Chile (CL)
South America's most stable and developed economy, Chile stretches 4,300 km from the Atacama Desert to Patagonia.
Family Rights & Benefits
Maternity, parental leave and child benefits in Chile.
Chilean family leave rights are governed by the Código del Trabajo and supplemented by social insurance through FONASA and the AFP system. The postnatal parental leave system (Ley 20.545, 2011) provides one of the most generous maternity leave entitlements in Latin America — 24 weeks of paid leave for the birth parent, followed by 12 weeks of transferable parental leave. Paternity leave (fuero paternal) is 5 days paid. Child sick leave (enfermedad grave del hijo menor) allows a parent to take paid leave to care for a seriously ill child under 18. Family allowances (asignación familiar) are paid through FONASA for lower-income workers. Chile's Chile Crece Contigo (ChCC) universal child development support programme provides free maternity, infant health, education, and social support from pregnancy to age 9 for all residents enrolled in FONASA.
Prenatal and postnatal leave — Licencia Médica Pre y Postnatal
Before birth: Prenatal leave (prenatal): 6 weeks before the expected birth date. The FONASA or ISAPRE licencia médica (medical leave certificate) provides 100% of gross salary up to a monthly cap of approximately CLP $4,000,000 (2026 — updated annually based on UF). Issued by an obstetrician or CESFAM doctor. Processed via the LME (Licencia Médica Electrónica) system automatically. If the baby is born before the 6-week prenatal period is completed, unused prenatal days are added to the postnatal leave.
After birth: Postnatal leave (postnatal): 12 weeks (84 days) after birth. Paid at 100% of gross salary up to the same monthly cap. Postnatal leave is extended for premature births and multiple births (twins, triplets). After the 12-week postnatal: an additional 12-week parental leave (postnatal parental) at 100% if taken full-time, or extended to 18 weeks at 50% salary if taken part-time (returning to work part-time). Total maximum: 24 weeks full-time paid leave post-birth. Miscarriage and stillbirth: a specific bereavement leave of up to 3 days plus medical licencia is available.
Job protection: Fuero maternal: the birth parent cannot be dismissed from the start of pregnancy until one year after the end of postnatal parental leave. Dismissal during fuero requires prior authorisation from the Juzgado del Trabajo (labour court). Even dismissal for causa justa during fuero requires court approval. Fuero applies to workers with an employment contract — independent contractor (boleta de honorarios) workers do not have fuero maternal. Reinstatement: if dismissed during fuero without court approval, the worker can claim reinstatement and back pay.
Postnatal parental leave — Permiso Postnatal Parental
Max duration: 12 weeks (84 days) full-time at 100% salary, or 18 weeks at 50% salary if returning part-time. The parental leave period begins immediately after the 12-week postnatal leave ends — there is no gap.
Split rules / Elterngeld: Transfer to the father or co-parent (non-birth parent): the birth parent can transfer up to 6 weeks (42 days) of the postnatal parental leave to the father or non-birth co-parent, provided the co-parent is also in formal employment and enrolled in the AFP/FONASA system. The transfer is communicated to the employer via official FONASA form. The transferred portion is paid from FONASA/ISAPRE at the same rate (100% full-time salary up to the cap). Both parents cannot take the parental leave simultaneously (except the final week, which can overlap). Single parents with sole custody receive the full 12-week parental leave without transfer requirement.
Benefits
Asignación Familiar (Family Allowance)
CLP $14,075–14,890 per child per month (2026 Tramo A, lowest income bracket). Reduced amounts for higher income brackets. Three income tranches exist — check the Superintendencia de Seguridad Social (suseso.cl) for current rates.
Duration: Monthly, from birth until the child finishes secondary education (age 18) or university (age 24 if enrolled)
Eligibility: FONASA-enrolled workers earning below the Tramo A income threshold (~CLP $400,000–500,000/month gross). Administered through the employer for formal employees. Self-employed boleta workers apply directly to FONASA.
How to apply: Formal employees: employer registers the child's birth with the FONASA/AFP payment system — the allowance is paid via salary payroll. Self-employed: apply at fonasa.cl or FONASA office with cédula and birth certificate. The employer deducts the allowance from their FONASA contribution payment.
The asignación familiar is not means-tested per se — the amount reduces by income tranche but is not zero for most formal workers. Children studying at university: provide proof of enrollment annually.
Subsidio Único Familiar (SUF)
Same rate as Asignación Familiar Tramo A — approximately CLP $14,075–14,890/month per child in 2026
Duration: From birth until age 18 (or 24 if in education)
Eligibility: Informal workers and families who do not access Asignación Familiar through formal employment — specifically those without AFP affiliation or in the Sistema Único de Prestaciones Familiares. Most useful for irregular workers and those without formal employment contracts.
