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Macao's maternity leave will increase from 56 days to 70 days, also male employees are able to apply five working days of paid paternity leave within three years after becoming a father. The Legislative Assembly passed the general amendment to the Labor Relations Law with 25 valid votes and two abstentions on July 5, 2019, the amendment will be effective from the next day of official announcement.
The amendment proposes that a paid maternity leave will be increased from the current 56 days to 70 days and the government will set a three-year transitional period for employers to increase the maternity leave, and will subsidize up to a maximum of 14 days' basic wage for employers during this period. However, Macao's new maternity leave is still 28 days shorter than the 98 days recommended by the International Labor Organisation (ILO).
The ILO has paid close attention to women's protection since 1919. The purpose of the maternity leave remains the same over the years: to enable women to well balance the role of work and childbearing and also to prevent them from the unfair treatment due to childbirth.

Is the Macao government offering a greater protection and welfare to pregnant women? In fact, the Labor Relations Law has not been modified since 2008. It took almost 11 years for the evolution in Macao from a unpaid leave to a paid leave, an increased number of leave days and also the paid paternity leave for fathers. People have long sought to increase the number of days of maternity leave and paternity leave. It is widely recognized that the maternity leave and paternity leave are very necessary to both parents, while a woman needs time to physically heal from childbirth, the "new father", also has to take on responsibilities for caring the baby and the "new mum". This means both parents have to deal with so much pressure.

Leong Sun Iok, a legislator who represents Federação das Associações dos Operários de Macau said that the ILO's maternity leave standard is 14 weeks, and there is still a long distance to reach the international standard. Furthermore, another legislator Sulu Sou who represents the New Macau Association pointed out that the reference of the government to modify the bill was based on the standard of Hong Kong's policy of 1995, whereas Hong Kong is planning to increase the maternity leave to 98 days, according to media reports.

On the other hands, many parents have no choice but to find their own solutions if they do not want to give up their work. They usually ask their elder parents for help or hire a foreign domestic helper once their babies are born.

Eva Yuen , a 25-year-old new mum, decided to quit her job before the childbirth. She was excited about the government's amendment to extend the maternity leave from 56 days to 70 days. She also hoped the government can meet the minimum days of the international standard in the future.

Rita Lam will give birth to her first child in October. She thought the 56 days' maternity leave was too short, and even 70 days were short. "I'm really worried I won't be able to recover from the delivery, because my health is very weak and I am worried about my baby too." Lam urged the government to catch up with the international standard.