The Macao government will continue subsidising employers for part of their maternity leave costs until the end of 2026, the Macau Post Daily reports – citing an official announcement from earlier in the week.
The scheme, which covers 14 out of the private sector’s 70-day statutory maternity leave, was due to expire at the end of this year. The extension means it will now apply to female employees giving birth on or before 31 December 2026.
Secretary for Administration and Justice André Cheong said the decision was part of efforts to encourage childbirth while maintaining stable labour relations. The SAR’s strikingly low birth rate continued to drop in the second quarter.
[See more: Macao’s ‘ultra-low’ birthrate has been highlighted in a UN report]
Employers must first cover the full 70 days of maternity leave before applying for reimbursement for 14 of those days, the Labour Affairs Bureau (known by its Portuguese initials DSAL) has clarified. Applications must be submitted within 150 days of the employee giving birth.
The government raised statutory paid maternity leave in the private sector from 56 to 70 days in May 2020, following amendments to Macao’s Labour Relations Law. To help employers adjust, a three-year transition period was introduced – during which the government covered the extra 14 days. While that initial period expired in May 2023, it’s now been extended multiple times.
The subsidy is limited to permanent residents. Employers of non-resident workers must continue to pay the full 70 days of maternity leave without government support.
Certain employers are ineligible for the subsidy. These include publicly funded companies, gaming and junket operators, and all schools and higher education institutions. Companies with more than 100 staff are also excluded.
Macao’s public sector has its own employment regulations with more generous maternity leave.
