Public employees to enjoy 5-day National Day holiday in Vietnam

Under the 2019 Labor Code, public workers are entitled to 11 paid holidays annually.

These include New Year’s Day (one day), Lunar New Year (five days), the Hung Kings’ Commemoration Day (one day), Reunification Day on April 30 (one day), International Workers’ Day on May 1 (one day), and National Day on September 2 (two days).

Foreign workers in Vietnam receive one additional day for their own traditional New Year and national holiday.

For Vietnam’s National Day 2026, the official days off fall on September 1 and 2 (Tuesday-Wednesday).

However, by swapping a working day (Monday, August 31) to a make-up Saturday (August 22), the National Day holiday will stretch from Saturday, August 29, to Wednesday, September 2, creating a continuous five-day break.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has instructed agencies to ensure staffing plans are in place during the holiday to maintain uninterrupted public services.

For private-sector workers, employers may choose either September 1 or September 3 as the second day off, depending on operational needs, but must announce plans at least 30 days in advance. 

Employers are encouraged to follow the government’s schedule or offer more favorable terms to workers.

Earlier, the country’s law-making National Assembly approved a resolution establishing November 24 as Vietnam Culture Day, beginning July 2026. Workers will receive a paid holiday on that date.

Since November 24 falls on a Tuesday, labor groups have proposed shifting Monday, November 23, to Saturday, December 5, creating a four-day break.

The Labor Code also grants paid leave for personal events, such as three days for marriage, one day for a child’s wedding, and three days for the death of a parent, spouse, or child.

Unpaid leave is allowed for the death of grandparents or siblings, or for family weddings.

Additionally, every five years of continuous service with the same employer adds one extra annual leave day.