Parental Leave Pay (Paid Parental Leave scheme)

Services Australia (Centrelink)Verified 22 Oct 2026Official pages checked daily

Parental Leave Pay (PLP) is money the Australian Government pays to parents of a newborn or newly adopted child under the Paid Parental Leave scheme. It is based on the national minimum wage and can be shared between parents. For children born or adopted from 1 July 2025, a family can get up to 120 days; for children born from 1 July 2026, up to 130 days. You must pass an income test, a work test and residence rules, and new residents usually wait 2 years. From July 2025, the government also pays super on it into your super fund.

Key facts

Daily rate (2026–27 financial year): A$200.94 a day before tax, which is A$1,004.70 a week based on a 5-day week. It is set from the weekly national minimum wage and usually changes on 1 July each year. You are paid the rate for the financial year in which you receive it, not the year your child was born²
Daily rate (2025–26 financial year): A$189.62 a day before tax, A$948.10 a week²
Maximum days per family: Children born or adopted from 1 July 2024: 110 days (22 weeks); from 1 July 2025: 120 days (24 weeks); from 1 July 2026: 130 days (26 weeks), based on a 5-day week²
Days reserved for your partner: If you have a partner, some days can only be used by your partner: 10 days for children born from 1 July 2024; 15 days from 1 July 2025; 20 days from 1 July 2026. The reserved days still apply even if only one parent is eligible²
Days both parents can take at the same time: For children born or adopted from 1 July 2025, parents can get PLP on the same day for up to 20 days (it was 10 days before), with some exceptions²
Income test: Based on your adjusted taxable income in the financial year before the birth or adoption, or before your claim, whichever is earlier. Individual limit: A$186,487 or less for 2025–26 (A$180,007 for 2024–25). If you are over the individual limit, you can use the family income test: you and your partner together A$386,525 or less for 2025–26 (A$373,094 for 2024–25). Single parents are assessed under the family limit³
Work test: In the 13 months (392 days) before the birth or adoption, you worked for 10 months (295 days), with at least 330 hours in those 10 months (about one day a week), and no gap of more than 12 weeks between any two working days. Paid leave, work for more than one employer and self-employment all count⁴
Residence rules: You live in Australia and are an Australian citizen, or hold a permanent visa, a Special Category visa, or a specific temporary visa (a partner provisional visa or a temporary protection visa). You must meet this on the day of the birth or adoption and every day you get PLP. If you claim before the birth, you must also meet it on the day you claim⁵
Newly arrived resident's waiting period: If you have recently become an Australian resident or recently got an eligible temporary visa, you may have to wait 2 years (there are exemptions)⁵
Claiming time limits: You can claim up to 3 months before the due date or adoption date. The first parent to claim must do so within 52 weeks of the birth or adoption; other parents within 2 years. To be paid from the day of birth, submit your claim and the proof of birth within 14 weeks (100 days) of the birth. All days must be used within 2 years of the birth or adoption⁶
Super: For children born or adopted from 1 July 2025, the ATO automatically pays the Paid Parental Leave Superannuation Contribution into your super fund after the end of the relevant financial year, at the superannuation guarantee rate. You do not need to apply separately²
How it is paid and tax: In most cases your employer pays it into your bank account; in some cases Services Australia pays you directly. PLP is taxable income²

Who is this for, and what are the requirements?

You are caring for a newborn or newly adopted child, and you are: the birth mother, the birth mother's partner, the child's biological father or their partner, an adoptive parent or their partner, an intended parent in a surrogacy arrangement or their partner, or a person caring for the child in exceptional circumstances.
You pass the income test (individual or family), the work test and the residence rules. Self-employed people and sole traders can qualify, but must also pass the work test.
A newborn must be registered, or an application for registration must have been made, with the births registry in your state or territory.
If the birth mother does not pass the work test, her partner, the biological father or the father's partner must claim, and both people must pass the work test. If not, nobody can get PLP.
You cannot work on the days you get PLP (except for the allowable reasons listed on the website). A foster child who was not placed with you for adoption does not qualify.
People on common temporary visas such as student or work visas usually do not qualify. Partner provisional visa holders can claim, but the newly arrived resident's waiting period is 2 years.

