eventually flattening to a statutory rate that is low compared to the cost of living. 

News for April 2026: The UK is set to introduce "day one" parental leave rights, removing the previous requirement that employees have worked a certain length of time before qualifying.

Asia-Pacific examples

The APAC region is a mixed bag when it comes to maternity leave, with some nations using policy to combat plummeting birth rates.

• Singapore: A major shift occurs in 2026. The government is introducing a new shared parental leave scheme that gradually increases paid leave. By April 1, 2026, the shared leave entitlement will rise significantly (targeting 10 weeks of shared leave), effectively allowing parents up to 30 weeks of total paid leave when combined with existing maternity and paternity entitlements.
• South Korea: Facing the world's lowest birth rate, South Korea offers 90 days of maternity leave and up to one year of parental leave. While the policy is generous on paper, cultural stigma often discourages full utilisation, especially by fathers.
• Japan: Similar to Korea, Japan offers up to a year of leave. It arguably has the most generous paternity leave laws in the world on paper, but uptake remains low due to workplace culture.

Emerging markets

Some of the most generous policies in the world come from Eastern Europe and South America, often surprising expats and global employers.

• Bulgaria: Consistently ranked among the world's best policies, Bulgaria offers 410 days of maternity leave at 90% of the mother's salary.
• Estonia: Mothers are entitled to 140 days of fully paid pregnancy and maternity leave, followed by 435 days of shared parental leave.
• Chile: Mothers receive 24 weeks of fully paid leave (12 weeks before and 12 weeks after birth), with an option to extend for an additional 12 weeks of partial leave, which can be shared with the father.

Paid vs unpaid maternity leave

The distinction between "leave" and "paid leave" is critical. As 2026 progresses, the scrutiny on this gap is intensifying, with data showing that wage replacement, not just duration, is the primary driver of actual leave utilisation.

• The global standard: According to the ILO (International Labour Organisation), the international standard is at least 14 weeks of leave, paid at least two-thirds of previous earnings. Most of Europe and South America meet or exceed this.
• The US outlier: The United States remains the only wealthy nation without federal paid leave. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides 12 weeks of unpaid job-protected leave, but only for eligible employees (about 60% of the workforce).
• US State-level shifts in 2026: While federal law lags, individual states are moving. In 2026, paid family leave programs in Delaware, Maine, Maryland, and Minnesota are scheduled to begin paying benefits, joining states like California and New York.

Global regulations & employer obligations

2026 is shaping up to be a year of "compliance complexity" for global employers. As governments move to close the gender pay gap and modernise workforce participation, companies can no longer rely on a one-size-fits-all policy. The regulatory floor is rising, and the following three areas represent the biggest shifts in legal liability and operational planning.

EU transparency & the "motherhood penalty" 

The EU Pay Transparency Directive (transposition deadline: June 2026) is fundamentally changing how leave and pay interact. While the directive focuses on equal pay, it directly targets the "motherhood penalty," the income drop women often face after having children.

• The shift: Employers will be required to report on gender pay gaps. If the gap exceeds 5% and cannot be justified by objective factors, they must conduct a joint pay assessment.
• The impact: Since maternity leave is often where pay gaps begin, companies are under pressure to ensure that women returning from leave are not financially penalised (e.g., missing out on bonuses or raises accrued during their absence). Salary history questions during recruitment are also banned, preventing the "penalty" from following a mother to a new job.

Day one rights: The end of "earned" leave 

Historically, employees had to work for a company for a set period (often 26 weeks or a year) before qualifying for parental benefits. In 2026, this model is crumbling, led most visibly by the United Kingdom.

• The reform: Under the UK's expected 2026 implementation of the Employment Rights Act, paternity and unpaid parental leave are set to become "day one rights." This means a new hire could theoretically join a company and take leave almost immediately.
• The impact: Global employers must rewrite offer letters and benefits handbooks to remove tenure-based restrictions and treat parental support as an immediate entitlement rather than a loyalty reward.

Return to work: The "reasonable adjustment" standard 

The legal focus is shifting from "time off" to the "re-entry phase." Regulators are increasingly viewing rigid return-to-work policies as a form of indirect discrimination.

• The requirement: In many jurisdictions (including the EU and parts of the US), employers must now provide "reasonable adjustments" for returning parents. This goes beyond just keeping a job open; it includes mandated lactation breaks/facilities, and, crucially, the right to request flexible working arrangements (part-time, compressed hours, or hybrid work) that employers can refuse only on specific, provable business grounds.
• The risk: Rejection of these requests is becoming a primary source of litigation. Companies must now document exactly why a flexible request cannot be met, rather than issuing a blanket refusal.

How companies can support parental leave beyond compliance

For companies competing for top talent, meeting the legal minimum is no longer enough. Best-in-class organisations in 2026 are offering:

• "Top-up" pay: In countries such as the UK or Canada, where statutory pay is a fraction of the salary, companies top up payments to 100% of the employee's wage for 3-6 months. This financial bridge is increasingly becoming a "deal-breaker" benefit for senior talent, ensuring that taking time to care for a child does not force a family into temporary financial regression.
• Phased returns: Allowing parents to work 3 or 4 days a week for full pay during their first month back. This "soft landing" approach significantly reduces post-leave attrition rates by giving parents the breathing room to recalibrate their childcare logistics and professional routines without the immediate shock of a full workload.
• Fertility & adoption support: Expanding policies to cover IVF cycles and adoption costs, acknowledging that the path to parenthood varies. By financially assisting with these often prohibitively expensive processes, organisations signal a deep commitment to inclusivity, validating that they support all employees' family goals regardless of biology or method.

Conclusion

As we look toward 2026, the definition of a "competitive" maternity leave policy is evolving. It is no longer just about the number of weeks off; it is about financial security, gender equity, and flexibility. For employees, knowing your rights in countries like Bulgaria, Sweden, or Spain can be a deciding factor in where to build a life. For employers, the message is clear: to attract the best workforce, you must support the entire person, parenting included.