Maternity & Paternity Leave Hong Kong 2027: Weeks, Pay & Rules
Kenji Farre, Director · Oct 9, 2026 · 6 min read
Hong Kong gives 14 weeks of statutory maternity leave and 5 days of paternity leave. Both are paid at four-fifths of your average daily wages, provided you have worked for the same employer under a continuous contract for at least 40 weeks before the leave. Maternity pay for weeks 11 to 14 is capped at HK$80,000 (the government reimburses the employer for that part). An employer cannot dismiss a pregnant employee from the time she gives notice of pregnancy until she returns from leave, except for serious misconduct, with fines of up to HK$100,000.
This guide explains who qualifies, how much you're paid, when leave can start, how to give notice, your protection from dismissal, and what to negotiate on top of the statutory minimum. For every other right under the Employment Ordinance, see our Employment Ordinance guide.
Maternity and Paternity Leave in Hong Kong at a Glance
| Maternity leave | Paternity leave | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 14 continuous weeks | 5 days per birth |
| Pay | 4/5 of average daily wages | 4/5 of average daily wages |
| Leave eligibility | Continuous contract before leave starts, plus notice of pregnancy | Continuous contract, plus notice |
| Pay eligibility | At least 40 weeks' continuous contract before scheduled leave | At least 40 weeks' continuous contract before the leave day |
| Pay cap | HK$80,000 for weeks 11 to 14 | None stated |
| When | Starts 2 to 4 weeks before the expected due date | From 4 weeks before the due date to 14 weeks after birth |
| Penalty for breach | Fine up to HK$100,000 for unlawful dismissal | Fine up to HK$50,000 for failing to grant leave or pay |
Source: Labour Department, Concise Guide to the Employment Ordinance (December 2025 edition).
If you're planning a family and looking for an employer with better benefits than the statutory minimum, browse English-speaking jobs in Hong Kong on ExpatJobBoard.com. We list thousands of jobs that don't require Cantonese or Mandarin.
How Long Is Maternity Leave in Hong Kong?
14 continuous weeks. Hong Kong increased statutory maternity leave from 10 to 14 weeks in December 2020, and those extra four weeks are why the pay for weeks 11 to 14 has its own cap and reimbursement scheme.
You may also be entitled to extra time:
- If the baby arrives later than expected, the leave extends by the number of days between the expected and actual date of birth.
- If you are ill because of the pregnancy or birth, your employer must give up to four further weeks of leave, with a medical certificate.
When Can Maternity Leave Start?
You choose, within limits:
- Default: leave starts 4 weeks before the expected date of confinement.
- With your employer's agreement: it can start 2 to 4 weeks before the expected date.
- If the baby comes early, leave starts on the day of birth and you must notify your employer within 7 days.
Many women in office jobs start leave about two weeks before the due date to keep more time with the baby afterwards. That needs your employer's agreement, so ask early.
Who Qualifies for Maternity Leave and Maternity Pay?
There are two separate tests.
To be entitled to the 14 weeks of leave, you must:
- be employed under a continuous contract immediately before the leave starts, and
- have given notice of your pregnancy and your intention to take maternity leave.
To be paid for the leave, you must also:
- have been employed under a continuous contract for at least 40 weeks immediately before the scheduled start of leave,
- have given notice of pregnancy after it was confirmed, and
- provide a medical certificate with the expected date of birth if your employer asks.
The continuous contract test changed on 18 January 2026: you now need at least four weeks with the same employer and at least 17 hours a week, or 68 hours over four weeks. See our Employment Ordinance guide for the details.
What if you've worked less than 40 weeks? You still get the 14 weeks of leave if you meet the leave test, but the Ordinance does not entitle you to maternity leave pay. If you're changing jobs while pregnant or planning to be, the 40-week rule is worth factoring into your timing. Some employers pay maternity leave from day one as a contractual benefit, so ask.
How Much Is Maternity Pay in Hong Kong?
Maternity leave pay is four-fifths (80%) of your average daily wages over the 12 months before the first day of leave, paid on your normal pay day.