How do I do it? Steps and process

Check that you qualify
Work out your income in the previous financial year and your work hours in the 13 months before the birth, and check your visa status and any waiting period. For twins or other multiple births, you can only get PLP for one child.
Talk to your employer early
The website suggests talking to your employer about leave at least 10 weeks before the due date and telling them you plan to claim PLP. Your employer needs to register with Services Australia (an employer who is not required to pay PLP but chooses to must register before you claim). If there is another parent, agree on how many days each of you will take.
Get your information ready
Your Centrelink Customer Reference Number (CRN), your employer's ABN and contact details, bank account, TFN, proof of residence (citizenship certificate, passport, visa), any periods you lived overseas, your income for the previous financial year (and your partner's, if needed), and a record of your work hours and any unpaid leave.
Submit your claim in myGov
You can claim from 3 months before the due date. Sign in to myGov, then go to Centrelink, Make a claim or view claim status, Make a claim, Families, Get started, Apply for Family Assistance (including Paid Parental Leave). If the other parent needs to agree to share days with you, they must sign in to their own Centrelink online account and approve it before you can submit. After you submit, you get a claim ID and an estimated completion date.
Provide proof of birth after the baby arrives
After the birth, select Add Newborn in your Centrelink online account to provide proof of birth and confirm that you have registered the birth with the state registry. The website asks you to do this within 56 days of the birth or the child coming into your care. If you want to be paid from the day of birth, submit both the claim and the proof within 14 weeks.
Decide how to use your days
You can take the days in one block, in several blocks or as single days, or keep them in your balance, but you must use them within 2 years of the birth or adoption. You can change the dates on a claim you have already submitted. You can get PLP before, during or after paid or unpaid leave from your employer.
Get paid, and super
Your employer or Services Australia pays you. PLP must be included in your tax return. For children born from 1 July 2025, the ATO automatically pays super into your existing super fund after the end of the financial year. Just make sure your name and address match at the ATO, Services Australia and your super fund.

What documents do I need?

Centrelink Customer Reference Number (CRN), TFN and bank account
Your employer's ABN and contact details
Proof of residence status (citizenship certificate, passport, visa and similar) and any periods you lived overseas
Your income for the previous financial year; if you are over the individual limit, your partner's income for the same year
Work records: your work hours in the 13 months before the birth and any unpaid leave (with evidence if you are claiming an exception to the work test)
Your child's birth certificate or adoption papers (provided after the birth), and confirmation that the birth has been registered with the state or territory births registry

What should I watch out for?

Exceptions to the work test: you may be exempt if you had a pregnancy-related illness or complications, a premature birth, or worked in a dangerous job (the Dangerous Jobs provision). See Exceptions to the work test on the website.
Dad and Partner Pay no longer exists. For children born or adopted from 1 July 2023 it was combined into Parental Leave Pay, and no new claims have been accepted since 30 June 2024. Fathers and partners now claim PLP directly and use the family's shared days (including the days reserved for the partner).
The Newborn Upfront Payment and Newborn Supplement are different payments. They are paid with Family Tax Benefit Part A, and you cannot get both PLP and these two payments for the same child. Families who cannot get PLP may want to look at them.
You cannot get Family Tax Benefit Part B and PLP for the same day. If your family gets Part B, Centrelink adjusts it automatically.
Leave from your employer is separate. Employee entitlements such as unpaid parental leave are handled by the Fair Work Ombudsman and are separate from the government's PLP. You can arrange both at the same time.
You normally cannot work on the days you get PLP. The website lists allowable reasons that are exceptions. If you are not sure, ask Centrelink first.
Newly arrived resident's waiting period: if your permanent visa or partner provisional visa was granted on or after 1 January 2019, you wait 2 years for PLP. The time counts from when you are in Australia as an Australian resident (time overseas does not count). You must finish the waiting period before the birth or before the child comes into your care.
For questions, call the Centrelink families line on 136 150 (Monday to Friday, 8am–8pm).
This page is an unofficial plain-English summary of public information. Whether you can get PLP, and how much, depends on the assessment by Services Australia and the official website. It is not immigration, legal or financial advice.

What has changed recently?

2026-07-01
For children born or adopted from 1 July 2026: the maximum per family is 130 days (26 weeks), with 20 days reserved for the partner. Pre-birth claims submitted before 1 July were first recorded as 120 days and automatically increased by 10 days once the child was confirmed as born on or after 1 July. No new claim is needed.Source: servicesaustralia.gov.au ↗
2026-07-01
The rate for the 2026–27 financial year is A$200.94 a day (A$1,004.70 a week). It was A$189.62 a day (A$948.10 a week) in 2025–26.Source: servicesaustralia.gov.au ↗
2025-07-01
For children born or adopted from 1 July 2025: the maximum per family increased from 110 to 120 days, the days reserved for the partner from 10 to 15, and the days both parents can take at the same time from 10 to 20. The ATO also started paying super on PLP for these children (the Paid Parental Leave Superannuation Contribution), paid after the end of each financial year from 2026–27 onwards.Source: servicesaustralia.gov.au ↗

Common questions

How many weeks of Parental Leave Pay can I get in Australia?

