National Assembly decided: Women have 7 months of maternity leave when giving birth to a second child, priority for buying social housing

The new Population Law, passed by the National Assembly, has added many policies to maintain the replacement fertility rate, including 7 months of maternity leave for women giving birth to their second child, and priority access to social housing for those with two or more children.

Meeting scene - Photo: GIA HAN

On the morning of December 10, with 448/450 delegates present participating in the vote in favor, the National Assembly passed the Population Law.

The newly passed law has 8 chapters with 30 articles. The new law will take effect from July 1, 2026.

Priority is given to people with 2 or more biological children when buying social housing.

Before the delegates voted, Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan, on behalf of the drafting agency, presented a summary of the draft law after receiving and revising it.

According to the minister, this draft Population Law marks a fundamental change, shifting the focus of population policy from family planning to population and development.

These contents have been demonstrated in the synchronous resolution of issues regarding size, structure, aging adaptation, and improving population quality in relation to economic and social development.

Regarding the proposal to adjust the state's population policy on population work, the Government has accepted and finalized the draft law, adding provisions on the state's population policy.

The adjusted contents are regulations of a principled and general orientation nature, reflecting the overall macro-policy groups of population work, closely following the guidelines and policies of the Party and State.

In addition, there are regulations on maintaining replacement fertility, adapting to population aging, improving population quality, approaching the life cycle, ensuring feasible long-term fundamental measures based on practical assessment and selection of international experience.

Minister Dao Hong Lan - Photo: GIA HAN

Regarding the policy of maintaining replacement fertility, the draft law has added provisions in the direction of prescribing a comprehensive policy orientation framework such as policies on education, health care, housing and other policies to increase the birth rate to achieve sustainable replacement fertility.

Support during maternity leave and financial support when giving birth are classified by target group and locality, with priority given to renting, buying, and leasing-purchasing social housing according to the provisions of the law on housing.

Specifically, according to the new law, measures to maintain replacement fertility include the case of giving birth to a second child, maternity leave for female workers is 7 months; for male workers is 10 working days when the wife gives birth.

Financial support for childbirth is provided to women from ethnic minority groups with very small populations. It is also provided to women in provinces and cities with birth rates below the replacement level. Furthermore, it is provided to women who have given birth to two children before the age of 35.

Priority is given to purchase, hire-purchase or rent social housing in accordance with the provisions of the law on housing for people with two or more biological children. Other measures are decided by the Government.

Thus, the maternity leave period for female workers giving birth to their second child has increased by one month compared to the current law, and the maternity leave for male workers when their wives give birth has also increased.

Adding provisions on proactive aging.

Regarding policies related to adapting to population aging, the draft law has revised and supplemented provisions on proactive measures for old age.

This includes preparing in terms of health, finances, and psychology; participating in social insurance and health insurance; engaging in learning to improve knowledge and skills to maintain physical and mental health and social functioning; and participating in activities to support and care for the elderly.

The bill also amends and supplements regulations on elderly care, developing diverse forms of elderly care at home and in the community.

Regulations for developing human resources in elderly care are based on separating formal and informal caregiving groups, thereby establishing mechanisms to support training in elderly care skills appropriate for each group.