Vietnam Public Holidays 2027: Tet Dates and Employer Rules
Employees in Vietnam are entitled to 12 paid public holiday days in 2027: the 11 days set by the Labour Code plus Vietnam Culture Day on 24 November, which became a paid day off from 2026. Tet 2027 (Lunar New Year) falls on Saturday, 6 February 2027. The Ministry of Home Affairs has confirmed a seven-day Tet break from 4 to 10 February 2027 for the public sector. Private employers choose one of three statutory options and must tell staff their schedule at least 30 days in advance.
This guide sets out the 2027 dates, what employers must pay when staff work on a holiday, how compensatory days off work, and what to plan before Tet.
Key Takeaways
Vietnam has 12 paid public holiday days in 2027, including the new Vietnam Culture Day on 24 November.
Tet holiday 2027: the public sector is off from 4 to 10 February. Private employers choose one of three 5-day options around New Year's Eve (Friday, 5 February) and must announce it at least 30 days before the break.
Staff who work on a public holiday earn at least 300% of their normal wage for each hour worked, on top of the holiday pay they are already owed.
Foreign employees get two extra days off: their own traditional New Year and their country's National Day.
Vietnam Public Holidays 2027 at a Glance
Article 112 of the Labour Code (No. 45/2019/QH14) lists 11 paid public holiday days. National Assembly Resolution 28/2026/QH16 adds Vietnam Culture Day on 24 November, effective from 1 July 2026.
New Year's Day: Friday, 1 January (1 day).
Lunar New Year (Tet): 5 paid days. The public sector is off from Thursday, 4 February to Wednesday, 10 February, including 2 compensatory days for the weekend of 6–7 February. Private employers choose their own 5 days (see below).
Hung Kings Commemoration: Friday, 16 April (1 day), the 10th day of the 3rd lunar month.
Reunification Day: Friday, 30 April (1 day).
International Labour Day: Saturday, 1 May (1 day). Staff with a Saturday–Sunday weekend take a compensatory day off on Monday, 3 May.
National Day: Thursday, 2 September plus Wednesday, 1 September or Friday, 3 September (2 days). The public sector is off from 2 to 5 September.
Vietnam Culture Day: Wednesday, 24 November (1 day).
Tet Holiday 2027: Official Schedule and Private-Sector Options
The Ministry of Home Affairs announced the 2027 Tet schedule in October 2026. For civil servants and public employees, the break runs from Thursday, 4 February to Wednesday, 10 February 2027: the five statutory Tet days (4–8 February) plus two compensatory days because 6 and 7 February fall on a weekend.
Private companies, including foreign-invested enterprises, are not bound by the public-sector dates. They give the five statutory Tet days, split between the last days of the old lunar year (including New Year's Eve, Friday 5 February) and the first days of the new year (from Saturday 6 February), using one of three options:
Option 1 (1 day before + 4 days after): statutory days Friday 5 to Tuesday 9 February. With a Saturday–Sunday weekend, the break runs from Friday 5 to Thursday 11 February.
Option 2 (2 days before + 3 days after): statutory days Thursday 4 to Monday 8 February. With a Saturday–Sunday weekend, the break runs from Thursday 4 to Wednesday 10 February, the same as the public sector.
Option 3 (3 days before + 2 days after): statutory days Wednesday 3 to Sunday 7 February. With a Saturday–Sunday weekend, the break runs from Wednesday 3 to Tuesday 9 February.
The longer breaks include compensatory days for statutory Tet days that fall on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 February.
Employers must notify employees of their chosen Tet and National Day schedules at least 30 days in advance. For a break starting on 4 February, that means announcing it by 5 January 2027; for Option 3, by 4 January.
Choosing Option 2 keeps your staff on the same break as government agencies and public-sector counterparts, which makes it simpler to plan filings and approvals. A company that needs to finish export shipments may prefer Option 1, which starts the break later.
Vietnam Culture Day: The New Paid Holiday on 24 November
Resolution 28/2026/QH16 designates 24 November each year as Vietnam Culture Day, with a fully paid day off for employees, effective from 1 July 2026. The paid day off is granted to employees generally, so it covers private-sector staff as well as civil servants. According to Viet Nam News, the government has also proposed amending the Labour Code to list the day formally among public holidays.
The first observance is Tuesday, 24 November 2026. In 2027, it falls on Wednesday, 24 November. If your 2026 leave calendar, shift rosters or client delivery dates were set before the resolution, review them now.
Because the day is not yet listed in Article 112 of the Labour Code, the compensatory-day rule below may not apply to it unless the Labour Code is amended to list it. That makes no difference in 2026 or 2027, when 24 November falls on a weekday.
Holiday Pay: What Employers Owe
Public holidays are fully paid days off. Monthly-salaried employees receive their normal salary for the month, with no deduction for the holidays.
If an employee works on a public holiday, Article 98 of the Labour Code requires overtime pay of at least 300% of the normal wage for each hour worked. This does not include the holiday pay itself. For employees paid by the day, that means at least 400% in total: 100% for the paid holiday plus 300% for the work. Night work on a holiday adds further premiums under the same article.
Three points often cause problems for foreign-invested companies:
Pay the premium. The Labour Code has no provision for replacing the holiday premium with time off in lieu, so budget for the 300% rate whenever staff work on a holiday.
Holiday work counts as overtime. Under Article 107, overtime needs the employee's consent and counts towards the statutory overtime limits.