The cap only affects weeks 11 to 14:
| Weeks of leave | Statutory pay |
|---|---|
| Weeks 1 to 10 | 80% of average daily wages, no cap |
| Weeks 11 to 14 | 80% of average daily wages, capped at HK$80,000 in total |
Source: Labour Department Concise Guide.
Example (our calculation): you earn HK$45,625 a month, about HK$1,500 a day.
- 80% daily rate: HK$1,200
- Weeks 1 to 10 (70 days): HK$84,000
- Weeks 11 to 14 (28 days): HK$33,600, which is under the HK$80,000 cap
- Total statutory maternity pay: about HK$117,600
The cap only bites at a high salary. Four weeks at 80% exceed HK$80,000 once your average daily wage passes about HK$3,571, roughly HK$108,600 a month.
Who pays for weeks 11 to 14?
Your employer pays you the whole amount on the normal pay day. It can then claim back the pay for weeks 11 to 14 (up to HK$80,000) under the government's Reimbursement of Maternity Leave Pay Scheme, through the online Reimbursement Easy Portal. That's an employer process; you don't need to do anything.
How to Give Notice of Pregnancy
There's no prescribed form, but do it in writing. Your notice should:
- confirm the pregnancy (attach a medical certificate with the expected due date if you have one),
- say you intend to take maternity leave, and
- propose a start date.
Giving notice early matters because the protection against dismissal runs from the time your pregnancy is confirmed by medical certificate and you have served notice.
Can You Be Dismissed While Pregnant in Hong Kong?
No, with narrow exceptions. If you are on a continuous contract and have served notice of pregnancy, your employer cannot dismiss you from the date pregnancy is confirmed by medical certificate until the date you're due back from maternity leave.
The exceptions are:
- summary dismissal for serious misconduct, or
- dismissal during an expressly agreed probation period of up to 12 weeks, for a reason other than the pregnancy.
An employer who breaks the rule faces a fine of up to HK$100,000 and must pay you, within 7 days:
- wages in lieu of notice,
- a further one month's wages as compensation, and
- the 14 weeks' maternity leave pay you would otherwise have received.
Source: Labour Department Concise Guide.
Discrimination because of pregnancy is also unlawful under the Sex Discrimination Ordinance, which covers recruitment and promotion as well as dismissal.
Pregnancy Check-ups and Unsafe Work
Two further protections apply during pregnancy:
- Check-ups count as sick days. A day off for a pregnancy check-up, post-natal treatment or miscarriage counts as a paid sickness day, even if it's a single day. A certificate of attendance is enough for check-ups. See our sick leave guide for how sickness days build up.
- Heavy or harmful work. If a medical certificate says you're unfit for heavy, hazardous or harmful work, your employer must not assign it and must move you off it within 14 days of your request. Failure carries a fine of up to HK$50,000.
How Long Is Paternity Leave in Hong Kong?
5 days for each birth, which can be taken together or on separate days.
| Paternity leave rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Entitlement | 5 days per confinement of your spouse or partner |
| Who qualifies for leave | Father of the newborn (or father-to-be) on a continuous contract |
| Who qualifies for pay | At least 40 weeks' continuous contract immediately before the leave day |
| Must you be married? | No |
| Window | From 4 weeks before the expected due date to 14 weeks after the actual birth |
| Pay | 80% of average daily wages |
| Notice | Tell your employer at least 3 months before the due date, then give the specific dates before taking them; without 3 months' notice, give at least 5 days' notice of each date |
| Proof | Provide a birth certificate or similar document within 12 months of the first leave day (or within 6 months of leaving the job, if earlier) |
| Penalty | Fine up to HK$50,000 for failing to grant leave or pay |
Source: Labour Department Concise Guide.
Five days is short by international standards, so contractual paternity leave is one of the easier benefits to negotiate. Plenty of multinational employers offer more.
If you are paid paternity leave pay before providing the birth documents and then fail to provide them in time, your employer can deduct that pay from your wages.
