Paid Public Holidays in Vietnam for Foreign Teachers (2026 List)
Foreign teachers working in Vietnam receive 14 paid public holidays in 2026: 12 Vietnamese national holidays (including the new Vietnam Culture Day on November 24) plus 2 additional days for their home country’s traditional New Year and National Day under Article 112 of the Labor Code 2019. All holidays are fully paid even when not working, with extended breaks including Tết (9 days, February 14-22), Reunification/Labor Days (4 days, April 30-May 3), and National Day (5 days, August 29-September 2). Employers must provide 30-day advance notice for Tết and National Day schedules, and pay at least 300% of regular wages if requiring holiday work.
Vietnam’s Labor Code 2019 establishes clear protections for all employees including foreign language teachers at international schools, language centers, and universities. Understanding your holiday entitlements helps you plan personal travel, avoid salary disputes, and know when employers violate labor law requiring DOLISA complaints.
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What Are the 12 Official Paid Public Holidays in Vietnam for 2026?
Vietnam guarantees 12 statutory paid public holidays in 2026 for all employees including foreign teachers, with extended breaks totaling 26 days off when including compensatory weekends and workday swaps.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs announcement in October 2025, employees are entitled to leave work with full pay during these holidays: Gregorian New Year (January 1), Lunar New Year Tết (5 days in mid-February), Hung Kings’ Commemoration Day (April 26-27), Reunification Day (April 30), International Labor Day (May 1), National Day (2 days, September 2 plus adjacent day), and the newly added Vietnam Culture Day (November 24).
The 2026 schedule combines official holidays with strategic workday swaps approved by Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính to create longer consecutive breaks. According to Vietnam Briefing’s report updated January 13, 2026, the total public holidays and Tết-related days off in 2026 rises to 26 days including weekends and substituted days off.
Complete 2026 Holiday Calendar
| Holiday | Official Days | 2026 Dates | Total Days Off | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | 1 day | January 1 (Thursday) | 4 days (Jan 1-4) | Workday swap: Friday Jan 2 → Saturday Jan 10 |
| Lunar New Year (Tết) | 5 days | February 14-22 | 9 days | Includes 4 adjacent weekend days |
| Hung Kings’ Day | 1 day | April 26 (Sunday) | 3 days (Apr 25-27) | Compensatory day: Monday April 27 |
| Reunification Day | 1 day | April 30 (Thursday) | 4 days (Apr 30-May 3) | Combined with Labor Day |
| International Labor Day | 1 day | May 1 (Friday) | Included above | Back-to-back with April 30 |
| National Day | 2 days | September 2 (Tuesday) | 5 days (Aug 29-Sep 2) | Workday swap creates extended break |
| Vietnam Culture Day | 1 day | November 24 (Monday) | 1 day | First year as official holiday |
Total: 12 official holidays = 26 days off in 2026 (including compensatory days and weekends)
Vietnam Culture Day: What Is This New Holiday?
Vietnam Culture Day on November 24 joins the official holiday list for the first time in 2026. According to Politburo Resolution No. 80-NQ/TW signed by Party General Secretary Tô Lâm on January 7, 2026, this new paid public holiday aims to enhance public access to culture, encourage artists and cultural practitioners to create, and promote a cultured and civilized lifestyle across society. All employees including foreign teachers receive full paid leave on this date.
How Do Extended Breaks Work in 2026?
The Vietnamese government creates longer consecutive holidays by swapping regular working days with weekend days, allowing employees to enjoy extended time off while maintaining total working hours.
New Year’s Day (January 1) officially provides 1 paid day, but the government approved a 4-day break (January 1-4) by requiring employees to work Saturday, January 10 in exchange for taking Friday, January 2 off. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs notice, this workday swap arrangement applies to the public sector, with private employers encouraged to follow the same schedule.
Lunar New Year (Tết Nguyên Đán) provides 5 statutory paid days under Article 112, but extends to 9 consecutive days from Saturday, February 14 (27th day of lunar year of the Snake) to Sunday, February 22 (6th day of Year of the Horse). The 9-day break encompasses the 5 official Tết days plus 4 adjacent weekend days. Most schools and language centers close for the full period, with employers required to provide 30 days’ advance notice.
Hung Kings’ Commemoration Day falls on Sunday, April 26, 2026 (10th day of 3rd lunar month). Under Article 112, Clause 3 of the Labor Code 2019, when a public holiday coincides with a weekly day off, employees receive a compensatory day off on the next working day. This creates a 3-day weekend from April 25-27.
