Canada’s parental leave is generous, and ranks averagely in comparison to many countries. However, it is not as comprehensive or financially supportive as the systems in the Nordic countries.
Canada
Under the Employment Insurance (EI) system, Canadian parents can take up to 18 months of parental leave (combining maternity and paternity leave) with partial wage replacement.
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However, the income replacement rate is relatively low compared to many European countries (up to 55% of income, up to $668/week).
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For this reason, Canada ranks 23rd in terms of leave, one of the lowest ranks among high-income countries. Although the country offers 12 to 18 months of paid leave, it is not universally accessible and often does not meet the needs of all parents.
Comparisons
Sweden:
- Sweden is ranked 9th according to UNICEF due to its generous parental leave policies.
- Parents are entitled to up to 480 days of paid leave, with the first 390 days paid at 80% of their income, and the remaining days at a lower rate.
- Additionally, 90 days of this leave are reserved specifically for each parent, ensuring that both partners share the caregiving responsibilities.
Norway:
- Norway is ranked 6th by UNICEF due to progressive and inclusive policies.
- Parents are offered extensive parental leave options, with up to 49 weeks at 100% pay or 59 weeks at 80% pay.
- Like Sweden, Norway encourages shared leave between both parents.
Japan:
- Japan is ranked 1st according to UNICEF, and is often considered the gold standard for parental leave.
- Parents can take up to one year of leave, with the option to extend for an additional year. This allows parents ample time to care for their children during critical early years of development.
- During the first six months, parents are typically offered 80% of their salary, and this support decreases afterwards. This ensures that parents and guardians are alleviated of financial burdens when taking time off to care for their children.
- The government has implemented policies to make it easier for fathers to take paternity leave, including offering financial incentives and making the process more accessible. Although cultural norms around gender roles are changing slowly, these policies aim to address the longstanding imbalance where mothers took most of the leave.