Comparing countries maternity benefits

[bale002]

In Italy, six months paid leave and the option of another six months without pay but guarantee of job upon return.

At one point, the government was paying (or proposed to pay) €1,000 per child, but I don't recall whether the proposal actually passed or has expired.

I believe in France there is, or was, a program to pay the family increasing amounts for each child, even up to €10,000 for four or five if I remember correctly.

Good point, however, that you need to become a resident and actually have stable full-time employment before becoming eligible for these benefits.

Overall, however, no doubt that the US is becoming an increasingly scary place to live and you do well to sort out your options elsewhere.

[ABQConvict]

In Norway, you have a choice of 12 months at 80% pay or 8 months at 100% pay. This can be taken by either the mother or the father. The spouse who opts out of leave is obligated to take one month at 100% pay.


ABQConvict

[Phantessa]

Great points all around, thank you for the input. We are primarily looking at English speaking countries. And I have been looking into what I would need to be able to counsel in several other countries(UK especially), and it does not seem to be an issue. My husband would most likely be a student at the time and that also seems to be reasonable price wise. He's very open to several different career possibilities as well.

[Busyfornature]

Hi,

Just to give you an idea about the nursery costs here in the UK. On a full-time basis (5 days a week, 8-5:30) it costs some 700 GB pounds. This is about 1,100 USD according to xe.com.

You need one very good source of income if you want to stay at home and look after your little one. We are both working professionals with full-time jobs, but even for us it is quite expensive.

Nice areas here also come with a price tag, and I'm sure that's what you want for your baby.

Hope this helps. All the best!

[Busyfornature]

And a further update (sorry, should have included this in my previous post). Just checked with my wife and she had 3 months at full pay (she was with a very caring company at the time) followed by a period of statutory maternity pay, which was something like 400 GB pounds per month. She returned to work in about 7 months. However, this was a few years back, the system may have changed.