Public Holiday Calendar Guide for Vietnam
Vietnam's Labour Code establishes a nationwide system of paid public holidays covering the Gregorian New Year, Lunar New Year, the Hung Kings Commemoration, Reunification Day, International Labour Day, and National Day.[1] The law fixes the amount of statutory leave for each observance, while the precise arrangement of the longer Lunar New Year and National Day breaks is announced for the applicable calendar.[2] This distinction matters when planning work, travel, and appointments.
Paid Holidays Under the Labour Code
Employees are entitled to time off with full contractual pay for the statutory holidays. The Labour Code provides one day for the Gregorian New Year, five days for Lunar New Year, one day for the Hung Kings Commemoration, one day for Reunification Day, one day for International Labour Day, and two days for National Day.[1][2]
Foreign employees working in Vietnam receive the same statutory holidays and are additionally entitled to one traditional holiday and one national holiday of their own country.[1] These entitlements form part of the national labour framework rather than depending on the province or city where the employee works.
Lunar New Year Has a Flexible Statutory Arrangement
Lunar New Year, commonly known as Tet, carries a statutory entitlement of five paid days.[1][2] The exact arrangement around the transition between the old and new lunar years is announced for the applicable calendar, and employers in the private sector are given permitted options for arranging those statutory days.[2]
The total consecutive break seen on a particular calendar can be longer than the five statutory Tet days when weekly rest days or officially arranged working-day swaps adjoin the holiday.[2] Those longer breaks should not be presented as a permanent length of Tet itself.
National Day Includes Two Paid Days
National Day is a two-day statutory holiday. One day is the principal national observance, while the second is an adjacent day selected according to the official arrangement for the applicable calendar.[1][2]
For private-sector employees, the employer determines the permitted adjacent day under the official guidance and must communicate the arrangement in advance.[2] As with Tet, additional consecutive time off can result from weekly rest days or working-day swaps, but those calendar-specific extensions are separate from the underlying statutory entitlement.
Compensatory Rest When a Holiday Meets the Weekly Day Off
Vietnamese labour law distinguishes public holidays from weekly rest days. If a statutory holiday coincides with an employee's weekly day off, the employee receives compensatory weekly rest on the next working day.[2] The rule preserves the weekly-rest entitlement rather than allowing it to disappear because of the holiday.
This mechanism should not be confused with discretionary bridge-day arrangements. Government bodies may use working-day swaps to create a more continuous break in a particular calendar, while employers outside the public administration can be encouraged to adopt similar arrangements where appropriate.[2] Such swaps are calendar-specific rather than permanent public holidays.
Pay for Working on a Public Holiday
Employees who work on a statutory public holiday are entitled to enhanced remuneration under the Labour Code. Holiday work is paid at no less than three hundred percent of the normal wage for the work performed, excluding the ordinary holiday pay owed to employees receiving daily wages.[3]
Night work and overtime performed at night can attract additional statutory premiums.[3] Employers scheduling operations through a public holiday should therefore treat holiday work as a labour-cost and staffing issue rather than assuming that the ordinary working-day rate applies.
The Hung Kings Commemoration Is a National Paid Holiday
The Hung Kings Commemoration is included among Vietnam's statutory paid holidays and follows the lunar calendar.[1] It honours the Hung Kings, traditionally regarded as the founders of the Vietnamese nation.
Because the observance is determined by the lunar rather than Gregorian calendar, its Gregorian placement changes. Travelers and businesses should use the applicable official calendar instead of carrying forward a Gregorian date from another calendar cycle.
Planning Around Long Holiday Breaks
The government can arrange working-day swaps for public employees to create continuous breaks while preserving the overall amount of working time.[4] Private employers may be encouraged to use comparable arrangements, but they must continue to comply with employees' statutory holiday and labour rights.[4]
For travel or business planning, distinguish the statutory holiday entitlement from the total consecutive break shown on a particular official calendar. Confirm government appointments, transport, banking, accommodation, and other time-sensitive services directly, especially around Tet and National Day when weekly rest days and calendar-specific arrangements can substantially extend the practical break.[2][4]
Frequently Asked Questions about Holidays in Vietnam
How long is the statutory Lunar New Year holiday?
The Labour Code provides five paid days for Lunar New Year.[1][2] The total consecutive break can be longer when weekly rest days or officially arranged working-day swaps adjoin the statutory holiday, so the applicable official calendar should be checked.
How much paid leave is provided for National Day?
Employees receive two paid statutory days for National Day: the principal observance and one adjacent day arranged according to the applicable official schedule.[1][2]
What happens when a public holiday coincides with an employee's weekly day off?
The employee receives compensatory weekly rest on the next working day.[2] This preserves the weekly-rest entitlement in addition to the statutory holiday.
How is work on a public holiday paid?
Holiday work is paid at no less than three hundred percent of the normal wage for the work performed, subject to the detailed Labour Code rules concerning the employee's wage arrangement and any additional night-work premiums.[3]
Do foreign employees receive additional holidays?
Yes. In addition to Vietnam's statutory holidays, foreign employees are entitled to one traditional holiday and one national holiday of their own country.[1]
Is every extended holiday break a permanent part of the statutory calendar?
No. The Labour Code establishes the underlying paid holiday entitlement, while weekly rest days and calendar-specific working-day swaps can create longer consecutive breaks.[2][4] Those extensions should be checked in the applicable official schedule.
Sources
- Bộ luật Lao động số 45/2019/QH14- Cổng Thông tin điện tử Chính phủ
- LỊCH NGHỈ TẾT NGUYÊN ĐÁN BÍNH NGỌ và các chỉ đạo tổ chức vui xuân, đón Tết; bảo đảm trật tự an toàn giao thông- Cổng Thông tin điện tử Chính phủ
- Bộ luật Lao động số 45/2019/QH14- Cổng Thông tin điện tử Chính phủ
- Lịch NGHỈ TẾT DƯƠNG LỊCH, DỰ BÁO THỜI TIẾT DỊP TẾT DƯƠNG LỊCH 2026- Cổng Thông tin điện tử Chính phủ