Country rankings

Maternity Leave by Country

Croatia has the highest Maternity Leave (58 weeks), followed by United Kingdom (52 weeks) and Australia (52 weeks). Tunisia has the lowest (4 weeks).

Law183 countries · 3 metricsUpdated Feb 7, 2025Original page
7 sources
Maternity LeaveBetter directionWhether a higher or a lower value is better. A green arrow means higher is better, a red arrow means lower is better, and no arrow means neither.More in the glossary →
182 of 235 countries
Compare this metricAdd to combined rankingOpen full map

Maternity Leave

Darker means higher. Click a place to highlight it.

Loading map…

Ranking

Highest first: the first 15 and last 5 of 182 countries.

Distribution Median and middle halfThe median is the middle value: half of places are above it, half below. The middle half is the range holding the central 50% of places.More in the glossary →

Each dot is one country; the lines mark the median and the middle half.

Median
14 weeks
Middle half 12 weeks – 17 weeks
Average
15.97 weeks
182 countries
Highest
58 weeks
Croatia
Lowest
4 weeks
Tunisia

Data

Click a column to sort, a row to highlight that place on the charts.

183 countries · # = rank by Maternity Leave
#
1Croatia58 weeks100% until 6 months after birth, then a flat-rate benefitSocial security (health insurance fund for 6 months, then public funds)
2United Kingdom52 weeks6 weeks paid at 90%; lower of 90%/flat rate for weeks 7–39; weeks 40–52 unpaidMixed (employers reimbursed up to 92% by public funds)
2Australia52 weeks18 weeks at the federal minimum wage levelSocial security (public funds - federal government)
2Bosnia and Herzegovina52 weeks50% to 100%Social security
2Albania52 weeks80% prior to birth up to 150 days after; 50% for remainderSocial security
2Montenegro52 weeks100Social security
7Ireland42 weeks80% up to ceiling for 26 weeksSocial security
8North Macedonia39 weeks100Social security
9Norway35 weeks100% (or 80% for 150 days)Social security
10Slovakia34 weeks65Social security
11Bulgaria32 weeks90Social security
12Czechia28 weeks70Social security
13Vietnam26 weeks100Social security
13Poland26 weeks100Social security
13Venezuela26 weeks100Social security
13Iceland26 weeks80% Total available leave is 6 months, equating to 24-26 weeks. Also, one parent may donate 6 weeks of their time to the other parent.Social security
13Isle of Man26 weeks90Social security (social insurance and social assistance)
18Hungary24 weeks70Social security
19Italy22 weeks80Social security
19San Marino22 weeks100Social security
21Russia20 weeks100Social security
21Tajikistan20 weeks100Social security
21Serbia20 weeks100Social security
21Armenia20 weeks100Social security
21Estonia20 weeks100Social security
26France18 weeks100Social security
26Ukraine18 weeks100Social security
26Uzbekistan18 weeks100Social security
26Kazakhstan18 weeks100Social security
26Chile18 weeks100Social security
26Romania18 weeks85Social security (State Health insurance)
26Cuba18 weeks100Social security
26Azerbaijan18 weeks100Social security
26Belarus18 weeks100Social security
26Kyrgyzstan18 weeks7 times the minimum wage levelSocial security
26Denmark18 weeks100Mixed (public funds and emplyer)
26Finland18 weeks70Social security
26Georgia18 weeks100Social security (public funds)
26Moldova18 weeks100Social security
26Lithuania18 weeks100Social security
26Cyprus18 weeks75Social security
26Malta18 weeks100% for 14 weeksMixed (employer liability and social insurance)
26Jersey18 weeksFlat rate benefitSocial security
26Guernsey18 weeksFlat rate benefitSocial security
45Brazil17 weeks100Social security
45South Africa17 weeks60Social security
45Canada17 weeks55% for 15 weeks up to a celiingSocial security
45Syria17 weeks100Employer liability
45Portugal17 weeks100% (or 80% for 150 days)Social security
45Greece17 weeks100Social security (social insurance and public funds)
45Costa Rica17 weeks10050% S.S / 50% employer
45Mongolia17 weeks70Social security
53Bangladesh16 weeks100Employer liability
53Turkey16 weeks66.7Social security
53Spain16 weeks100Social security
53Netherlands16 weeks100Social security
53Austria16 weeks100Social security
53Turkmenistan16 weeks100Social security
53Singapore16 weeks100% for first and second childMixed (8 weeks employer and 8 weeks public funds)
53Latvia16 weeks80Social security
53Luxembourg16 weeks100Social security
53Andorra16 weeks100Social security
53Monaco16 weeks90Social security
64Belgium15 weeks82% first 30 days; 75% for the remainder (up to a ceiling)Social security
64Slovenia15 weeks100Social security
66China14 weeks100Social security
66Japan14 weeks66.7Social security (social insurance and public funds for 1/8 of the total cost)
66Germany14 weeks100Mixed (social insurance for a flat rate benefit and employer liability)
66Colombia14 weeks100Social security
66Algeria14 weeks100Social security
66Madagascar14 weeks10050% S.S / 50% employer
66Cameroon14 weeks100Social security
66Niger14 weeks10050% S.S / 50% employer
66Mali14 weeks100Social security
66Burkina Faso14 weeks100Social security
66Chad14 weeks100Social security
66Somalia14 weeks50Employer liability
