Australia Paid Parental Leave 26 Weeks From 1 July 2026: Full Guide

What is Parental Leave Pay?

Parental Leave Pay (PPL) is the Australian Government’s paid leave payment for eligible working parents. It is paid at the national minimum wage rate and can be taken as a block or in flexible individual days.

PPL is separate from any paid parental leave your employer provides — you may be entitled to both (subject to your employer’s policy).

Key changes in 2025–2026

Two significant changes have recently expanded PPL:

1. Superannuation on PPL — from 1 July 2025 (already live)

From 1 July 2025, super contributions are paid on top of PPL payments. This was a long-standing gap — parental leave was one of the few paid periods where super was not accrued, disproportionately affecting women’s retirement savings.

Super is paid at the standard Superannuation Guarantee rate (currently 11.5%, rising to 12% from 1 July 2025) on each PPL payment. The super is paid directly into your nominated super fund by the ATO after you lodge your tax return.

2. Extension to 26 weeks — from 1 July 2026

From 1 July 2026, the maximum PPL entitlement increases from 22 weeks (110 days) to 26 weeks (130 days).

The additional 20 days is reserved for the second parent — designed to encourage both parents to share leave.
If only one parent takes leave, they can still access the full 26 weeks; however, the scheme is designed to incentivise sharing.
Flexible days can be taken non-consecutively up to 2 years after the child’s birth or adoption.

PPL payment rate

PPL is paid at the national minimum wage:

From 1 July 2025: $189.62 per day (based on the 2025–26 minimum wage).
From 1 July 2026: rising to approximately $200.98 per day (based on the 2026–27 minimum wage, pending Fair Work Commission determination).

Note: these figures change each July with the minimum wage review.

Who is eligible?

Primary carer (usually the birth parent or main carer after adoption):

Must be the primary carer of the child.
Have met the work test: worked for at least 10 of the 13 months before the expected birth/adoption date, with at least 330 hours in that period (no single gap longer than 8 weeks).
Income: adjusted taxable income of $175,000 or less for the individual, or combined income of $350,000 or less as a couple.
Australian resident.

Second parent / partner:

Must also meet the work test and income test.
From 1 July 2026: has a dedicated 20-day reserved entitlement (in addition to the primary carer’s days).

How to claim

Register the birth with your state registry (Births, Deaths and Marriages).
Log in to myGov and link your Centrelink account.
Claim PPL through Centrelink online — ideally before the birth (you can claim up to 3 months early) so payments start as soon as the child is born.
Provide your employer’s details if your employer will distribute the payments (for older arrangements) or receive payments directly from Centrelink.
Nominate your super fund for the super contribution top-up.

Combining government PPL with employer leave

You can receive government PPL while on employer-funded parental leave if your employer approves it — some employers have “top up” arrangements.
You cannot receive government PPL at the same time as employer leave that constitutes a “parental leave payment” — there are specific rules; check with Services Australia.

PPL and childcare

If your child is in approved childcare during your PPL period, you may still be eligible for the Child Care Subsidy Three-Day Guarantee (72 hours per fortnight without an activity test). This can apply, for example, if an older sibling is in care while you care for the new baby at home.