Public Holidays in Yemen 2026 – Islamic & National Holidays
Yemen has 22 officially recognized public-holiday dates in 2026 when individual dates within multi-day holiday periods and officially designated compensation days are counted. The main public holidays include Eid al-Fitr, Labour Day, National Day, Eid al-Adha, Islamic New Year, Revolution Day, Liberation Day and Independence Day. Yemen’s official holiday law also distinguishes several national and religious occasions that are celebrated without a public holiday.
Next Public Holiday in Yemen
| Date | Day | Holiday | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 26, 2026 | Saturday | Revolution Day | Officially Scheduled |
Public Holidays in Yemen 2026
| Date | Day | Holiday | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 18, 2026 | Wednesday | Eid al-Fitr | Confirmed |
| March 19, 2026 | Thursday | Eid al-Fitr | Confirmed |
| March 20, 2026 | Friday | Eid al-Fitr | Confirmed |
| March 21, 2026 | Saturday | Eid al-Fitr | Confirmed |
| March 22, 2026 | Sunday | Eid al-Fitr | Confirmed |
| March 23, 2026 | Monday | Eid al-Fitr – Compensation Holiday | Confirmed |
| March 24, 2026 | Tuesday | Eid al-Fitr – Compensation Holiday | Confirmed |
| May 1, 2026 | Friday | Labour Day | Confirmed |
| May 3, 2026 | Sunday | Labour Day – Compensation Holiday | Confirmed |
| May 22, 2026 | Friday | National Day | Confirmed |
| May 24, 2026 | Sunday | National Day – Compensation Holiday | Confirmed |
| May 26, 2026 | Tuesday | Eid al-Adha | Confirmed |
| May 27, 2026 | Wednesday | Eid al-Adha | Confirmed |
| May 28, 2026 | Thursday | Eid al-Adha | Confirmed |
| May 29, 2026 | Friday | Eid al-Adha | Confirmed |
| May 30, 2026 | Saturday | Eid al-Adha | Confirmed |
| May 31, 2026 | Sunday | Eid al-Adha – Compensation Holiday | Confirmed |
| June 1, 2026 | Monday | Eid al-Adha – Compensation Holiday | Confirmed |
| June 16, 2026 | Tuesday | Islamic New Year (1 Muharram) | Confirmed |
| September 26, 2026 | Saturday | Revolution Day | Officially Scheduled |
| October 14, 2026 | Wednesday | Liberation Day / 14 October Revolution | Officially Scheduled |
| November 30, 2026 | Monday | Independence Day | Officially Scheduled |
How Public Holidays Work in Yemen
Yemen’s Law No. 2 of 2000 on determining official holidays defines public holidays for government employees and workers in public, mixed, cooperative and private sectors. The law includes Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, Islamic New Year, Labour Day, National Day, Revolution Day, Liberation Day and Independence Day among the official holidays.
The law also provides for a replacement working day when an official holiday falls on Friday or coincides with another official holiday. The Ministry of Civil Service is responsible for announcing the applicable holiday arrangements before the holiday period.
Religious Holidays in Yemen
Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha are official public holidays in Yemen. Their dates are based on the Islamic lunar calendar, so their Gregorian dates change from year to year. For 2026, Yemen’s Ministry of Civil Service issued specific announcements confirming the applicable holiday arrangements.
Yemen’s holiday law defines Eid al-Fitr as beginning on 29 Ramadan and ending on 3 Shawwal. It defines Eid al-Adha as beginning on 9 Dhu al-Hijjah and continuing through the fourth day of the Eid period. When the holiday period overlaps with the country’s regular Friday holiday or another official holiday, replacement days can apply.
Compensation and Substitute Holidays in Yemen
Yemen uses compensation days when an official holiday coincides with Friday or another official holiday. These replacement days should be distinguished from the original public holiday because they are additional days off created by the official substitution rule.
In 2026, the Ministry of Civil Service confirmed a compensation day for Labour Day on May 3 because May 1 fell on Friday. The ministry also confirmed May 24 as the compensation day for National Day, which fell on Friday, May 22.
For Eid al-Adha 2026, the official announcement set the holiday period from May 26 through May 30 and provided compensation days on May 31 and June 1. The announcement stated that official work would resume on June 2.
Religious Observances That Are Not Public Holidays
Yemen’s official holiday law identifies some occasions that are celebrated without an official public holiday. These include the Prophet’s Birthday, Isra and Mi’raj, and the July 7 anniversary. They should not be counted as nationwide public holidays in the main 2026 public-holiday dataset.
National Holidays in Yemen
Yemen’s fixed-date national holidays include National Day on May 22, Revolution Day on September 26, Liberation Day on October 14, and Independence Day on November 30. These dates are established by Yemen’s official holiday law.
Are Public Holidays in Yemen Paid?
Yemen’s official holiday law defines public holidays as periods during which covered employees and workers are entitled to rest from work without deductions from their wages and employment rights. Specific employment arrangements can depend on the applicable sector and employment rules.
What Happens When a Public Holiday Falls on Friday?
When an official holiday in Yemen falls on Friday or coincides with another official holiday, the law provides for a replacement day from the subsequent working days. The exact compensation arrangement is announced by the competent government authority for the relevant holiday.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many public holiday dates are there in Yemen in 2026?
There are 22 verified public-holiday dates in the 2026 database when each individual date of multi-day holidays and officially designated compensation days is counted. This figure does not include observances that are not official public holidays.
What is the next public holiday in Yemen?
The next public holiday is shown dynamically in the Next Public Holiday section above. This avoids hardcoding a date that can become outdated as the calendar progresses.
Are Eid holidays public holidays in Yemen?
Yes. Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha are official public holidays under Yemen’s holiday law. Their Gregorian dates vary because they follow the Islamic lunar calendar.
Does Yemen provide substitute holidays?
Yes. Yemen’s holiday law provides a replacement day when an official holiday coincides with Friday or another official holiday. Government announcements specify the applicable compensation dates.
Is the Prophet’s Birthday a public holiday in Yemen?
Yemen’s official holiday law lists the Prophet’s Birthday as an occasion celebrated without an official public holiday. It is therefore excluded from the nationwide public-holiday dataset.
Is July 7 a public holiday in Yemen?
No. The official holiday law identifies July 7 as an occasion celebrated without an official public holiday, so it is not included in the main public-holiday schedule.
Who announces specific public-holiday arrangements in Yemen?
The Ministry of Civil Service and Insurance announces applicable holiday arrangements for government service units. Its 2026 announcements confirmed the specific Eid al-Fitr, Labour Day, National Day and Eid al-Adha arrangements.
Official Sources for Public Holidays in Yemen
- Yemen official holiday law establishes the statutory public holidays, non-holiday observances and substitute-day rule.
- Yemen Ministry of Civil Service Eid al-Fitr announcement confirms the 2026 Eid al-Fitr holiday arrangement.
- Yemen Ministry of Civil Service – Labour Day announcement confirms Labour Day and the May 3 compensation holiday.
- Yemen Ministry of Civil Service National Day and Eid al-Adha announcement confirms the 2026 National Day compensation arrangement and Eid al-Adha holiday period.
