Government-Paid Adoption Leave Scheme
Current provision
1 The Government-Paid Adoption Leave scheme, which was introduced in August 2004, provides 4 weeks of leave for an adoptive mother who is employed (employee or self-employed) to care for her adopted newborn child aged 6 months and below if her employer is willing to grant her the leave. The Government will reimburse employers up to 4 weeks of salary, capped at $10,000 (including CPF contributions). The adoptive mother must have fewer than 4 other children to be eligible for Government-Paid Adoption Leave (GPAL).
Enhanced scheme
2 From 31 October 2008, the child order restriction will be lifted. An adoptive mother will be eligible for 4 weeks of GPAL if she meets all the criteria and her employer is willing to grant her the leave regardless of the number of children she has.
3 From 1 Apr 2010, an eligible adoptive mother who is employed can start consuming the Adoption Leave upon filing her adoption petition to the Court for a Singapore Citizen child, or at the issuance of the In-Principle-Approval (IPA) for the application of a Dependant's Pass for a foreign child, Please click here for more information.
Eligibility criteria
4 With effect from 1 Apr 2010, an adoptive mother must satisfy all the following criteria to be eligible for the reimbursement of GPAL :
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(a) |
Her adopted child is a Singapore citizen or becomes one within 6 months of the adoption order being granted;
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(b) |
Her child is below 12 months of age and the adoptive mother is lawfully married, widowed or divorced at the point of : |
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· Submission of the petition to the Court to commence the legal adoption process (for a child who is a Singapore citizen at the point of birth); or
· Issuance of the In-Principle Approval (IPA) for the application for a Dependant’s Pass by MCYS (for a child who is not a Singapore citizen at the point of birth);
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(c) |
Her leave is consumed during the period commencing on the day the mother petitions to the Court to commence the legal adoption process (for a child who is a Singapore citizen at the point of birth) or the issuance of the IPA for the application of the DP in respect of the child (for a child who is not a Singapore citizen at the point of birth), as the case may be, and ending on the day the child turns 12 months old. |