Paternity and partner leave by country
How much leave the law gives an employee as a new father or partner in nine countries, and whether it is paid. Germany and Sweden offer extended parental leave that both parents can share. Norway provides joint leave for parents. The UK and Australia set minimum paid or unpaid paternity leave. France, Spain, Austria and Canada set paternity leave periods. Every figure comes from the statute itself, which is quoted and linked.
| Country | Duration of leave | Paid? | When it must be taken |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norway | Combined 12 months per parent; each parent up to 12 additional months | Foreldrepenger (parental benefit, income replacement) | From birth; additional 12 months available with income replacement |
| United Kingdom | At least 2 weeks | Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP) or unpaid | Within 56 days of the child's birth |
Under review
The statute text for these countries has changed since we last checked it, so their figures are hidden until we review them again: Australia, Germany, Sweden.
Country by country
Norway
- Rule
- Arbeidsmiljøloven § 12-5
- Parents together have 12 months of leave. Each parent has an individual right to an additional 12 months of leave after the joint 12 months.
- Parental benefit (foreldrepenger) from the social insurance system provides income replacement during leave.
- The leave is coordinated with other parental benefit schemes in the social insurance system.
Foreldrene har rett til permisjon etter reglene i paragrafen her og i §§ 12-2 og 12-4 i til sammen tolv måneder.Hver av foreldrene har i tillegg til permisjon etter første ledd, rett til permisjon i inntil tolv måneder for hver fødsel. United Kingdom
- Rule
- Employment Rights Act 1996 s 80A–80E (Paternity Leave Regulations)
- At least 2 weeks of paternity leave, to be taken within 56 days of birth.
- Statutory Paternity Pay is available if the employee has been employed for at least 26 weeks. The amount and duration are set by statutory minimum (usually 2 weeks at 90% of average earnings, capped).
- The leave is for the purpose of caring for the child or supporting the mother.
where an employee is entitled to leave under this section in respect of a child he is entitled to at least two weeks' leave.leave under this section must be taken before the end of a period of at least 56 days beginning with the date of the child's birth. Countries not in this table yet
France, Spain, Austria and Japan are not fully included. Although parental/maternity leave is provided in these countries, dedicated paternity leave sections in the ingested statutes were not located. The US has no federal paternity leave requirement. The Netherlands' ingested law does not cover paternity leave.
How this table was built
Every row is taken from the official, consolidated text of the statute, which LawAsked loads from each government’s legislation service.
Each figure is tied to a passage quoted word for word from that text. When the page is served, it checks that every quoted passage is still in the current text of a law that is in force; if a law is amended and its wording changes, that row is hidden until a person reviews it again.
The table shows the statutory minimum only. Collective agreements, awards and individual contracts often give more than the statute, and some countries let a collective agreement set different terms.
Use this data
The table and the CSV are free to reuse under CC BY 4.0: credit LawAsked and link to this page. Quoted statute text stays under the terms of its official source.
How to cite this page
LawAsked, “Paternity and partner leave by country”, https://lawasked.com/guides/paternity-leave-by-country (reviewed October 25, 2026).
Important Legal Disclaimer
General legal information, not formal legal advice. The information provided on LawAsked does not constitute formal legal advice and creates no attorney-client relationship. If you require legal assistance, please consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction.