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Public Holidays in Vietnam 2026 – National & Cultural Days

ByUzair ul haq

Vietnam’s public holidays in 2026 include the annual statutory holidays established under Vietnamese labour law, the five-day Lunar New Year period, Hùng Kings Commemoration Day, National Day and the newly established Vietnam Culture Day. Some 2026 leave arrangements differ between public-sector employees and other workers, particularly for Tết and the additional day attached to National Day.

Next Public Holiday in Vietnam

Date Day Holiday Status
September 1, 2026 Tuesday National Day Holiday Officially Scheduled – Public Sector

Public Holidays in Vietnam 2026

Date Day Holiday Status
January 1, 2026 Thursday New Year’s Day Confirmed
February 16, 2026 Monday Lunar New Year Holiday Officially Scheduled – Public Sector
February 17, 2026 Tuesday Lunar New Year Holiday Officially Scheduled – Public Sector
February 18, 2026 Wednesday Lunar New Year Holiday Officially Scheduled – Public Sector
February 19, 2026 Thursday Lunar New Year Holiday Officially Scheduled – Public Sector
February 20, 2026 Friday Lunar New Year Holiday Officially Scheduled – Public Sector
April 26, 2026 Sunday Hùng Kings Commemoration Day Confirmed
April 27, 2026 Monday Hùng Kings Commemoration Day – Substitute Holiday Confirmed
April 30, 2026 Thursday Victory Day Confirmed
May 1, 2026 Friday International Labour Day Confirmed
September 1, 2026 Tuesday National Day Holiday Officially Scheduled – Public Sector
September 2, 2026 Wednesday National Day Confirmed
November 24, 2026 Tuesday Vietnam Culture Day Confirmed

How Public Holidays Work in Vietnam

Vietnamese labour law provides employees with paid leave for specified annual holidays. These include New Year’s Day, five days for Lunar New Year, Victory Day, International Labour Day, two days for National Day and Hùng Kings Commemoration Day. The rules are set out in Vietnam’s Labour Code.

Vietnam’s holiday system also allows different scheduling arrangements in certain cases. The government announces the specific Lunar New Year schedule for public-sector employees, while employers outside the public sector may choose from legally permitted arrangements. A similar distinction applies to the additional day attached to National Day.

Lunar New Year Holiday in Vietnam in 2026

Lunar New Year, commonly known as Tết, is the longest statutory holiday period in Vietnam. Employees are entitled to five paid holiday days for Tết.

For 2026, the Ministry of Home Affairs scheduled the public-sector statutory Tết leave from Monday, February 16 through Friday, February 20. When the surrounding normal weekend was included, public-sector employees had a continuous break from February 14 through February 22.

Private-sector employers do not necessarily have to use exactly the same five statutory dates. For employees outside the public sector, employers may choose one of the arrangements permitted by the government notice: one day before Tết and four days after, two days before and three days after, or three days before and two days after. Employers must notify employees of the selected arrangement in advance.

Hùng Kings Commemoration Day and the Substitute Holiday

Hùng Kings Commemoration Day is a statutory paid holiday observed on the tenth day of the third lunar month. In 2026, the date corresponded to Sunday, April 26.

Vietnamese labour rules provide a compensatory rest day when an official public holiday coincides with an employee’s weekly rest day. Because the 2026 Hùng Kings Commemoration Day fell on a Sunday, Monday, April 27 was the compensatory day off for workers whose weekly rest day was Sunday. The Government Portal confirmed this 2026 arrangement.

Victory Day and International Labour Day

Vietnam observes Victory Day on April 30 and International Labour Day on May 1. Both are statutory paid public holidays.

In 2026, April 30 fell on a Thursday and May 1 fell on a Friday. For employees whose normal weekly rest days were Saturday and Sunday, this created a four-day break extending through Sunday, May 3 without requiring an additional official bridge holiday.

National Day Holiday in Vietnam in 2026

Vietnam’s National Day is observed on September 2. The statutory National Day entitlement covers September 2 and one adjacent day chosen according to the applicable annual arrangement.

For public-sector employees in 2026, the Ministry of Home Affairs designated Tuesday, September 1 and Wednesday, September 2 as the two statutory National Day holiday dates.

The public-sector calendar also moved the Monday, August 31 working day to Saturday, August 22. This produced a longer continuous break for the affected public-sector workforce, but August 31 itself was a work-schedule swap rather than an additional statutory public holiday.

For employees outside the public sector, employers must provide September 2 and may select either September 1 or September 3 as the adjacent holiday. The employer must announce its chosen arrangement at least 30 days before implementation.

Vietnam Culture Day: A New Paid Holiday in 2026

Vietnam Culture Day is a significant addition to Vietnam’s public holiday system in 2026. National Assembly Resolution No. 28/2026/QH16 established November 24 each year as Vietnam Culture Day and provides that workers nationwide are entitled to leave from work with full pay on that date.