Reunification Day & International Labor Day fall back-to-back on April 30 (Thursday) and May 1 (Friday), naturally creating a 4-day weekend through Sunday, May 3. This is one of Vietnam’s most popular travel periods with pleasant weather.
National Day officially provides 2 paid days (September 2 and adjacent day), but extends to 5 consecutive days (Saturday, August 29 – Wednesday, September 2) through workday swaps, likely requiring employees to work a Saturday in late August to compensate for Monday, August 31.
How Do Foreign Teachers Receive 2 Additional Paid Holidays Beyond Vietnam’s 12 National Holidays?
Foreign workers including ESL/EFL teachers receive 2 extra paid days beyond Vietnam’s 12 national holidays, bringing the total to 14 paid public holidays.
Article 112, Clause 1 of the Labor Code 2019 explicitly states: “For foreign workers working in Vietnam, in addition to the holidays prescribed above, they are also entitled to 1 additional day off for the traditional Tet holiday and 1 day off for their country’s National Day.” These 2 additional days are fully paid public holidays with the same protections as Vietnamese national holidays.
Foreign teachers’ total paid public holidays in 2026: 12 Vietnamese holidays + 1 home country traditional New Year + 1 home country National Day = 14 total days (though actual count may be 13 if traditional New Year overlaps with January 1).
Which Days Count as Your Home Country Holidays?
First Additional Day: Traditional New Year of Your Country
For Western countries (USA, UK, Canada, Australia), this refers to January 1, which overlaps with Vietnam’s Gregorian New Year (no double counting). For countries following different calendar systems:
- China, South Korea, Singapore: Lunar New Year (often coincides with Vietnam’s Tết – no additional day)
- Thailand: Songkran (mid-April)
- Other countries: Your culturally significant New Year celebration
Second Additional Day: Your Country’s National Day
Examples for common teacher nationalities:
- USA: July 4 (Independence Day)
- Philippines: June 12 (Independence Day)
- Canada: July 1 (Canada Day)
- Australia: January 26 (Australia Day)
- South Africa: April 27 (Freedom Day)
- United Kingdom: No single official national day (negotiate alternative such as patron saint days)
How to Claim Your Home Country Holidays
Your employment contract should specify which 2 days qualify as your home country holidays. If not explicitly stated:
- Notify your employer in writing at least 30 days before the date
- Specify which holiday you’re claiming (e.g., “July 4 – USA Independence Day”)
- Reference Article 112, Labor Code 2019 in your request
- Keep written confirmation of approval
You receive full salary for these 2 days even if you don’t work. If your employer requires you to work on your home country’s holiday, they must pay at least 300% of your regular daily wage as overtime compensation under Article 98, Clause 1(c).
Example for a US Teacher:
- 12 Vietnamese holidays
- +0 days (USA New Year = January 1, already counted)
- +1 day (July 4 – Independence Day)
- = 13 total paid public holidays
Example for a Chinese Teacher:
- 12 Vietnamese holidays
- +0 days (Chinese New Year overlaps with Tết)
- +1 day (October 1 – China National Day)
- = 13 total paid public holidays
Foreign teachers working in Vietnam also benefit from additional leave policies including paternity leave rights, which provide 5-14 days of paid time off separate from public holidays for male employees whose spouse gives birth. Learn more about Paternity Leave Rights for Foreign Fathers in Vietnam: 5-14 Days Paid Leave Explained.
Are Public Holidays Fully Paid Even If You Don’t Work?
Yes – all employees receive 100% of their regular salary during public holidays without working, as mandated by Article 112, Clause 1 of the Labor Code 2019.
Your monthly salary already includes holiday pay, and employers cannot deduct pay for public holidays when you do not work. This is not annual leave or unpaid time off, but a separate legal entitlement where you are paid as if you worked a normal day.
How Holiday Pay Is Calculated
For Salaried Employees (Monthly Contracts):
Your monthly salary already includes holiday pay. If you receive VND 30,000,000/month, you receive the full amount regardless of how many public holidays fall within that month.
- Formula: Holiday Pay = (Monthly Salary ÷ Standard Working Days in Month) × Number of Public Holidays
- Example: If your monthly salary is VND 30,000,000 and February has 9 Tết holidays, you still receive VND 30,000,000 (full pay, no reduction).
For Hourly/Part-Time Employees:
Holiday pay is calculated on your average hourly rate for days you would normally work.
- Formula: Holiday Pay = (Average Hourly Rate) × (Hours You Would Normally Work That Day)
What If a Holiday Falls on Your Day Off?
