Public Holidays in Timor-Leste 2026 – National & Catholic Holidays

Public holidays in Timor-Leste in 2026 include nationally recognised historical, religious and civic holidays established under the country’s public-holiday legislation. The official 2026 calendar contains 18 confirmed national public holiday dates, including both fixed-date holidays and four variable-date religious holidays whose dates have been formally set for the year.

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Next Public Holiday in Timor-Leste

Date	Day	Holiday	Status
November 1, 2026	Sunday	All Saints Day	Confirmed

Public Holidays in Timor-Leste 2026

Date	Day	Holiday	Status
January 1, 2026	Thursday	New Year’s Day	Confirmed
March 3, 2026	Tuesday	Veterans Day	Confirmed
March 20, 2026	Friday	Idul Fitri	Confirmed
April 3, 2026	Friday	Holy Friday	Confirmed
May 1, 2026	Friday	World Labour Day	Confirmed
May 20, 2026	Wednesday	Restoration of Independence Day	Confirmed
May 27, 2026	Wednesday	Idul Adha	Confirmed
June 4, 2026	Thursday	Corpus Christi	Confirmed
August 30, 2026	Sunday	Popular Consultation Day	Confirmed
November 1, 2026	Sunday	All Saints Day	Confirmed
November 2, 2026	Monday	All Souls Day	Confirmed
November 3, 2026	Tuesday	National Women’s Day	Confirmed
November 12, 2026	Thursday	National Youth Day	Confirmed
November 28, 2026	Saturday	Proclamation of Independence Day	Confirmed
December 7, 2026	Monday	Memorial Day	Confirmed
December 8, 2026	Tuesday	Day of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception and Timor-Leste Patroness	Confirmed
December 25, 2026	Friday	Christmas Day	Confirmed
December 31, 2026	Thursday	National Heroes Day	Confirmed

How Public Holidays Are Regulated in Timor-Leste

Timor-Leste’s national holiday system is primarily governed by Law No. 10/2005 of 10 August, as subsequently amended. The law establishes the legal framework for national public holidays, official commemorative dates and authorised days off known as tolerância de ponto.

The Government of Timor-Leste published the official national holiday calendar for 2026 through the Presidency of the Council of Ministers. The announcement identifies both fixed-date and variable-date national holidays for the year.

Fixed and Variable Public Holidays in Timor-Leste

Timor-Leste distinguishes between public holidays that fall on a fixed calendar date and holidays whose Gregorian date can change from one year to another.

Fixed-Date National Holidays

Most of Timor-Leste’s public holidays have fixed dates. These include major national commemorations such as Veterans Day, Restoration of Independence Day, Popular Consultation Day, National Youth Day, Proclamation of Independence Day and National Heroes Day, together with several Christian and civic holidays.

Because their dates are established by law, fixed-date holidays normally remain on the same calendar date each year unless the legislation itself is amended.

Variable-Date National Holidays

Four national public holidays have variable dates in 2026: Idul Fitri, Holy Friday, Idul Adha and Corpus Christi. Their specific dates are determined separately for each year rather than being permanently tied to one Gregorian calendar date.

For 2026, all four variable dates were formally established by Despacho N.º 158/MCAE/XII/2025 and published in the Jornal da República. They should therefore be treated as confirmed rather than tentative dates for the 2026 holiday calendar.

Religious Public Holidays in Timor-Leste

Timor-Leste’s national holiday system recognises holidays from both the Christian and Muslim religious traditions. Christian national holidays include Holy Friday, Corpus Christi, All Saints Day, All Souls Day, the Day of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception and Timor-Leste Patroness, and Christmas Day. Idul Fitri and Idul Adha are recognised Muslim national holidays.

The Gregorian dates of Idul Fitri and Idul Adha vary because they are connected to the Islamic calendar. Timor-Leste therefore fixes their official national holiday dates for each applicable year through the government’s holiday-setting process.

Public Holidays and Tolerância de Ponto Are Not the Same

A national public holiday should not be confused with tolerância de ponto. Under Timor-Leste’s legal framework, a tolerância de ponto is an authorised absence from work granted to a defined group of workers for a specified period.