How Hong Kong Compares
Statutory leave in Hong Kong is modest compared with what many expats are used to, which is why employers compete on contractual benefits:
| Hong Kong statutory | |
|---|---|
| Maternity leave | 14 weeks at 80% |
| Paternity leave | 5 days at 80% |
| Shared parental leave | None under the Ordinance |
| Adoption leave | Not covered by the Ordinance |
When you compare offers, ask HR for the written parental leave policy and the maternity cover in the medical plan. Our health insurance guide explains why maternity cover usually comes with a waiting period, and our employment contract checklist covers the rest of the package.
Tax and Childcare: Two Things New Parents Should Know
- Child allowance. For 2026/27 the child allowance is HK$140,000, and for a baby born on or after 1 April 2025 you can claim an extra HK$140,000 for two years, so HK$280,000 a year in total. See our Hong Kong salaries tax guide.
- Dependant visas. If you're on a work visa, your baby needs a dependant visa. Our dependant visa guide covers the process.
FAQs: Maternity and Paternity Leave in Hong Kong
How long is maternity leave in Hong Kong?
14 continuous weeks, extended if the baby is born after the due date, plus up to four more weeks if you are ill because of the pregnancy or birth.
Is maternity leave paid in Hong Kong?
Yes, at four-fifths of your average daily wages, if you have worked for your employer under a continuous contract for at least 40 weeks before leave starts. Pay for weeks 11 to 14 is capped at HK$80,000.
How long is paternity leave in Hong Kong?
5 days for each birth, paid at four-fifths of your average daily wages if you've worked at least 40 weeks under a continuous contract. You can take them from 4 weeks before the due date to 14 weeks after the birth.
Can I get maternity leave if I just started a new job?
You're entitled to the 14 weeks of leave if you are on a continuous contract and have given notice, but statutory maternity pay needs at least 40 weeks' service. Some employers pay it earlier as a contractual benefit.
Can my employer fire me for being pregnant in Hong Kong?
No. Once you have given notice of a confirmed pregnancy, dismissal is prohibited until you return from maternity leave, except for serious misconduct or a non-pregnancy reason during an agreed probation of up to 12 weeks. Breaches carry a fine of up to HK$100,000.
When should I tell my employer I'm pregnant?
There's no legal deadline, but the dismissal protection and maternity pay depend on you giving notice after the pregnancy is confirmed. In practice, many women tell HR at around three months, in writing, with a medical certificate.
Do I need to be married to get paternity leave in Hong Kong?
No. The Ordinance covers the father of the newborn, and you don't need to be married to the mother.
Who pays maternity leave in Hong Kong?
Your employer pays you directly. It can then claim back the pay for weeks 11 to 14, up to HK$80,000, from the government under the Reimbursement of Maternity Leave Pay Scheme.
Do pregnancy check-ups count as sick leave?
Yes. A day off for a pregnancy check-up counts as a paid sickness day even if it's a single day, and a certificate of attendance is enough.
Is there adoption leave in Hong Kong?
Not under the Employment Ordinance. Some employers offer it as a contractual benefit.
Can I take paternity leave in separate days?
Yes. The five days can be taken together or on separate days within the window from 4 weeks before the due date to 14 weeks after the birth.
Key Takeaways
- Statutory maternity leave is 14 weeks and paternity leave is 5 days per birth.
- Both are paid at 80% of average daily wages, but only after 40 weeks of continuous employment.
- Maternity pay for weeks 11 to 14 is capped at HK$80,000, and the government reimburses employers for that portion.
- Maternity leave starts 4 weeks before the due date by default, or 2 to 4 weeks with your employer's agreement.
- Once you've given notice of a confirmed pregnancy, dismissal is prohibited until you return, with fines of up to HK$100,000.
- Paternity notice is 3 months before the due date, or 5 days before each leave day if you missed that.
- From 18 January 2026, the continuous contract test is 17 hours a week or 68 hours over four weeks.
Find a Family-Friendly Employer in Hong Kong
The statutory minimum is only the starting point. Browse English-speaking jobs in Hong Kong on ExpatJobBoard.com and look for employers that offer more.
