Sichuan Province has announced a draft policy to provide subsidies to employers for female employees on maternity leave. On March 6, the Sichuan Provincial Department of Human Resources and Social Security, along with six other departments, released the "Notice on Matters Related to the Implementation of Employer Subsidies During Female Employees' Maternity Leave (Draft for Comments)" for public feedback. The consultation period will run from March 7 to March 13, 2026.
The draft specifies the eligible entities, conditions, and subsidy standards. From November 28, 2025, private enterprises, individual businesses, and social service organizations within Sichuan that comply with the province's current maternity leave policies and pay basic pension insurance for female employees in a unit-based manner will qualify for the subsidy. The subsidy is set at 2,200 yuan per female employee who gives birth. This amount is based on the second tier of Sichuan's 2025 monthly minimum wage and will be adjusted dynamically in line with future changes to the provincial minimum wage.
Separately, Nanchong City in Sichuan has introduced measures to support families with second and third children. On March 2, the Nanchong Municipal Government published the "Six Measures to Stabilize the Newborn Population Scale," applicable to families registering marriages or having children between January 1, 2026, and December 31, 2028. To be eligible, at least one spouse must be a registered resident of Nanchong, and the newborn must also be registered there. The number of children is determined by the mother's count of living births.
The measures are divided into three categories. To reduce childbirth costs, newlywed families can receive up to 2,000 yuan in housing loan interest subsidies, while families with a second or third child are eligible for supplementary medical insurance fully funded by the government. Union member families can receive condolence gifts worth up to 4,800 yuan upon childbirth. To ease parenting burdens, families with a second child will receive a 50,000 yuan housing purchase subsidy, and those with a third child will get 100,000 yuan, with a maximum cumulative subsidy of 150,000 yuan for multiple children. These subsidies can also be used for purchasing parking spaces or commercial properties. Additional benefits include childcare consumption subsidies, up to 25,000 yuan in automobile purchase subsidies, and enforced maternity, paternity, and parental leave policies. Companies are encouraged to establish "family-friendly" positions. To alleviate educational pressure, a "siblings-attending-same-school" policy will be implemented, allowing multiple children to attend the same school. Families with a second or third child will also receive reductions in preschool education fees and after-school service charges for compulsory education.
In Shanghai, unemployed individuals receiving unemployment benefits will now have equal access to maternity insurance benefits. The Shanghai Medical Insurance Bureau issued a notice effective from March 1, 2026, to February 28, 2031. Unemployed individuals receiving benefits will be enrolled in the city's basic medical insurance and maternity insurance schemes by the human resources and social security department, with premiums covered by the unemployment insurance fund. The contribution base will be the lower limit of the social insurance contribution base for that month, with a total premium rate of 12%. During this period, they will receive the same medical and maternity insurance benefits as employed contributors, including maternity allowances and medical subsidies. The maternity allowance will be calculated at 60% of the average wage of urban employees in the previous year. Those who were previously insured and meet certain conditions but are not receiving unemployment benefits will continue to receive a monthly maternity allowance of 2,892 yuan. However, they will no longer be eligible for other medical or maternity subsidies from the unemployment insurance scheme. Provisions are also made for handling duplicate contributions and recovering overpayments.
Fujian Province has expanded maternity insurance coverage to include flexible workers and unemployed individuals receiving benefits. A notice from the Fujian Medical Insurance Bureau, effective March 1, 2026, for five years, outlines the changes. Flexible workers, such as migrant workers and those in new forms of employment who are enrolled in basic medical insurance, will be included in the maternity insurance scheme. Their contribution base will be the same as for medical insurance, with a premium rate of 0.7% paid individually. Unemployed individuals receiving benefits will also be covered, with contributions managed by social insurance agencies. To receive benefits, insured individuals must be in good standing with their contributions. The medical expense benefits will be no less than those for inpatient and outpatient services under the basic medical insurance plan. Maternity allowance eligibility requires continuous insurance coverage: employed individuals and those receiving unemployment benefits need 6 months for 50% of the allowance and 12 months for the full amount. Flexible workers require 12 months for 50% and 24 months for the full allowance. The allowance calculation base and duration will be consistent with those for employed workers.
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