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Public Holidays in Singapore 2026 – Multi-Religious & Public Holidays

ByUzair ul haq
Public Holidays in Singapore

Singapore has 11 gazetted public holidays each year for employees covered by the Employment Act. In 2026, the calendar also includes additional Monday public-holiday dates because Vesak Day, National Day and Deepavali fall on Sundays. The schedule below uses the VisaBoards holiday database, while this guide explains Singapore’s replacement-day rules, paid holiday entitlements, religious-date confirmations and useful long weekends.

Next Public Holiday in Singapore

Date Day Holiday Status
November 8, 2026 Sunday Deepavali Confirmed

Public Holidays in Singapore 2026

Date Day Holiday Status
January 1, 2026 Thursday New Year’s Day Confirmed
February 17, 2026 Tuesday Chinese New Year Confirmed
February 18, 2026 Wednesday Chinese New Year Confirmed
March 21, 2026 Saturday Hari Raya Puasa Confirmed
April 3, 2026 Friday Good Friday Confirmed
May 1, 2026 Friday Labour Day Confirmed
May 27, 2026 Wednesday Hari Raya Haji Confirmed
May 31, 2026 Sunday Vesak Day Confirmed
June 1, 2026 Monday Vesak Day (Observed) Confirmed
August 9, 2026 Sunday National Day Confirmed
August 10, 2026 Monday National Day (Observed) Confirmed
November 8, 2026 Sunday Deepavali Confirmed
November 9, 2026 Monday Deepavali (Observed) Confirmed
December 25, 2026 Friday Christmas Day Confirmed

How Public Holidays Work in Singapore

The Singapore Ministry of Manpower states that employees covered by the Employment Act are entitled to 11 paid public holidays each year. These include two days for Chinese New Year as well as New Year’s Day, Hari Raya Puasa, Hari Raya Haji, Good Friday, Labour Day, Vesak Day, National Day, Deepavali and Christmas Day.

The official 2026 dates were published by the Ministry of Manpower and in Government Gazette No. 2258. The Gazette also identifies the Sunday holidays for which the following Monday becomes a public holiday.

What Happens When a Public Holiday Falls on Sunday?

Singapore has a statutory replacement rule for public holidays that fall on Sunday. Section 4 of the Holidays Act 1998 provides that when a scheduled public holiday falls on Sunday, the next following day that is not itself a public holiday is declared a public holiday.

This rule applies three times in the 2026 calendar. Vesak Day, National Day and Deepavali fall on Sundays, so the following Mondays are also public holidays. This is why a database counting individual public-holiday calendar dates contains more dates than the annual figure of 11 paid public holidays normally quoted by the Ministry of Manpower.

What Happens When a Public Holiday Falls on Saturday?

A Saturday public holiday does not automatically create a nationwide Monday public holiday in the same way as a Sunday holiday. This distinction matters in 2026 because Hari Raya Puasa falls on Saturday.

For employees on a five-day workweek, the Ministry of Manpower generally treats Saturday as a non-working day and Sunday as the rest day. If a public holiday falls on a non-working day, an employee is entitled to another day off or an extra day’s salary in lieu. If it falls on the employee’s rest day, the following working day becomes a paid holiday.

The actual entitlement can therefore depend on an employee’s work schedule. A Saturday holiday should not be converted into a nationwide Monday public holiday unless an official rule or announcement specifically provides for it.

Hari Raya Puasa and Hari Raya Haji in Singapore in 2026

Singapore’s initial 2026 public-holiday announcement identified the dates for Hari Raya Puasa and Hari Raya Haji as subject to confirmation. This reflects the separate process used to determine Islamic calendar dates.

The Mufti of Singapore subsequently confirmed that the first day of Syawal 1447H, and therefore Hari Raya Puasa, fell on Saturday, 21 March 2026. The announcement was published by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS).

Hari Raya Haji was also confirmed for Wednesday, 27 May 2026. Both Islamic public-holiday dates can therefore be treated as confirmed rather than tentative in the final 2026 holiday dataset.

Long Weekends in Singapore in 2026

For people whose normal weekend is Saturday and Sunday, six public holidays create natural three-day weekends in 2026 without requiring annual leave:

  • Good Friday: Friday, 3 April to Sunday, 5 April.
  • Labour Day: Friday, 1 May to Sunday, 3 May.
  • Vesak Day: Saturday, 30 May to Monday, 1 June, because the Sunday holiday is followed by a Monday public holiday.
  • National Day: Saturday, 8 August to Monday, 10 August, because National Day falls on Sunday.
  • Deepavali: Saturday, 7 November to Monday, 9 November, because Deepavali falls on Sunday.
  • Christmas: Friday, 25 December to Sunday, 27 December.

Employees with different rest-day arrangements may have different practical breaks, so these long weekends assume a standard Saturday-Sunday weekend.

Are Public Holidays Paid in Singapore?

Yes. Employees covered by Singapore’s Employment Act are entitled to 11 paid public holidays each year, subject to the applicable employment conditions. An employer and employee may also mutually agree to substitute another working day for a public holiday.

When an eligible employee is required to work on a public holiday, the Ministry of Manpower’s public-holiday rules provide for additional compensation or, where the applicable rules allow it, time off in lieu. Employees should check the current Ministry of Manpower public holiday guidance for the rules applying to their employment arrangement.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many public holidays are there in Singapore in 2026?

The Ministry of Manpower states that employees covered by the Employment Act are entitled to 11 paid public holidays a year. For the VisaBoards 2026 database, there are 14 nationwide public-holiday calendar dates because Vesak Day, National Day and Deepavali fall on Sundays and are each followed by an additional Monday public holiday.

What is the next public holiday in Singapore?

The next public holiday changes during the year. Use the Next Public Holiday in Singapore section near the top of this page for the current holiday name, date and countdown.

Does Singapore give a Monday holiday when a public holiday falls on Sunday?

Yes. Under the Holidays Act, when a scheduled public holiday falls on Sunday, the next following day that is not itself a public holiday is declared a public holiday.

Does a Saturday public holiday automatically move to Monday in Singapore?

No. A Saturday public holiday does not automatically create a nationwide Monday public holiday. For employees whose Saturday is a non-working day, Ministry of Manpower rules provide for another day off or an extra day’s salary in lieu rather than a universal Monday replacement.

Is Hari Raya Puasa confirmed for 21 March 2026 in Singapore?

Yes. The Mufti of Singapore confirmed that the first day of Syawal 1447H fell on Saturday, 21 March 2026, establishing Hari Raya Puasa on that date.

Is Hari Raya Haji confirmed for 27 May 2026?

Yes. Hari Raya Haji in Singapore was confirmed for Wednesday, 27 May 2026.

Are employees paid for public holidays in Singapore?

Employees covered by the Employment Act are entitled to 11 paid public holidays each year, subject to the relevant statutory conditions.

Can an employer replace a public holiday with another working day?

Yes. The Ministry of Manpower states that an employer and employee may mutually agree to substitute a public holiday with another working day.

Who announces public holidays in Singapore?

The Ministry of Manpower publishes Singapore’s annual public-holiday calendar, while official public-holiday notifications may also be published in the Government Gazette. Islamic calendar dates such as Hari Raya Puasa and Hari Raya Haji are confirmed through Singapore’s Islamic religious authority.

Official Sources for Public Holidays in Singapore

Uzair ul haq

CEO Visaboards & IT Consultant

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