Greenland (GL)
Greenland is the world's largest island and an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, known for its vast ice sheet, dramatic fjords, and indigenous Greenlandic (Kalaallit) culture.
Family Rights & Benefits
Maternity, parental leave and child benefits in Greenland.
Greenland (Kalaallit Nunaat) has its own social legislation, administered through Sullissivik (the main public services portal) and local municipalities. The parental leave framework provides paid maternity, paternity, and shared parental leave for employees active in the Greenlandic labour market. Greenland is not part of the EU and does not follow Danish social law directly — it has its own legislative framework enacted by the Inatsisartut (Parliament of Greenland). Geographic realities matter for families: healthcare for complicated pregnancies often requires travel to Copenhagen or Danish hospitals, and all childcare relies on municipal capacity which is limited in smaller settlements.
Barselsorlov / Brystmælksorlov (Maternity Leave)
Before birth: 2 weeks prenatal leave starting from 2 weeks before the expected due date. Medical complications may allow earlier leave with doctor certification.
After birth: 15 weeks post-natal maternity leave (extended to 19 weeks in the case of multiple births, depending on employment contract). Parental benefit is paid every 14 days by the public benefit system (Sullissivik/municipality) and is taxable. The rate is calculated based on your earnings history — confirm the current weekly maximum with your employer or Sullissivik as amounts are reviewed periodically. Eligibility: you must have been active in the Greenlandic labour market for at least 13 weeks before commencing leave.
Job protection: Employment protection during maternity leave is provided under Greenlandic employment law and your employment contract. Dismissal connected to pregnancy or maternity leave is unlawful. Return to the same or equivalent position is expected. Expat employees on fixed-term or project-based contracts should confirm in writing with their employer before birth how the leave interacts with the contract term.
Forældreolov (Shared Parental Leave)
Max duration: After the maternity period, parents are entitled to 21 weeks of shared parental leave (25 weeks for twins). Fathers are entitled to 3 weeks paternity leave within the first 15 weeks of the child's life. The total available leave from birth is: mother (15 weeks maternity) + shared parental leave (21 weeks) = up to 36 weeks, plus the 2-week prenatal period for the mother. Both parents can divide the 21 parental weeks between them. Total maximum leave across both parents: up to 38 weeks from birth (42 weeks with twins).
Split rules / Elterngeld: The 21 weeks of parental leave can be divided freely between the two parents by agreement. Parental benefit is paid to whichever parent is taking the leave at any given time. Both parents cannot receive benefit simultaneously for the same child. Confirm the specific split arrangement with your employer and Sullissivik before taking leave.
Benefits
Parental Benefit (Barselsdagpenge)
Based on earnings history up to a weekly maximum set under Greenlandic social legislation; paid every 14 days and taxable. Contact Sullissivik (sullissivik.gl) for the current weekly maximum rate — amounts are reviewed annually.
Duration: Mother: up to 17 weeks (2 pre-natal + 15 post-natal); father: up to 3 weeks paternity; shared parental leave: 21 weeks
Eligibility: Employees and self-employed individuals who have been active in the Greenlandic labour market for at least 13 weeks in the period before taking leave. Permit conditions and CPR registration must be valid.
How to apply: Apply through Sullissivik (sullissivik.gl) or at your local municipal office. You will need: CPR number, employer confirmation of leave start date, earnings documentation. Applications should be submitted before the leave start date.
Parental benefit is taxable income. Benefit interaction with work permits: if your right to remain in Greenland is tied to employment (work permit), confirm with your employer and immigration authority whether taking parental leave affects your permit status.
Child Allowance (Børnetilskud)
Eligibility and amount depend on income, number of children, and municipality. Contact your municipality or Sullissivik for current amounts.
Duration: Until child reaches qualifying age under municipal/social rules
Eligibility: Resident families with qualifying children. Income-tested in many cases. Expats must confirm eligibility through their municipality — not all permit categories qualify.
How to apply: Apply through Sullissivik or at the municipal social services office. Required: CPR numbers for parent and child, residency documentation, income information.
Do not budget assuming eligibility. Child allowances in Greenland vary significantly by municipality. Some remote municipality offices may have limited digital services — plan for in-person visits.
Childcare Subsidy (Dagtilbud)
Municipal and income-dependent subsidy. Monthly fees at municipal childcare are typically subsidised based on household income.
Duration: While child is enrolled in municipal childcare
Eligibility: Resident families whose children are enrolled in a municipal childcare facility and who meet residency/permit conditions
How to apply: Apply for a childcare place through the municipality as soon as you know your arrival date — waiting lists are common, especially in smaller settlements.
Waitlists for municipal childcare are a real constraint in Greenland. Apply immediately on arrival or even before. Private childcare options are very limited outside Nuuk. Many expat families negotiate childcare support as part of their employment package.
Sick child leave
Sick-child leave provisions depend on employment contract and applicable collective agreements. There is no separate statutory sick-child leave law in Greenland equivalent to Scandinavian VAB-day systems. Parents typically use personal sick leave (with medical certificate), annual leave, or informal flexible arrangements with the employer for short-term child illness. Remote working is geographically limited in many Greenlandic workplaces. Plan childcare backup arrangements carefully, especially during the winter season when illness is frequent and weather may disrupt both childcare and work.
Birth registration
Births in Greenland are registered through the health system and the CPR register (Central Person Register) via the local municipality. The hospital or birth clinic initiates the birth notification, after which parents must complete CPR registration for the child. The child's CPR number is required for all subsequent healthcare, benefit, and municipal services. Foreign parents must also register the birth with their home-country embassy or consulate — Denmark does not have a local embassy in Greenland; the nearest Danish missions are in Copenhagen. Most foreign nationalities have consular representation in Copenhagen — contact your embassy promptly after birth for the child's citizenship documentation.
Childcare rights
Municipal childcare (dagtilbud — daycare and kindergarten) is available in Greenland's larger towns and settlements, but capacity is a significant constraint. In Nuuk, the capital, waiting lists for municipal childcare can extend 6–18 months. In smaller communities, childcare may be informal or non-existent. Apply for a childcare place through your municipality immediately on arriving — do not wait until after birth. Private or employer-sponsored childcare is occasionally available for organisations with field-posted employees. The childcare and early-learning framework is overseen by the Greenlandic government's social and family affairs ministry.
Family Rights
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