⚠️ Unconfirmedsocial2022
Statutory minimum paid maternity leave (duration)
Minimum length of paid maternity leave required by law, in days, by country (ILO data, 2022). Compare global leave policies at a glance.
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Key Insights
Global Average
113.1days
Median: 98.0days
Countries Covered
182
with available data
Highest
Sweden
480.0days
Lowest
United States of America
0.0days
Top 5 Countries
1Sweden480.0days
2Montenegro365.0days
3Serbia365.0days
4Albania365.0days
5Norway343.0days
By Region
Europe161.2days(32 countries)
Africa108.2days(9 countries)
Other106.7days(102 countries)
South America101.1days(7 countries)
Asia95.0days(26 countries)
Key Findings
- •Europe shows some of the longest statutory paid maternity leave durations (e.g., Sweden, Norway, UK).
- •A number of high-income countries have comparatively short statutory minimum paid maternity leave (e.g., United Arab Emirates, Tunisia).
- •Some countries report very long durations in law (e.g., Canada, Serbia, Slovakia) reflecting extended maternity/parental schemes in legislation.
- •Several countries have no nationwide statutory paid maternity leave (e.g., United States, New Zealand in ILO statutory coding), highlighting major policy variation.
Country Rankings
Top 10 Countries
Bottom 10 Countries
Data Analysis
Value Distribution
How countries are distributed across the value range
Low (0.0days)High (315.0days)
Regional Comparison
Average values by world region (Global avg: 113.1days)
Europe (32)
Africa (9)
Other (102)
South America (7)
Asia (26)
North America (4)
Oceania (2)
About This Statistic
This statistic tracks the statutory minimum duration of paid maternity leave mandated in national legislation, expressed in calendar days. It is a policy indicator (not actual leave taken) and captures the minimum entitlement for employed mothers under social security or employer-liability schemes.
It’s a useful way to compare how countries support childbirth and maternal health through labor protections. Differences can be substantial across regions, reflecting varying social insurance systems, labor-market structures, and legal traditions. Note that this measure focuses on duration; wage-replacement rates and eligibility rules can vary widely even when the number of days is similar.
Full Data
| Rank ↑ | Country ↕ | Value ↕ |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sweden | 480.0days |
| 2 | Montenegro | 365.0days |
| 3 | Serbia | 365.0days |
| 4 | Albania | 365.0days |
| 5 | Norway | 343.0days |
| 6 | United Kingdom | 273.0days |
| 7 | Iceland | 270.0days |
| 8 | North Korea | 240.0days |
| 9 | Slovakia | 238.0days |
| 10 | Czech Republic | 196.0days |
| 11 | Faroe Islands | 196.0days |
| 12 | India | 182.0days |
| 13 | Ireland | 182.0days |
| 14 | Venezuela | 182.0days |
| 15 | Vietnam | 180.0days |
| 16 | Hungary | 168.0days |
| 17 | Italy | 150.0days |
| 18 | Estonia | 140.0days |
| 19 | Papua New Guinea | 140.0days |
| 20 | Poland | 140.0days |
| 21 | Russian Federation | 140.0days |
| 22 | Tajikistan | 140.0days |
| 23 | Algeria | 140.0days |
| 24 | Chile | 126.0days |
| 25 | Benin | 126.0days |
| 26 | Denmark | 126.0days |
| 27 | Georgia | 126.0days |
| 28 | Kazakhstan | 126.0days |
| 29 | Kyrgyzstan | 126.0days |
| 30 | Lithuania | 126.0days |
| 31 | Moldova, Republic of | 126.0days |
| 32 | Paraguay | 126.0days |
| 33 | Romania | 126.0days |
| 34 | Ukraine | 126.0days |
| 35 | The Republic of North Macedonia | 126.0days |
| 36 | Uzbekistan | 126.0days |
| 37 | Bermuda | 126.0days |
| 38 | Ethiopia | 120.0days |
| 39 | Mongolia | 120.0days |
| 40 | Portugal | 120.0days |
| 41 | South Africa | 120.0days |
| 42 | Syrian Arab Republic | 120.0days |
| 43 | Brazil | 120.0days |
| 44 | Canada | 119.0days |
| 45 | Costa Rica | 119.0days |
| 46 | Greece | 119.0days |
| 47 | Cayman Islands | 112.0days |
| 48 | Central African Republic | 112.0days |
| 49 | France | 112.0days |
| 50 | Latvia | 112.0days |
| 51 | Luxembourg | 112.0days |
| 52 | Monaco | 112.0days |
| 53 | Netherlands | 112.0days |
| 54 | Nigeria | 112.0days |
| 55 | Pakistan | 112.0days |
