Ministry proposes 4-day break for Vietnamese Culture Day in November

Under the proposal, Vietnamese Culture Day would fall on Tuesday, November 24, while the working day on Monday, November 23 would be swapped with Saturday, November 28.

The break would therefore last four consecutive days, from Saturday, November 21 through Tuesday, November 24, comprising one Vietnamese Culture Day, one swapped day off and two regular weekly days off.

The proposal would apply to civil servants, public employees and workers at state administrative agencies and public service units.

The Ministry of Home Affairs said 2026 would be the first year Vietnamese Culture Day is observed.

Arranging a four-day break would help encourage people to participate in cultural, family and community activities, and promote related events in localities, the ministry said.

As November 24 falls on a Tuesday, swapping the Monday working day with Saturday, November 28 would be appropriate to create a four-day-long break, it said.

The proposal would also help implement the policies and principles set out in Politburo Resolution No. 80 on developing Vietnamese culture, including improving people’s access to culture, ensuring their rights to enjoy and create cultural products, and providing equal access to cultural opportunities.

The arrangement would also facilitate the organization of larger and more effective cultural, tourism, service and cultural consumption activities.

According to the ministry, the break would help promote Vietnamese cultural values and the development of the cultural industries, tourism and services, while balancing the significance of the new national observance, people’s demand for cultural activities and the need to maintain stable production, business and socioeconomic development.

How will employees at businesses get the day off?

For employees at businesses, the Ministry of Home Affairs emphasized that they would be entitled to take November 24 off with full pay under the regulations.

The ministry encouraged employers to apply the same four-day break arrangement for Vietnamese Culture Day 2026 as that proposed for civil servants and public employees, provided that all statutory benefits for workers are guaranteed.

It also recommended that businesses consider agreements offering more favorable conditions to employees.

The addition of Vietnamese Culture Day would increase the number of paid public holidays in Vietnam from 11 to 12 days a year.

Other paid public holidays comprise New Year’s Day (one day), Lunar New Year (five days), Reunification Day (one day), International Workers’ Day (one day), National Day (two days), and Hung Kings Commemoration Day (one day).

Foreign nationals working in Vietnam are also entitled to an additional day off for their traditional New Year and another for their country's National Day.