Article 112, Clause 3 states: “If a weekly day off coincides with a holiday or Tet holiday, the employee is entitled to take a compensatory day off on the next working day.”
Example: Hung Kings’ Commemoration Day 2026 falls on Sunday, April 26. Since Sunday is already a day off, employees receive Monday, April 27 as a paid compensatory holiday. You don’t lose the holiday entitlement just because it overlaps with the weekend.
Do Probationary Employees Get Holiday Pay?
Yes – even probationary employees are entitled to full holiday pay. Article 26 of the Labor Code 2019 states that probationary periods must comply with all provisions of the Labor Code, including Article 112 on public holidays. Your probation salary (at least 85% of full position salary) includes holiday pay calculated on this probation rate.
What Overtime Pay Do You Get If Required to Work on Holidays?
If your employer requires you to work on a public holiday, you receive at least 300% of your regular daily wage as overtime compensation under Article 98, Clause 1(c) of the Labor Code 2019, in addition to keeping your normal holiday pay.
This means working on a holiday provides total compensation of approximately 400% of your normal daily wage (100% holiday pay you keep anyway + 300% overtime pay for working).
300% Overtime Pay Calculation
For Salaried Employees:
- Formula: Holiday Overtime Pay = (Monthly Salary ÷ Standard Working Days) × 300% × Days Worked
- Example: If your monthly salary is VND 30,000,000 with 22 standard working days, your daily rate is VND 1,363,636. Working 1 public holiday pays VND 4,090,908 (300% overtime) plus VND 1,363,636 (normal holiday pay) = VND 5,454,544 total.
For Hourly Employees:
- Formula: Holiday Overtime Pay = Hourly Rate × At Least 300% × Hours Worked
When Can Employers Require Holiday Work?
Working on public holidays must be voluntary with employee consent except in specific urgent situations defined in Article 108 of the Labor Code 2019:
Permitted Without Employee Consent (Emergency Work Only):
- Preventing natural disasters, fires, epidemics
- Overcoming power/water supply failures
- Urgent national defense/security needs
For All Other Work: Employer must obtain written consent from employee before requiring holiday work. You have the right to refuse – declining to work on holidays is not grounds for disciplinary action.
Penalties for Not Paying 300% Overtime
Under Decree 12/2022/ND-CP, employers who fail to pay proper overtime wages for holiday work face administrative fines and must pay retroactive overtime wages. Employees can file complaints with the local Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (DOLISA) to report violations.
Female teachers working in Vietnam should also be aware of comprehensive paid leave for pregnancy and childbirth. Learn more about Maternity Leave: 6 Months Paid for Female Teachers in Vietnam, which provides extensive protections separate from annual leave and public holidays.
When Must Employers Notify You of the Holiday Schedule?
Employers must provide at least 30 days’ advance notice of the Lunar New Year and National Day holiday schedules, as required by Article 112, Clause 3 of the Labor Code 2019.
Private companies maintain flexibility to adjust exact dates for Tết and National Day, but employee rights must be protected and schedules announced well in advance. The 30-day notice rule ensures employees have sufficient time to plan travel, coordinate with family, and manage personal finances during extended holiday periods.
Critical Notification Deadlines for 2026
| Holiday | Holiday Dates | Employer Must Notify By |
|---|---|---|
| Tết (Lunar New Year) | February 14-22, 2026 | January 15, 2026 at latest |
| National Day | August 29-September 2, 2026 | July 30, 2026 at latest |
For other single-day holidays, while the 30-day rule specifically applies to Tết and National Day, employers should provide reasonable notice for all holidays. The official 2026 schedule was announced by the Ministry of Home Affairs in late 2025, giving schools and language centers several months to plan.
Private Sector Flexibility
While public sector employees follow the exact government-announced schedule, private companies have some flexibility under Article 112. Language centers and international schools may set their own holiday dates for Tết and National Day, provided they:
- Still follow 30-day notice requirement
- Provide equal or longer holiday periods
- Maintain employees’ statutory entitlement to paid days off
- Obtain written employee consent for schedule changes
Example: A language center might close for 10 days during Tết (February 13-23) instead of the official 9-day period (February 14-22), provided they notify staff by January 13 and maintain full pay for all days.
However, schools cannot reduce the break to fewer than the statutory days (5 days for Tết, 2 days for National Day) without violating the Labor Code.
How Do Public Holidays Differ from Annual Leave?
Public holidays and annual leave are separate legal entitlements under Vietnamese labor law, governed by different articles with distinct characteristics.
Article 112 governs public holidays while Article 113 governs annual leave. Understanding this distinction is critical because many language centers and international schools in Vietnam advertise positions with misleading claims like “25 paid days off annually” that conflate the two categories.
