MATERNITY BENEFITS EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2026: LONGER MATERNITY LEAVE AND HIGHER BENEFITS FOR SECOND-CHILD BIRTHS

Changes to Maternity Benefits in Vietnam Effective from July 1, 2026

Effective July 1, 2026, the 2025 Population Law and Decree No. 168/2026/ND-CP introduce several changes to maternity benefits aimed at better protecting the rights of employees participating in social insurance, particularly women giving birth to their second child.

An Additional Month of Maternity Leave for Better Recovery

One of the most significant changes is the extension of maternity leave for female employees.

According to Point a, Clause 1, Article 14 of the 2025 Population Law and Clause 1, Article 2 of Decree No. 168/2026/ND-CP, a female employee who has one living biological child at the time of childbirth is entitled to seven months of maternity leave before and after giving birth to her second child, including up to two months of prenatal leave.

If the mother gives birth to twins or more, she is entitled to one additional month of leave for each child from the second child onward.

The extension of maternity leave to seven months for second-child births reflects a significant shift in government policy. Beyond simply increasing leave duration, the policy aims to encourage families to have two children amid declining birth rates, while also giving mothers more time to recover physically and provide better care for newborns during their early stages of development.

Higher Lump-Sum Childbirth Allowance

In addition to the extended maternity leave, the statutory base salary increases to VND 2.53 million per month from July 1, 2026 (Clause 2, Article 3 of Decree No. 161/2026/ND-CP), resulting in a higher one-time childbirth allowance.

According to Clause 4, Article 58 of the 2014 Law on Social Insurance, eligible employees are entitled to a one-time allowance equal to twice the reference amount applicable in the month the female employee gives birth, receives a child through surrogacy, or legally adopts a child.

Accordingly, for children born on or after July 1, 2026, the one-time allowance is calculated as follows:

One-time childbirth allowance = 2 × VND 2,530,000 = VND 5,060,000 per child.

Increased Postpartum Recuperation Allowance

Under Clause 3, Article 60 of the 2014 Law on Social Insurance, if a female employee has not fully recovered within 30 days after the end of her maternity leave, she is entitled to leave for health recuperation and rehabilitation.

The daily recuperation allowance is equal to 30% of the reference amount.

Therefore, from July 1, 2026, the postpartum recuperation benefit is calculated as follows:

Recuperation allowance = 30% × VND 2,530,000 × Number of recuperation leave days

Fathers Receive More Leave

The new policy not only enhances support for mothers but also expands benefits for fathers, encouraging greater involvement in childcare.

According to Clause 2, Article 29 of the 2025 Population Law, a male employee whose wife gives birth to twins or to a second child is entitled to 10 working days of paternity leave. If the wife gives birth to triplets or more, the father is granted an additional three working days for each child from the third child onward.

This provision is considered a significant step toward strengthening fathers’ roles in family care and sharing childcare responsibilities during the postpartum period.

The introduction of enhanced maternity benefits for second-child births demonstrates closer alignment between Vietnam’s population policy and its social insurance policy. These changes aim to better protect employees’ rights while providing greater support to families during childbirth, childcare, and the early development of children.