| 56 | Singapore | 112.0days |
| 57 | Spain | 112.0days |
| 58 | Türkiye | 112.0days |
| 59 | Turkmenistan | 112.0days |
| 60 | Angola | 112.0days |
| 61 | Bahamas | 112.0days |
| 62 | Bangladesh | 112.0days |
| 63 | Armenia | 112.0days |
| 64 | Bhutan | 112.0days |
| 65 | Brunei Darussalam | 112.0days |
| 66 | Bulgaria | 105.0days |
| 67 | Mayotte | 105.0days |
| 68 | Finland | 105.0days |
| 69 | Israel | 105.0days |
| 70 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | 105.0days |
| 71 | Philippines | 105.0days |
| 72 | Slovenia | 105.0days |
| 73 | Australia | 105.0days |
| 74 | Belgium | 105.0days |
| 75 | Burundi | 98.0days |
| 76 | Belarus | 98.0days |
| 77 | Cameroon | 98.0days |
| 78 | Cape Verde | 98.0days |
| 79 | Chad | 98.0days |
| 80 | People's Republic of China | 98.0days |
| 81 | Comoros | 98.0days |
| 82 | Republic of the Congo | 98.0days |
| 83 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 98.0days |
| 84 | Croatia | 98.0days |
| 85 | Cuba | 98.0days |
| 86 | Cyprus | 98.0days |
| 87 | Dominican Republic | 98.0days |
| 88 | Equatorial Guinea | 98.0days |
| 89 | Fiji | 98.0days |
| 90 | Djibouti | 98.0days |
| 91 | Gabon | 98.0days |
| 92 | Republic of The Gambia | 98.0days |
| 93 | State of Palestine | 98.0days |
| 94 | Germany | 98.0days |
| 95 | Guinea | 98.0days |
| 96 | Iraq | 98.0days |
| 97 | Cote d'Ivoire | 98.0days |
| 98 | Japan | 98.0days |
| 99 | Kenya | 98.0days |
| 100 | Liberia | 98.0days |
| 101 | Libya | 98.0days |
| 102 | Madagascar | 98.0days |
| 103 | Malaysia | 98.0days |
| 104 | Mali | 98.0days |
| 105 | Malta | 98.0days |
| 106 | Mauritania | 98.0days |
| 107 | Morocco | 98.0days |
| 108 | Nepal | 98.0days |
| 109 | New Caledonia | 98.0days |
| 110 | Vanuatu | 98.0days |
| 111 | Niger | 98.0days |
| 112 | Peru | 98.0days |
| 113 | Senegal | 98.0days |
| 114 | Somalia | 98.0days |
| 115 | Zimbabwe | 98.0days |
| 116 | Suriname | 98.0days |
| 117 | Switzerland | 98.0days |
| 118 | Thailand | 98.0days |
| 119 | Togo | 98.0days |
| 120 | Tonga | 98.0days |
| 121 | Trinidad and Tobago | 98.0days |
| 122 | Uganda | 98.0days |
| 123 | Burkina Faso | 98.0days |
| 124 | Uruguay | 98.0days |
| 125 | Zambia | 98.0days |
| 126 | Andorra | 98.0days |
| 127 | Antigua and Barbuda | 98.0days |
| 128 | Azerbaijan | 98.0days |
| 129 | Argentina | 98.0days |
| 130 | Austria | 98.0days |
| 131 | Bahrain | 98.0days |
| 132 | Barbados | 98.0days |
| 133 | Bolivia | 98.0days |
| 134 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 98.0days |
| 135 | Botswana | 98.0days |
| 136 | Solomon Islands | 98.0days |
| 137 | Guyana | 91.0days |
| 138 | Myanmar | 90.0days |
| 139 | Cambodia | 90.0days |
| 140 | Indonesia | 90.0days |
| 141 | Islamic Republic of Iran | 90.0days |
| 142 | South Korea | 90.0days |
| 143 | Mozambique | 90.0days |
| 144 | Egypt | 90.0days |
| 145 | Afghanistan | 90.0days |
| 146 | Sri Lanka | 84.0days |
| 147 | Colombia | 84.0days |
| 148 | Ecuador | 84.0days |
| 149 | El Salvador | 84.0days |
| 150 | Ghana | 84.0days |
| 151 | Guatemala | 84.0days |
| 152 | Haiti | 84.0days |
| 153 | Honduras | 84.0days |
| 154 | Jamaica | 84.0days |
| 155 | Lesotho | 84.0days |
| 156 | Mauritius | 84.0days |
| 157 | Mexico | 84.0days |
| 158 | Namibia | 84.0days |
| 159 | Nicaragua | 84.0days |
| 160 | Panama | 84.0days |
| 161 | Rwanda | 84.0days |
| 162 | Sierra Leone | 84.0days |
| 163 | Eswatini | 84.0days |
| 164 | United Republic of Tanzania | 84.0days |
| 165 | Belize | 84.0days |
| 166 | Jordan | 70.0days |
| 167 | Kuwait | 70.0days |
| 168 | Lebanon | 70.0days |
| 169 | Oman | 70.0days |
| 170 | Saudi Arabia | 70.0days |
| 171 | Yemen | 70.0days |
| 172 | Eritrea | 60.0days |
| 173 | Maldives | 60.0days |
| 174 | South Sudan | 60.0days |
| 175 | Taiwan, Province of China | 56.0days |
| 176 | Malawi | 56.0days |
| 177 | Sudan | 56.0days |
| 178 | Qatar | 50.0days |
| 179 | United Arab Emirates | 45.0days |
| 180 | Tunisia | 30.0days |
| 181 | New Zealand | 0.0days |
| 182 | United States of America | 0.0days |
Showing 182 of 182 countries
Topics
Data Source
This data comes from International Labour Organization (ILO) (2022).
View Original Source