Use the right wage base. Calculate the premium on the wage for the work the employee actually does, as defined in the employment contract and your pay rules.
To estimate holiday costs for 2027, start from current wage levels. Read VINEX's guides to Vietnam's regional minimum wage in 2026 and average salary in Vietnam for current benchmarks.
Compensatory Days Off
Under Article 111(3) of the Labour Code, when a public holiday falls on an employee's weekly rest day, the employee takes a compensatory day off on the next working day.
How this plays out depends on your own working week:
Saturday and Sunday off: for Labour Day (Saturday, 1 May 2027), staff take a compensatory day off on Monday, 3 May. Tet days that fall on 6–7 February are also compensated on the next working days.
Sunday off only: Saturday, 1 May is already a working day turned into a holiday, so no compensatory day is needed. Only holidays that fall on Sunday are compensated.
Write your weekly rest day into your internal labour regulations so the compensatory-day rule is applied consistently. VINEX's Vietnam labour law updates explain other recent changes that affect working-time rules.
Foreign Employees Get Two Extra Days
Article 112(2) of the Labour Code gives foreign employees working in Vietnam two additional paid days off each year: one for the traditional New Year of their home country and one for its National Day.
For a Singaporean employee, that could mean Chinese New Year and Singapore's National Day on 9 August. For a US employee, the National Day would be Independence Day on 4 July. Which traditional New Year applies depends on the employee, so agree the specific dates for each foreign employee in the employment contract or internal rules, and keep payroll and leave records consistent with them.
Planning Around Tet: Payroll, Tax Filings and Shipments
Tet is the longest public holiday of the year, and many suppliers, banks and service providers work at reduced capacity in the days around it. Plan these three areas early.
Payroll and Tet bonuses. Many companies pay January salaries, and any Tet bonus, before the break so staff have funds for the holiday. The Labour Code does not make a 13th-month salary or Tet bonus mandatory. Under Article 104, bonuses are set by the employer's bonus policy, based on business results and each employee's performance. If an employment contract, collective agreement or internal policy promises a 13th-month payment or Tet bonus, that promise is binding. Bonuses are taxable employment income, so withhold personal income tax when you pay them.
Tax filings. Monthly VAT and PIT returns for January fall due shortly after Tet. Check the exact 2027 deadlines under the current tax administration rules with your accountant, and prepare the returns before the break rather than after it. VINEX's guide to Vietnam tax compliance in 2026 and Decree 252 covers the filing rules now in force. Annual PIT finalisation for 2026 follows in the first months of 2027; see our PIT finalisation guide for foreign employees.
Shipments and suppliers. Expect reduced logistics services and longer lead times around the break. Agree cut-off dates for orders, customs clearance and payments with clients and suppliers in December.
Employer Checklist for Tet 2027
November 2026: confirm the 24 November 2026 day off and roster anyone who must work that day.
By mid-December 2026: choose your Tet 2027 option and agree cut-off dates with clients, suppliers and logistics partners.
By 4–5 January 2027: announce the Tet and National Day schedules to employees, at least 30 days before the break.
January 2027: finalise any Tet bonus, pay January salaries and withhold PIT before the break.
Before the Tet break: prepare the January VAT and PIT returns, and arrange consent and pay for anyone working during Tet.
After Tet: file returns by the deadline and start the 2026 PIT finalisation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many public holidays does Vietnam have in 2027?
Employees in Vietnam have 12 paid public holiday days in 2027: New Year's Day (1), Tet (5), Hung Kings Commemoration (1), Reunification Day (1), Labour Day (1), National Day (2) and Vietnam Culture Day (1). Foreign employees get two more days for their own traditional New Year and National Day.
When is Tet 2027 in Vietnam?
Lunar New Year 2027 falls on Saturday, 6 February 2027, and New Year's Eve is Friday, 5 February. The public-sector Tet break runs from Thursday, 4 February to Wednesday, 10 February 2027. Private companies choose their own 5 statutory Tet days within the options set by the government.
Do private companies have to follow the public-sector Tet schedule?
No. Private employers, including foreign-invested companies, give 1, 2 or 3 days at the end of the old lunar year (including New Year's Eve) and the remaining 4, 3 or 2 days at the start of the new year. They add compensatory days where holidays fall on weekly rest days and must announce the schedule at least 30 days in advance.
Is 24 November a paid holiday in Vietnam?
Yes. From 2026, Vietnam Culture Day on 24 November is a fully paid day off for employees under Resolution 28/2026/QH16. It falls on Tuesday, 24 November 2026 and Wednesday, 24 November 2027.
How much must an employer pay staff who work during Tet?
At least 300% of the normal wage for each hour worked, plus the holiday pay the employee is already entitled to. For daily-paid staff, that is at least 400% in total. Night work adds further premiums, and the work counts as overtime, so it needs the employee's consent.
Our Services
Get Your 2027 Payroll and HR Calendar Right
Holiday schedules, overtime premiums and Tet bonuses are easy to get wrong when your team is managed from Singapore, Hong Kong or the US. VINEX helps foreign companies run compliant payroll, set internal labour regulations and hire staff in Vietnam, including through an employer of record in Vietnam before you set up your own entity.
Contact VINEX for a free consultation on your 2027 holiday calendar and payroll.
This article is general information as of 4 November 2026, not legal advice. Confirm your holiday schedule against the official government notice or with an adviser.
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