Portugal passes six months of fully paid parental leave, but only if parents share it
Representative image: Myriams-Fotos / Pixabay
Portugal's parliament unanimously passed a law on October 16, 2026 giving parents 180 days of fully paid leave if they share it, from January 1, 2027.
What Happened
Portugal's parliament on Friday, October 16, 2026, unanimously approved a law that extends fully paid parental leave to six months when both parents share the care of a new baby. The final text, drawn up jointly by the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the Socialist Party (PS), was passed in a final overall vote in the Assembly of the Republic. It ends a legislative process that began in 2023 with a citizens' initiative. The new rules will apply to parental leave that starts on or after January 1, 2027.
Key Facts
- The law was approved unanimously in a final vote on October 16, 2026.
- From January 1, 2027, parental leave will be paid at 100 per cent for 180 days (six months) if it is shared between both parents.
- If the leave is not shared, full pay will cover 150 days (five months), up from 120 days today.
- To qualify for 180 days at full pay, each parent must take at least 30 consecutive days on their own, or two blocks of 15 consecutive days, after the mother's compulsory 42 days following birth.
- Under the current law, full pay covers 120 days without sharing, or 150 days if the father takes 30 days on his own.
- Reports say other payment rates apply to longer options, including 83 per cent of the reference wage in some cases where leave is not properly shared.
- The same law extends "continuous working day" arrangements, a shorter, unbroken work schedule, to private-sector parents of children up to age 12, subject to employer agreement or a collective agreement.
Why It Matters
Every family that has had a baby knows how short the first months feel. In Portugal, many parents have had to choose between returning to work early or accepting a cut in income once fully paid leave runs out. By lifting full pay to six months when leave is shared, the new law gives families a longer stretch at home with no loss of money, as long as both parents take part.
The design is deliberate. The extra month at full pay is only available if each parent takes a meaningful period of leave on their own. Tying the reward to sharing is meant to spread childcare more evenly between parents, which can help mothers return to work and help fathers build a closer bond with their children from the start.
The law also goes beyond the newborn months. Extending the continuous working day to private-sector parents of children up to 12 gives families with school-age children more room to plan the school run, meals and evenings. It depends on agreement with employers, so how widely it is used will vary.
The unanimous vote shows broad political agreement on supporting families, but not everyone is satisfied. Some parties said the final text fell short of what the citizens behind the original initiative had asked for, which was up to 240 days of leave.
| Portugal parental leave at full pay | Now | From Jan 1, 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Not shared | 120 days | 150 days |
| Shared | 150 days | 180 days |
Impact
Short-term: Parents expecting babies in 2027 can now plan for longer paid leave. Employers in Portugal will need to prepare for fathers and partners taking longer blocks of leave, and for requests for continuous working schedules from parents of children up to 12.
Long-term: If more fathers take leave, care at home may become more equal, and mothers may face less of a career penalty after having children. The cost of longer full-pay leave will fall on Portugal's social security system, and its effect on birth rates and women's employment will be watched closely.
Who is affected: New and expectant parents in Portugal; fathers and second parents, who must take their own share to unlock six months at full pay; employers; and families with children up to 12 seeking more flexible hours.
Key Takeaway
Portugal will pay parents in full for six months from 2027, but only if both of them take their turn at home with the baby.
Questions and Answers
What did Portugal's parliament approve on October 16, 2026?
It unanimously passed a law extending fully paid parental leave to 180 days when parents share it, and to 150 days when they do not, for leave starting from January 1, 2027.
How do parents qualify for six months of fully paid leave in Portugal?
Each parent must take at least 30 consecutive days on their own, or two blocks of 15 consecutive days, after the mother's compulsory 42 days of leave after birth.
How is this different from the current rules?
Today, full pay covers 120 days if leave is not shared, or 150 days if the father takes 30 days on his own. Both limits rise by 30 days under the new law.
Does the law help parents of older children too?
Yes. It lets private-sector employees with children up to age 12 work a continuous working day, if their employer agrees or a collective agreement allows it.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
Sourced and fact-checked by the Peepals Global Editorial Team
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Reported, fact-checked and published by the Peepals Global Editorial Team.