Key Legal Differences
| Feature | Public Holidays (Article 112) | Annual Leave (Article 113) |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Days | 14 days for foreign teachers (12 Vietnamese + 2 home country) | 12-16 days depending on work conditions |
| When Determined | Fixed by government (Ministry of Home Affairs announces) | Requested by employee (scheduled with employer approval) |
| Eligibility | Immediate from first day of employment | Requires 12 months continuous service |
| Can Employer Refuse? | No – mandatory days off | Yes – employer can deny for business needs |
| Salary Calculation | 100% base salary (already included in monthly pay) | 100% base salary plus seniority bonuses |
| Must Be Taken? | Yes – working requires 300% overtime consent | No – unused days convert to cash or carry forward |
| Compensatory Days | Yes – if holiday falls on weekend, get Monday off | No – weekends don’t count toward leave |
| Pro-Rating | Never pro-rated – full entitlement regardless of start date | Pro-rated in first year based on months worked |
Combined Entitlement for Foreign Teachers
Minimum Total Paid Days Off (first year of employment):
- 12 Vietnamese public holidays
- +2 home country holidays
- +12 annual leave days (normal working conditions)
- = 26 paid days minimum
After 5 Years with Same Employer (Article 114 seniority bonus):
- 13 public holidays (unchanged)
- +13 annual leave days (12 base + 1 seniority day)
- = 27 paid days
According to Article 114 of the Labor Code 2019, for every 5 years of working for an employer, the number of annual leave days increases by 1 day. This seniority bonus applies only to annual leave, not public holidays.
FAQ: Paid Public Holidays in Vietnam for Foreign Teachers
Do part-time teachers get paid public holidays?
Yes – part-time teachers receive full public holiday pay proportional to their regular working schedule. If you normally work Monday/Wednesday/Friday and a holiday falls on Friday, you receive holiday pay for that day calculated as (your hourly rate × hours you would have worked). Part-time status does not reduce your 14-day holiday entitlement; you simply receive pay for holidays that fall on days you normally work.
What happens if my work permit expires during a public holiday?
You remain entitled to full holiday pay during work permit renewal processing, even if your permit expires on a holiday. Under Article 156 of the Labor Code 2019, employers must submit renewal applications 30 days before expiration, and processing delays are the employer’s responsibility. Your employment contract remains valid during the renewal period, and all labor rights including holiday pay continue uninterrupted.
Do I get paid if a public holiday falls during my annual leave?
Yes – the holiday day doesn’t count toward your annual leave. Under Article 113, Clause 5: “The annual leave period shall not include public holidays, Tet holidays, personal leave days, and days off with the employer’s permission.” If you request annual leave February 17-28, 2026 (12 days), but February 14-22 is Tết (9 days public holiday), only 3 days are deducted from your annual leave (Feb 23-28), saving you 9 leave days.
Can my employer cancel holidays due to business needs?
No – public holidays are mandatory by law and cannot be cancelled by employer decision. Unlike annual leave (which employers can deny for business reasons), Article 112 holidays are government-mandated days off for all employees with no exceptions. If urgent business requires skeleton staff during holidays, the employer must obtain voluntary written consent and pay at least 300% overtime. You have the absolute right to refuse holiday work except genuine emergencies defined in Article 108.
Employment Rights & Contracts: Essential Reading for Foreign Teachers
Understanding your public holiday rights is just one component of comprehensive labor law knowledge for foreign teachers in Vietnam. The Vietnamese Labor Code 2019 establishes extensive protections for foreign workers across multiple employment aspects beyond holidays.
Your Complete Rights Framework
Beyond the 14 paid public holidays discussed in this article, foreign teachers working in Vietnam benefit from:
- Annual leave entitlement: 12-16 paid vacation days per year (separate from holidays, under Article 113)
- Parental leave: Paternity leave for fathers (5-14 days) and maternity leave for mothers (6 months)
- Social insurance coverage: Mandatory contributions for retirement, health, and unemployment benefits
- Maximum working hours: 8 hours/day, 48 hours/week with overtime protections (Article 107)
- Contract termination safeguards: Notice requirements, severance pay, and dispute resolution
- Work permit compliance: Documentation requirements affecting both employer and employee
Explore More Employment Rights Topics
Our comprehensive guide series covers every aspect of labor law compliance for foreign teachers in Vietnam. Browse all articles in the Employment Rights & Contracts category for detailed information on leave policies, contract negotiations, salary regulations, workplace safety, and dispute resolution procedures.
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