These authorised days off may be granted around official commemorative dates, religious events or other significant occasions. The written decision granting the tolerância de ponto determines who is covered and for how long.

This distinction is important when using holiday calendars. A day granted to employees in ministries or other parts of the public administration does not automatically become an additional nationwide public holiday for every worker in Timor-Leste. For that reason, such administrative days off are not mixed into the main VisaBoards national public holiday schedule unless they are legally classified as nationwide public holidays.

Are Public Holidays Paid in Timor-Leste?

Yes. Under the statutory national holiday framework, a national public holiday is treated as an effective service day, and a worker is normally excused from attending work without losing the corresponding salary or other employment rights and benefits.

The law also recognises that some employees may still need to work on public holidays, including workers assigned to shifts or services that must continue operating. Applicable compensation rules may therefore differ for employees who actually work on a national holiday.

Do Public Holidays Apply to Both Public and Private Sector Workers?

Law No. 10/2005 establishes the holiday framework for employment regimes in both the public and private sectors. National public holidays therefore have broader legal status than a government-only tolerância de ponto.

Individual organisations and essential services may still operate on a public holiday where staffing is required. A national holiday does not necessarily mean that every shop, transport service or essential facility will be closed.

Can Timor-Leste Have Local Holidays?

Timor-Leste’s holiday legislation provides for the possibility of local holidays under the applicable legal framework. A local holiday is different from a nationwide national public holiday because its geographical application may be limited.

The VisaBoards public holiday schedule on this page is designed around nationwide public holidays. A locally applicable holiday should not be added to the national schedule unless authoritative evidence shows that it applies across Timor-Leste.

Who Announces Public Holidays in Timor-Leste?

The Government of Timor-Leste publishes official national holiday information. For 2026, the Presidency of the Council of Ministers issued the annual national holiday announcement covering both fixed and variable public holidays.

The variable-date holidays for 2026 were also formally established through an official government order published in the Jornal da República. These primary government records take precedence over predicted dates appearing on general calendar or holiday websites.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many public holidays are there in Timor-Leste in 2026?

There are 18 confirmed nationwide public holiday dates in Timor-Leste in 2026. This count includes both fixed-date and variable-date national public holidays and excludes administrative tolerância de ponto days that are not nationwide public holidays.

What is the next public holiday in Timor-Leste?

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

Are all Timor-Leste public holiday dates the same every year?

No. Most national holidays have fixed calendar dates, but Idul Fitri, Holy Friday, Idul Adha and Corpus Christi are variable-date national holidays whose specific dates are established for each year.

Are Idul Fitri and Idul Adha public holidays in Timor-Leste?

Yes. Idul Fitri and Idul Adha are national public holidays in Timor-Leste. Their dates vary from year to year and are officially fixed for the relevant year.

Are the 2026 religious holiday dates confirmed?

Yes. The four variable-date national holidays for 2026 were formally established through Despacho N.º 158/MCAE/XII/2025 and published in the Jornal da República, so the 2026 dates are officially confirmed.

Is a tolerância de ponto the same as a public holiday?

No. A tolerância de ponto is an authorised day or period off for specified workers and does not automatically have the same nationwide legal status as a national public holiday.

Are public holidays paid in Timor-Leste?

Timor-Leste’s statutory holiday framework provides that workers are normally excused from work on a national public holiday without loss of the corresponding salary or employment rights, subject to rules for workers who must remain on duty.

Can local holidays be added to the national public holiday list?

Local holidays may exist under Timor-Leste’s legal framework, but they should not be classified as nationwide public holidays unless they apply nationally. The main VisaBoards schedule therefore focuses on confirmed national public holidays.

Official Sources for Public Holidays in Timor-Leste

• Government of Timor-Leste, Presidency of the Council of Ministers: the official National Holidays in 2026 announcement verifies the national fixed-date and variable-date holiday schedule for 2026.
• Jornal da República: Despacho N.º 158/MCAE/XII/2025 formally establishes the four variable-date national holidays for 2026.
• Jornal da República: Law No. 10/2005 establishes the legal framework governing national holidays, official commemorative dates and tolerância de ponto in Timor-Leste.