Parental Leave — Paid Parental Leave 22 Weeks (Rising to 26)

Australian parental support has two layers: federal Paid Parental Leave (PPL) paid directly by government, and any employer-funded parental leave that tops up wages on top. The biggest contrasts with Korea are that PPL is paid as a flat National Minimum Wage amount, not a percentage of your salary, and that the entitlement has been progressively merged so that either parent can share the days flexibly.

Paid Parental Leave (PPL) — the essentials

• 22 weeks (110 working days) as of July 2026, scheduled to keep rising — 24 weeks from July 2026, 26 weeks in 2026–27.
• Amount: flat National Minimum Wage rate, around AUD 930 per week (2026 guide; indexed every 1 July).
• Splitting: parents can take leave concurrently or in turn, and some can be used flexibly within the first 2 years.
• Concurrent days: the number of days both parents can be on PPL at the same time has been gradually increasing.

Who can claim

• Work test: in the 13 months before birth or placement, you must have worked at least 10 of those months and 330+ hours total (roughly one day a week).
• Income test: individual taxable income up to around AUD 175,000, plus combined family income up to around AUD 350,000 (2026 estimates).
• Residency: Australian resident; new PRs may face NARWP or visa-related delays/exclusions.
• Self-employed, contract, and part-time workers can all qualify if they meet the work test.

What happened to Dad and Partner Pay

• The old Dad and Partner Pay (a separate 2-week flat payment) was rolled into PPL from July 2023, so the household's total PPL days are now shared between the parents however they choose.
• There's no longer a separate "father/partner leave" application; instead, PPL contains a growing block of reserved days for the second parent (use-it-or-lose-it).

Superannuation on PPL

• From July 2025, the government also pays a Superannuation Guarantee contribution into your super fund during PPL (matching the SG rate) — a notable Australian feature with no direct Korean equivalent.

Newborn Upfront Payment + Newborn Supplement

• For families who don't take PPL (or want a top-up alongside it), a lump sum plus a 13-week supplement is available at birth or adoption.
• Around AUD 2,200 combined for a first child; lower for subsequent children.
• You must be eligible for FTB Part A to receive it.

Employer parental leave on top

• The Fair Work Act guarantees 12 months of unpaid parental leave (extendable to 24 months on request) at birth or adoption.
• Many large employers offer their own paid parental leave of 12–26 weeks in addition, which can be combined with the federal PPL.

Things to watch

• You can apply for PPL before or after the birth, but it's usually recommended to pre-register through myGov from about 3 months before the due date.
• Temporary visa parents are generally not eligible for PPL and depend on employer policy alone.
• Parental leave is often combined with paid annual leave, sick leave, and personal/carer's leave under the Fair Work framework.

Official guidance: Services Australia: Parental Leave Pay, Fair Work: Parental leave