How to apply: Apply at the nearest Municipio (municipalidad) via the OMIL (Oficina Municipal de Intermediación Laboral) or ChileAtiende portal (chileatiende.cl). Required documents: cédula, birth certificate, proof of income, proof of Chilean residency.
Cannot receive both Asignación Familiar and SUF simultaneously for the same child.
Chile Crece Contigo (ChCC) — universal early childhood support
Non-cash universal programme: free maternity monitoring, baby hamper (ajuar) provided at birth (crib, clothing, health kit), free early childhood education spots at sala cuna and jardín infantil for vulnerable families, home visits by social workers for high-risk pregnancies.
Duration: From first obstetric check-in during pregnancy to age 9 (school entry)
Eligibility: All pregnant persons enrolled in FONASA in Chile — universal access regardless of income for the basic programme. Enhanced support (bonos, additional services) targeted at the most vulnerable 40% of the population.
How to apply: Register at the CESFAM (Centro de Salud Familiar) nearest to your address when pregnant — brings you into the ChCC system automatically. No separate application required.
Expats enrolled in FONASA access ChCC on the same basis as Chilean nationals. The ajuar (baby hamper — estimated value CLP $300,000–400,000) is provided at the first obstetric appointment at a CESFAM. A key benefit for expat families who have limited family support in Chile.
Permiso de Paternidad (Paternity Leave)
Full salary paid by employer (not by FONASA)
Duration: 5 working days
Eligibility: All fathers in formal employment (contrato de trabajo). Not available for boleta de honorarios workers.
How to apply: Notify employer and present birth certificate. The employer is legally obligated to grant the 5 days — it cannot be denied or moved to a later date. The 5 days begin from the day of birth or hospital discharge (whichever is later).
Fuero paternal: the father has job protection (cannot be dismissed) during the period of the paternity leave and for 30 days after. 2026 legislative discussion: proposals to extend paternity leave to 10 days are in congress — check for updates.
Bono de Invierno (Winter Bonus)
CLP $32,000–55,000/month (2026 estimate — rates adjusted annually for seniors)
Duration: Paid each May for seniors qualifying under the pension solidarity system
Eligibility: Seniors aged 65+ receiving the PBS (Pensión Básica Solidaria) or APS (Aporte Previsional Solidario)
How to apply: Automatic for PBS/APS recipients — paid via the same channel as the pension.
Designed to help elderly cover additional heating costs in winter. Not directly relevant to new expat families but relevant to expats retiring in Chile.
Sick child leave
Permiso para enfermedad grave del hijo (sick child leave): a parent (mother or father, alternating) may take paid medical leave to care for a child under 18 who is seriously ill (enfermedad grave) — certified by a doctor. The leave is paid at 100% salary by FONASA/ISAPRE, not the employer. For children under 1 year: any illness requiring home care qualifies (broader standard). For children 1–18 years: the illness must be classified as "grave" (serious) under FONASA criteria. Sibling caretaker leave: if there is no parent available, a sibling, grandparent, or other caretaker can apply. The LME (electronic medical certificate) is issued directly by the treating doctor and submitted to FONASA. The employer cannot deny this leave — it is a statutory right under the Código del Trabajo (Art. 199).
Birth registration
Births in Chile must be registered at the Servicio de Registro Civil e Identificación (registrocivil.cl) within 60 days of birth. For hospital births: the hospital typically initiates the registration process on behalf of the parents — confirm with the hospital before leaving. For home births or births without hospital involvement: bring the birth certificate issued by the midwife/medical attendant and both parents' cédulas/passports to the Registro Civil. Children born in Chile to foreign parents who are legal residents are Chilean citizens by birth (jus soli). Parents who are foreign nationals register the child as a Chilean national — the child can also register the parents' nationality through the relevant embassy. Dual citizenship from birth is legally possible and common. RUT: the child's RUT is assigned at birth registration — essential for future education, healthcare, and benefits.
Childcare rights
Employers with 20 or more female workers of any age are legally required to provide or subsidise sala cuna (daycare) for children under 2 — either on-site or via a subsidy for a nearby registered sala cuna (Código del Trabajo, Art. 203). The obligation covers all female workers, including those on fixed-term contracts. For employers not meeting the threshold, some municipalities offer subsidised sala cuna spots through the Junta Nacional de Jardines Infantiles (JUNJI) and Fundación Integra. JUNJI provides free jardín infantil (nursery, ages 2–6) for families in the bottom 60% of income. Costs: private sala cuna CLP $100,000–300,000/month; private jardín infantil CLP $50,000–200,000/month. Priority access to public jardín infantil via Chile Crece Contigo for families in the vulnerability registry.
Family Rights
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