66Senegal14 weeks100Social security
66Zimbabwe14 weeks100Employer liability
66Guinea14 weeks10050% S.S / 50% employer
66Benin14 weeks10050% S.S / 50% employer
66Sweden14 weeks80Social security
66Togo14 weeks10050% S.S / 50% employer
66Israel14 weeks100Social security
66Switzerland14 weeks8050% S.S / 50% employer
66Libya14 weeks50% (100% for self-employed women for 13 weeks)Mixed (employer liability or social insurance for self-employed women)
66Republic of the Congo14 weeks66.7Employer liability
66Central African Republic14 weeks50Social security
66Mauritania14 weeks100Social security
66New Zealand14 weeks100Social security (public funds - State)
66Panama14 weeks100Social security
66Gabon14 weeks100Social security
66Djibouti14 weeks10050% S.S / 50% employer
66Comoros14 weeks100Employer liability
66Belize14 weeks100Social security
66Seychelles14 weeksFlat rate monthly benefit for 12 weeksSocial security
97Indonesia13 weeks100Employer liability
97Ethiopia13 weeks100Employer liability
97Egypt13 weeks10075 % S.S / 25% employer
97Iran13 weeks66.7% for 12 weeksSocial security
97Thailand13 weeks100% for first 45 days (employer); 50% for the last 45 days (social insurance)Mixed (two-thirds employer; one-third social insurance)
97Kenya13 weeks100Employer liability
97South Korea13 weeks100Mixed (two-thirds employer; one-third social insurance)
97Argentina13 weeks100Social security
97Afghanistan13 weeks100Employer liability
97Angola13 weeks100Social security
97Peru13 weeks100Social security
97Cambodia13 weeks50Employer liability
97Bolivia13 weeks95Social security
97Laos13 weeks100Social security
97Trinidad and Tobago13 weeks100Mixed (two-thirds employer; one-third social insurance)
97Guyana13 weeks70Social security
97Saint Lucia13 weeks65Social security
97Grenada13 weeks100% for 2 months; 65% for last monthMixed (65% social insurance for 3 months; 35% employer for 2 months)
97Saint Vincent and the Grenadines13 weeks65Social security
97Antigua and Barbuda13 weeks100% for 6 weeks, 60% for 7 weeksMixed (60 % social insurance, 40% employer for the first 6 weeks)
97Saint Kitts and Nevis13 weeks65Social security
97British Virgin Islands13 weeks66.7Social security
119India12 weeks100Social security
119United States12 weeksUnpaidNo federal programme
119Pakistan12 weeks100Employer liability
119Nigeria12 weeks50Employer liability
119Mexico12 weeks100Social security
119Tanzania12 weeks100Social security
119Myanmar12 weeks66.7Social security
119Morocco12 weeks100Employer liability
119Ghana12 weeks100Employer liability
119Sri Lanka12 weeks6/7 or 100%Employer liability
119Zambia12 weeks100Employer liability
119Guatemala12 weeks100Mixed (two-thirds social security, one third employer)
119Ecuador12 weeks10075% S.S / 25% employer
119Rwanda12 weeks100% first 6 weeks; 20% remainderEmployer liability
119Burundi12 weeks10050% S.S / 50% employer
119Haiti12 weeks100% for six weeksEmployer liability
119Dominican Republic12 weeks10050% S.S / 50% employer
119Honduras12 weeks100% for 10 weeksMixed (two-thirds social insurance; one-third employer)
119Sierra Leone12 weeks100Employer liability
119Nicaragua12 weeks10060% S.S / 40% employer
119Paraguay12 weeks50% for 9 weeksSocial security
119El Salvador12 weeks75Social security
119Uruguay12 weeks100Social security
119Namibia12 weeks100Social security (social insurance topped up by employer)
119Gambia12 weeks100Employer liability
119Jamaica12 weeks100% for 8 weeksEmployer liability
119Botswana12 weeks50Employer liability
119Lesotho12 weeks100Employer liability
119Equatorial Guinea12 weeks75Social security
119Eswatini12 weeks100% for 2 weeksEmployer liability
119Mauritius12 weeks100Employer liability
119Fiji12 weeks100Employer liability
119Solomon Islands12 weeks25Employer liability
119Bahamas12 weeks100Mixed (two-thirds social insurance for 13 weeks; one-third employer for 12 weeks)
119Vanuatu12 weeks66.7Employer liability
119Barbados12 weeks100Social security
119Kiribati12 weeks25Employer liability
119Dominica12 weeks60Social security
157Uganda10 weeks100Employer liability
157Saudi Arabia10 weeks50-100%Employer liability
157Jordan10 weeks100Social security
157Hong Kong10 weeks80Mixed (employer liability and public funds)
157Palestine10 weeks100Employer liability
157Kuwait10 weeks100Employer liability
163Philippines9 weeks100Social security
163Iraq9 weeks100Employer liability
163Yemen9 weeks100Employer liability
163Mozambique9 weeks100Social security
163Malaysia9 weeks100Employer liability
163Eritrea9 weeksunidentifiedEmployer liability
163Guinea-Bissau9 weeks100Mixed
163Bahrain9 weeks100% for 45 daysEmployer liability
163Cape Verde9 weeks90Social security
163Brunei9 weeks100% for 8 weeksEmployer liability
163Sao Tome and Principe9 weeks100Social security
174Sudan8 weeks100Employer liability
174Malawi8 weeks100Employer liability
174Puerto Rico8 weeks100Employer liability
177Nepal7 weeks100Employer liability
177Lebanon7 weeks100Employer liability
177Oman7 weeks100Employer liability
177Qatar7 weeks100Employer liability
181United Arab Emirates6 weeks100Employer liability
182Tunisia4 weeks66.7Social security
—Papua New Guinea—Unpaid—