It depends on when your child was born or adopted. For children born from 1 July 2024, a family can get up to 110 days (22 weeks); from 1 July 2025, 120 days (24 weeks); from 1 July 2026, 130 days (26 weeks), based on a 5-day week. If you have a partner, some days are reserved for them: 10, 15 or 20 days respectively. All days must be used within 2 years of the birth or adoption.

How much is Parental Leave Pay per day?

For the 2026–27 financial year it is A$200.94 a day before tax, or A$1,004.70 a week based on a 5-day week. In 2025–26 it was A$189.62 a day (A$948.10 a week). The rate is set from the national minimum wage and usually changes on 1 July. You get the rate for the financial year in which you are paid, not the year your child was born. PLP is taxable income.

Can I get Parental Leave Pay if I am self-employed or do not have a regular job? How does the work test work?

Yes, self-employed people and sole traders can get PLP, but you must still pass the work test. In the 13 months (392 days) before the birth or adoption, you must have worked for 10 months (295 days), with at least 330 hours in those 10 months, and no gap of more than 12 weeks between working days. Paid leave, several employers and self-employment all count. There are exceptions for pregnancy-related illness, premature birth and dangerous jobs.

What is the income limit for Parental Leave Pay?

The test uses your adjusted taxable income in the financial year before the birth, adoption or your claim, whichever is earlier. The individual limit is A$186,487 for 2025–26 (A$180,007 for 2024–25). If you are over that, you can use the family income test: you and your partner together must have A$386,525 or less for 2025–26 (A$373,094 for 2024–25). Single parents are assessed under the family limit.

I just got my PR and I am having a baby. Can I get Parental Leave Pay, and how long is the waiting period?

You usually have to wait 2 years. If your permanent visa or partner provisional visa was granted on or after 1 January 2019, the newly arrived resident's waiting period is 2 years, counted from the time you are in Australia as an Australian resident. Time overseas does not count, and you must finish the waiting period before the birth. There are exemptions, so Services Australia makes the final decision. Families who cannot get PLP may want to look at the Newborn Upfront Payment and Newborn Supplement.

Can fathers get Parental Leave Pay? Does Dad and Partner Pay still exist?

Yes, fathers and partners can get PLP. Dad and Partner Pay no longer exists: for children born or adopted from 1 July 2023 it was combined into Parental Leave Pay, and no new claims have been accepted since 30 June 2024. Fathers and partners now claim PLP directly and use the family's shared days, including the days reserved for the partner (20 days for children born from 1 July 2026). For children born from 1 July 2025, parents can take up to 20 days at the same time.

When should I claim Parental Leave Pay, and what is the deadline after the birth?

You can claim in myGov up to 3 months before the due date or adoption date. The first parent to claim must do so within 52 weeks of the birth or adoption, and other parents within 2 years. To be paid from the day of birth, submit both your claim and proof of birth within 14 weeks (100 days). After the birth, select Add Newborn in your Centrelink online account to provide proof of birth; the website asks you to do this within 56 days.

Does the government pay super on Parental Leave Pay?

Yes, for children born or adopted from 1 July 2025. After the end of the relevant financial year, the ATO automatically pays the Paid Parental Leave Superannuation Contribution into your existing super fund at the superannuation guarantee rate. You do not need to apply separately. Just make sure your name and address match at the ATO, Services Australia and your super fund.

Answers are based on the verified content of this page — the official source always prevails.

Where can I check the official information?

Parental Leave PayServices Australia · servicesaustralia.gov.au
How much Parental Leave Pay you can getServices Australia · servicesaustralia.gov.au
Meeting the income test for Parental Leave PayServices Australia · servicesaustralia.gov.au
Work requirements for Parental Leave PayServices Australia · servicesaustralia.gov.au
Residence rules for Parental Leave PayServices Australia · servicesaustralia.gov.au
Claiming timeframes for Parental Leave PayServices Australia · servicesaustralia.gov.au

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