Vietnam’s home affairs ministry proposes 9-day break for 2026 Lunar New Year holiday

The ministry has submitted the proposal to the prime minister outlining plans for the 2026 Lunar New Year (Tet) and National Day holidays.

According to the proposal, civil servants and public employees would have a nine-day Tet holiday from the 27th day of the last lunar month of the Year of the Snake through the sixth day of the first lunar month of the Year of the Horse.

The proposed Tet break includes five official days off as stipulated by the Labor Code, plus four weekend days.

For the National Day holiday in 2026, civil servants and public employees would be off from August 29 through September 2.

This five-day break consists of two official public holidays, two weekend days, and one adjusted workday — specifically, Monday, August 31 would be a day off, with the workday moved to Saturday, August 22.

The adjustment aims to create a continuous break, avoiding interruptions to the work schedule and meeting the travel and rest needs of the public.

For workers in private businesses, the ministry recommends that employers determine suitable holiday schedules based on their specific conditions.

During Tet, businesses can choose one day off at the end of the Year of the Snake and four days at the start of the Year of the Horse, two days at the end of the old year and three at the start of the new year, or three days at the end of the old year and two at the beginning of the new year.

For the National Day holiday, employers may allow employees to take off on September 2 and one additional adjacent day, either before or after, and must announce the holiday plan at least 30 days in advance.

If any of the holiday dates overlap with regular weekly days off, compensatory leave should be arranged on the following working day in accordance with regulations.

The Ministry of Home Affairs also encouraged businesses to adopt the same schedule as the public sector or offer even more favorable arrangements for employees.

Based on feedback from other ministries and agencies, the Ministry of Home Affairs has proposed that the prime minister make a final decision to ensure timely notification to agencies and businesses.