What correlates with Maternity Leave?

Pearson r against 1,426 other country metrics sharing at least 110 countries. Correlation is not causation.

Higher together

Places that have a higher Maternity Leave tend to score higher on these

  1. Melanoma Death Rate - MaleMale Skin Cancer Rates by Country
    r = +0.54 · strong · n = 177
    Plot
  2. Melanoma Death Rate - AllSkin Cancer Rates by Country
    r = +0.54 · strong · n = 177
    Plot
  3. Lung Cancer Mortality, Crude (Both Sexes)Lung Cancer Rates by Country
    r = +0.54 · strong · n = 166
    Plot
  4. Lung Cancer Mortality Rate Crude MalesLung Cancer Rates by Country
    r = +0.54 · strong · n = 166
    Plot
  5. Lung Cancer Rate, Crude (Males)Lung Cancer Rates by Country
    r = +0.54 · strong · n = 166
    Plot
  6. Lung Cancer Rate, Crude (Both Sexes)Lung Cancer Rates by Country
    r = +0.53 · strong · n = 166
    Plot

Opposite directions

Places that have a higher Maternity Leave tend to score lower on these

  1. Months Validity RequiredWhich Countries Require Six Months of Passport Validity?
    r = −0.51 · strong · n = 152
    Plot
  2. % Mild BlindnessBlind Population by Country
    r = −0.47 · moderate · n = 177
    Plot
  3. RichAds 2024Tier 1 Countries
    r = −0.45 · moderate · n = 135
    Plot
  4. Average Temperature (°C)Hottest Countries in the World
    r = −0.44 · moderate · n = 178
    Plot
  5. Low Birth Weight (LBW) EstimateAverage Birth Weight by Country
    r = −0.44 · moderate · n = 148
    Plot
  6. Lower IntervalAverage Birth Weight by Country
    r = −0.43 · moderate · n = 148
    Plot

Quick answers

Which country has the highest Maternity Leave?
Croatia has the highest Maternity Leave, at 58 weeks, followed by United Kingdom (52 weeks) and Australia (52 weeks).
Which country has the lowest Maternity Leave?
Tunisia has the lowest Maternity Leave, at 4 weeks.
What is the median Maternity Leave across countries?
The median is 14 weeks across the 182 countries with data.
Where does this maternity leave by country data come from?
Rankodex compiles it from World Population Review and the primary sources it cites: Here's what paid maternity leave looks like around the world - Business Insider; More than 120 Nations Provide Paid Maternity Leave - International Labor Organization; Parental Leave Systems - OECD; Among 41 countries, only U.S. lacks paid parental leave - Pew Research Center.

Keep exploring