Paternity Leave Entitlement
How many weeks is paternity leave? Compare statutory entitlement in the countries we cover, each linked to its official source.
Last updated: 12 November 2026
Statutory paternity leave by country
| Country | Statutory leave | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Austria | Papamonat: 1 month of unpaid leave after the birth, with a Familienzeitbonus of €54.87 a day. | oesterreich.gv.at – Papamonat |
| Belgium | 20 days of birth leave within 4 months: 3 days on full salary, then 82% from the health insurance fund. | RIZIV – Geboorteverlof voor werknemers |
| Canada – Quebec (QPIP) | QPIP paternity benefits: 5 weeks at 70% (basic plan) or 3 weeks at 75% (special plan). | Québec.ca – QPIP choice of plan |
| Denmark | 2 weeks of paternity leave at the birth, plus 9 more reserved benefit weeks. | Life in Denmark – Maternity/paternity benefits |
| Finland | No separate paternity leave. Each parent gets 160 days of Kela parental allowance, 18 of them alongside the other parent. | Kela – Parental allowance |
| France | 3 days of birth leave plus 25 calendar days of paternity leave – 28 days for a single birth. | Service-Public.fr – Congé de paternité |
| Germany | No separate paternity leave. Fathers use Elternzeit (up to 3 years) and may get Elterngeld. | Familienportal – Elternzeit |
| Ireland | Paternity leave: 2 consecutive weeks, starting within 26 weeks of the birth. Paternity Benefit €299/week in 2026. | gov.ie – Paternity Benefit |
| Italy | 10 compulsory working days of paternity leave at 100% pay (20 for multiple births). | INPS – Congedo di paternità obbligatorio |
| Netherlands | 1 week of fully paid birth leave plus up to 5 extra weeks at 70% via UWV – up to 6 weeks. | Government.nl – Paternity / partner leave |
| New Zealand | 1 or 2 weeks of unpaid partner's leave, depending on 6 or 12 months of service. | Employment New Zealand – Partner's leave |
| Norway | 2 weeks of care leave around the birth, plus a 15-week (100%) or 19-week (80%) paternal quota. | Arbeidstilsynet – Omsorgspermisjon |
| Poland | Urlop ojcowski: 2 weeks at 100% pay, before the child turns 12 months. | gov.pl – Urlop ojcowski |
| Portugal | 28 compulsory days plus 7 optional days of paternity leave, paid at 100%. | gov.pt – Licença parental |
| Singapore | 4 weeks of Government-Paid Paternity Leave, capped at SGD 2,500 a week. | Ministry of Manpower – Paternity leave |
| Spain | 19 weeks of paid birth and childcare leave per father, including 6 compulsory weeks after the birth. | Seguridad Social – Nacimiento y cuidado de menor |
| Sweden | 10 days at about 80% of income around the birth, plus a share of 480 days of parental benefit. | Försäkringskassan – 10-dagar |
| Switzerland | 2 weeks of paternity leave within 6 months, paid at 80% of earnings up to CHF 220 a day. | Federal Social Insurance Office – Income compensation |
| United Arab Emirates (private sector) | 5 working days of paid parental leave, usable until the child is 6 months old. | u.ae – Types of leave (private sector) |
| United Kingdom | Statutory Paternity Leave: 1 or 2 weeks, taken within 52 weeks of the birth. | GOV.UK – Paternity pay and leave |
| United States (FMLA) | No federal paid paternity leave. Eligible employees may take up to 12 workweeks of unpaid, job-protected leave under the FMLA. | U.S. Department of Labor – FMLA |
| Canada | No separate paternity leave outside Quebec; EI parental benefits shared between parents. | Canada guide |
| Australia | Government Parental Leave Pay: up to 130 days per family for births from 1 July 2026, with 20 days reserved for the partner. | Australia guide |
| Pakistan (Islamabad Capital Territory) | Maternity and Paternity Leave Act 2023: 30 days of fully paid paternity leave, up to three times during service. | National Assembly of Pakistan – Act 2023 |
| India (Central Government employees) | Central Civil Services (Leave) Rules: 15 days of paternity leave for male government servants with fewer than two surviving children. | DoPT – CCS (Leave) Rules, Rule 43-A |
Comparing European countries? See paternity leave in Europe for a side-by-side table of leave and pay.
Legal entitlement vs employer benefits
Legal entitlement is the minimum your employer must provide by law if you meet the conditions. Employer benefits are extras — more weeks or higher pay — set out in your contract or staff handbook. An employer cannot give you less than the legal minimum.
Paternity leave for self-employed fathers
Self-employed fathers usually have no statutory right to paternity leave because there's no employer to grant it. However, some social insurance systems pay benefits to the self-employed — for example Ireland's Paternity Benefit can be paid based on PRSI contributions, and Canada lets self-employed people opt into EI special benefits in advance. The UK does not provide Statutory Paternity Pay to the self-employed.
Estimate your dates with the Paternity Leave Calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Editorial note: we summarise official government guidance and link to it. Laws change — always confirm your entitlement with your employer or the relevant authority. This page is not legal advice.