Sands China Ltd will increase the paid maternity leave period for team members from 70 days to 90 days and paid paternity leave from five days to seven days, becoming the first gaming concessionaire in Macau to raise maternity leave to 90 days, effective from 1 March 2026.
The company confirmed Thursday that, under the new policy, female employees with at least one year of service are entitled to 90 days of paid maternity leave, while male employees are entitled to seven days of paid paternity leave. The company said it hopes that by improving these policies, team members will have more time to spend with their families during an important milestone while receiving broader care and support as they welcome a new baby.
“We hope that through this adjustment to paid maternity and paternity leave, employees will have more time to care for and bond with their newborns,” said Paulo Cheong, Senior Vice President of Human Resources for Sands China Ltd.
“This will also allow postpartum mothers to get more rest, help employees’ families adapt more smoothly to the changes brought by their new lives and build happy and fulfilling families.”
Macau’s birth rate has remained weak in recent years, falling to a record low. The total number of births in 2025 was 2,871, the lowest figure since 1978. Separately, according to data cited in the United Nations’ 2024 World Fertility Report, Macau’s total fertility rate has dropped to an extremely low level, with women of childbearing age having an average of only 0.68 children, making it one of the lowest-fertility regions in the world.
To encourage childbirth, the Macau government has introduced various measures in recent years, including a three-year childcare allowance. More recently, authorities have proposed amending the law to raise statutory maternity leave from 70 days to 90 days and are currently conducting a public consultation on the measure.
Macau’s gaming concessionaires have also followed the government’s direction by improving workplace parenting support. Since September 2025, eligible full-time team members at Sands China have been entitled to up to six days of paid Child Care Leave. The company also offers a “Parenthood Support Shift” under which team members may take one hour off work each day for 90 consecutive days after a newborn’s birth. Employees who would otherwise work rotating shifts may also be assigned fixed working hours during this period, helping them maintain a more stable routine in the early stages of childcare and better balance family and work.
