On 3/4, Vu Trong Binh, Director of the Employment Department—the agency responsible for drafting annual holiday schedules—announced that the Ministry of Home Affairs had issued specific details for the 2026 Tet and public holidays. This was based on consultations with labor unions at all levels and central agencies. In accordance with the Labor Code, Hung Kings' Commemoration Day (the 10th day of the 3rd lunar month) will be a one-day holiday, and the 30/4-1/5 period will be a two-day holiday.

"The Ministry of Home Affairs and the government have agreed there is no new policy compared to the previous holiday announcement," he emphasized.

The april holidays are separated by two normal working days, 28-29/4. *Graphic: Ta Lu*

Hung Kings' Commemoration Day, which falls on sunday 26/4 (10th day of the 3rd lunar month), will be compensated with a day off on monday 27/4. This extends the holiday to three days, from 25/4 to 27/4. After this, employees will return to work on 28/4 and 29/4 before the next holiday period. For 30/4 and International Labor Day on 1/5, employees receive two official days off. With the addition of the weekend, the total holiday period will be four days, from thursday 30/4 to sunday 3/5.

This schedule applies to civil servants, public employees, and state sector workers. Private sector employees can negotiate with their employers or use annual leave based on mutual agreement. Consequently, some universities proactively announced swapped schedules before the holiday, allowing lecturers and students to book tickets home or make other plans. Many private sector employees plan to take two intervening working days as leave to extend both holidays into a nine-day break.

Vietnam currently has 11 official public holidays: New Year's Day (1 day), Lunar New Year (5 days), Hung Kings' Commemoration Day (1 day), 30/4-1/5 (2 days), and National Day (2 days).

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is drafting a National Assembly Resolution on breakthrough mechanisms and policies for Vietnamese cultural development. This proposal suggests making 24/11 Vietnam Culture Day, with employees receiving a paid day off. This aims to institutionalize the Politburo's policy, enabling people to enhance their cultural enjoyment, encouraging artists to create, and contributing to the spread of a cultured, civilized lifestyle throughout society.

Previously, the Employment Department of the Ministry of Home Affairs proposed adding 24/11 as a public holiday in the upcoming Labor Code amendment. If approved, the number of official public holidays per year would increase to 12.

Hong Chieu