Canada's Generous Benefits for Mothers: A Look at Maternity Benefits Around the World

Canada’s Generous Benefits for Mothers: A Look at Maternity Benefits Around the World

Canada is indeed – thankfully – for all of us very generous to its mothers. Depending on where you live and work in Canada, you could be eligible for up to 52 weeks of paid maternity leave that can be split with your spouse (as an additional top up to Employment Insurance). Mothers in some other countries aren’t quite so lucky. While mothers in Sweden and Finland enjoy some of the world’s best maternity leave and parental benefits.

• Sweden: Parents can share the benefit of 80 weeks of paid leave, where they receive 80 percent of their salary for the first 65 weeks and a flat rate for the remaining 15 weeks.
• UK: Moms have a 52-week statutory maternity leave, with up to 90 percent pay for the first 39 weeks.
• Canada: New moms can take 15 weeks maternity leave and share an additional 35 weeks parental leave with the father. The first 35 weeks are paid at 55 percent of wages.
• Chile: 100 percent of pay for 30 weeks of parental leave
• Australia: 18 weeks at 100 pay
• China: 98 days at 100 percent pay

For over 75 years every child born in Finland receives a present from the government. A sturdy cardboard box filled with newborn essentials like diapers, bedding, gender neutral clothing, bath supplies and winter gear. Kela, the government department that issues the box actually gives mothers a choice – $140 euros or the gift box with baby essentials.

Maternity Package Each Mother Recieves from the Kela Department, Finland

Source: Kela

Maternity leaves are much more than simply time off for childcare — they can also strongly impact the rest of a child’s life. According to a report by non-governmental organization Save The Children, in countries with longer periods of parental leave, children were found to be breastfed for longer and their life expectancy was higher.

This infographic below presents a fascinating look at how everything from child birth and maternity leave to breastfeeding and how baby naming is handled in the US, England, China, Egypt, South Africa and beyond.