Egypt (EG)
Egypt is one of the world's oldest civilisations — the land of the Pharaohs, the Great Pyramids of Giza, and the mighty Nile River.
Family Rights & Benefits
Maternity, parental leave and child benefits in Egypt.
Family rights in Egypt are governed by the Labour Code (Law 12/2003) for employment-related matters and by Personal Status Law for family law matters. Muslim Egyptians follow Islamic Personal Status Law; Coptic Christians follow their own personal status regulations; foreigners may apply their home country law for personal status matters in Egyptian courts (with caveats). Maternity protection is strong by regional standards; paternity leave is not legally mandated. Child welfare and custody disputes for international families can be complex — Egypt applies Sharia-based principles for Muslims regardless of nationality.
Maternity Leave (إجازة الأمومة — Igazat el-Omuma)
Before birth: No legally mandated pre-birth leave period — the 90-day entitlement runs from delivery. In practice, many employers allow flexible arrangements or medical leave before birth if the doctor recommends rest.
After birth: 4 months (approximately 120 days) of fully paid maternity leave under Egypt's new Labour Law No. 14 of 2025 (effective September 1, 2025 — updated from the previous 90-day/3-month entitlement under Law 12/2003). The new law: no minimum length of service required (previously 10 months); available up to 3 times total during employment (no longer restricted to the same employer). Employer and social insurance share the cost.
Job protection: Employees on maternity leave cannot be dismissed during the leave period. Dismissal citing maternity or pregnancy is explicitly prohibited under Labour Code Article 91 and constitutes unfair dismissal. Post-maternity nursing breaks: mothers are entitled to two 30-minute nursing breaks per working day (combinable into 1 hour) for 24 months from the date of birth — with no pay reduction.
Parental Leave (إجازة الوالدين)
Max duration: Egypt does not have a statutory shared parental leave system. After the 4-month maternity leave, there is no additional statutory parental leave entitlement. Some multinational employers provide enhanced parental leave as a policy benefit (additional unpaid or paid leave). Check whether Law 14/2025 added any paternity or parental provisions beyond the old Article 91 framework.
Split rules / Elterngeld: There is no splitting mechanism under Egyptian law — maternity leave is the mother's entitlement only. Fathers have no statutory paternity leave under Labour Code (some employers give 3–7 days as a contractual benefit). Any parental leave beyond the maternity entitlement is at the employer's discretion under company policy.
Benefits
Nursing Break Entitlement
2 paid breaks of 30 minutes each (may be combined to 1 hour) per working day
Duration: For 24 months from the date of birth
Eligibility: All employed mothers returning from maternity leave. Cannot be waived by employer.
How to apply: Notify your employer of your return and assert your nursing break entitlement in writing. Multinational HR teams will be familiar with this; local employers may need the legal reference (Labour Code Article 91).
The nursing break is a paid break — salary is not reduced for taking it. If the employer is far from home or does not have a nursing room, the break time can be used for pumping/expressing milk.
Social Insurance Maternity Benefit (NOSI)
Not applicable as a separate NOSI benefit — employer pays the full 90-day maternity leave salary directly
Duration: Approximately 120 days (4 months) under Labour Law No. 14/2025
Eligibility: The employer bears the cost of maternity pay directly under the Labour Code. NOSI does not provide a separate maternity cash benefit for private sector employees (unlike some countries where social insurance pays and the employer claims back).
How to apply: Notify employer of pregnancy and expected delivery date. Provide maternity certificate from doctor confirming delivery date when taking leave.
For women in the public (government) sector, different rules may apply under the Civil Service Law, which generally provides equal or more generous maternity provisions.
Childcare at Work (Large Employers)
No cash amount — on-site nursery entitlement
Duration: Ongoing while child is of nursery age
Eligibility: Labour Code requires employers with 100+ female employees to provide a nursery or contribute to nursery costs. This is rarely enforced in practice but provides a legal basis for negotiation.
How to apply: Raise with employer HR, citing Labour Code Article 94. In practice, most expat employers at multinationals provide a childcare allowance as part of the benefits package rather than an on-site facility.
The childcare allowance in expat packages at multinationals (USD 500–2,000/month towards international nursery costs) is far more common and valuable in practice than the statutory nursery provision.
Sick child leave
Egypt's Labour Code does not provide a specific statutory entitlement for sick child leave. Parents must use annual leave, personal leave, or employer discretionary leave if a child is ill. Some multinational employer policies include dedicated sick child leave days (typically 5–10 days/year per child). This is a contractual/policy benefit, not a legal right. For serious child illness, extended unpaid leave or paid annual leave would be used.
Birth registration
Egyptian birth registration: if your child is born in Egypt, register the birth at the Civil Status Authority (مصلحة الأحوال المدنية) within 15 days of delivery. Private hospitals assist with the process. You will also need to register the birth with your home country's embassy or consulate for a birth certificate and/or passport in your home country's nationality — critical for dual-nationality children. Documents required: hospital birth report, parents' passports, residence permits (Iqama), and marriage certificate (must be legalised if issued abroad).
Childcare rights
No state-subsidised childcare for foreign nationals. All nursery and childcare costs are private. Many multinational expat packages include a childcare/education allowance. Children may attend Egyptian government schools (free) but instruction is in Arabic and quality is mixed. International schools are the standard for expat children (fees EGP 80,000–800,000/year). For custody and guardianship, Egyptian courts apply Sharia law for Muslims regardless of nationality — international child abduction situations are complex; consult your embassy immediately if a custody dispute arises.
Family Rights
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