The resolution was issued on April 24, 2026 and took effect on July 1, 2026. As a result, Tuesday, November 24, 2026 is included in Vietnam’s 2026 public holiday calendar. The measure can be verified through the Government Legal Documents Portal and the National Assembly of Vietnam.

What Happens When a Public Holiday Falls on a Weekend in Vietnam?

When a statutory holiday coincides with an employee’s weekly rest day, Vietnamese labour rules provide a compensatory rest day on the next working day. This rule explains the substitute holiday associated with Hùng Kings Commemoration Day in 2026.

The rule should not be interpreted as meaning that every Saturday or Sunday holiday automatically creates the same calendar for every worker. Weekly working arrangements can differ, so the practical substitute date depends on whether the public holiday actually coincides with the employee’s weekly rest day.

Are Public Holidays Paid in Vietnam?

Yes. Employees covered by Vietnam’s labour-law holiday provisions are entitled to leave from work with full pay on statutory public holidays. Vietnam Culture Day was also established as a paid day off under National Assembly Resolution No. 28/2026/QH16.

Do Public-Sector and Private-Sector Holiday Schedules Differ?

They can. The underlying statutory holiday entitlement applies under Vietnamese law, but the exact calendar used for some multi-day or adjacent-day holidays can differ.

For 2026, public-sector employees were given a specific February 16–20 Tết schedule and a September 1–2 National Day statutory schedule. Employers outside the public sector were permitted to select from specified alternative arrangements for Tết and the additional National Day holiday.

Long Weekends in Vietnam in 2026

Several 2026 holiday arrangements produced extended breaks for employees with a standard Monday-to-Friday working week.

  • New Year: Public-sector employees received a four-day break from January 1 through January 4 after the January 2 working day was moved to January 10.
  • Lunar New Year: The public-sector calendar combined five statutory Tết days with two surrounding weekends, producing a nine-day break from February 14 through February 22.
  • Hùng Kings Commemoration Day: The Sunday holiday and Monday compensatory day created a three-day break from April 25 through April 27 for workers with Saturday-Sunday weekends.
  • Victory Day and International Labour Day: Thursday, April 30 and Friday, May 1 connected directly with the weekend, creating a four-day break through May 3 for employees who do not normally work weekends.
  • National Day: The public-sector work-swap arrangement created a longer break around September 2, while private-sector arrangements depended on the employer’s selected adjacent holiday date and normal work schedule.

These extended periods include ordinary weekly rest days and, in some cases, exchanged working days. They should not all be treated as separate statutory public holidays.

Are Government Offices Closed on Public Holidays in Vietnam?

Government offices generally close for the applicable official holiday schedule, although agencies may arrange duty staff or essential services to maintain necessary operations. Public-sector holiday schedules may also contain officially approved working-day swaps that do not apply automatically to private businesses.

Are Shops and Businesses Open on Public Holidays?

A public holiday does not mean that every private shop, restaurant, hotel or other commercial business must close. Operating hours depend on the business and its staffing arrangements. Employers that require employees to work on statutory holidays remain subject to applicable Vietnamese labour rules on holiday work and compensation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the next public holiday in Vietnam?

The next holiday changes throughout the year. Check the Next Public Holiday section above for the current database-generated result.

Are all Vietnam public holiday dates fixed every year?

No. New Year’s Day, Victory Day, International Labour Day, National Day and Vietnam Culture Day use fixed Gregorian dates. Tết and Hùng Kings Commemoration Day are linked to the lunar calendar, so their Gregorian dates change from year to year.

How many days of paid leave are provided for Tết?

Vietnamese labour law provides five paid holiday days for Lunar New Year. The total continuous break may be longer when the five statutory days are combined with normal weekly rest days.

Is September 1 always a public holiday in Vietnam?

No. September 2 is the fixed National Day date. The second National Day holiday is an adjacent day. In 2026, September 1 was selected for public-sector employees, while private-sector employers could choose either September 1 or September 3.

Was August 31, 2026 an additional nationwide statutory holiday?

No. August 31 formed part of the 2026 public-sector National Day break because a working day was officially exchanged with Saturday, August 22. It was a work-schedule adjustment rather than an additional statutory nationwide public holiday.

Is Vietnam Culture Day a public holiday?

Yes. National Assembly Resolution No. 28/2026/QH16 established November 24 as Vietnam Culture Day and provides workers nationwide with paid leave on that date.

Does Vietnam provide substitute holidays?

Yes, where a statutory holiday coincides with an employee’s weekly rest day, the applicable labour rules provide compensatory leave on the next working day. The April 27 substitute holiday following Hùng Kings Commemoration Day is a 2026 example.

Do private companies have to follow the exact public-sector Tết schedule?

No. For 2026, employers outside the public sector could select from the Tết arrangements permitted by the Ministry of Home Affairs rather than being required to use the exact February 16–20 public-sector schedule.

Official Sources for Public Holidays in Vietnam

Uzair ul haq

CEO Visaboards & IT Consultant

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