Vietnam Considers Extended Tet Holiday for 2027

The Ministry of Home Affairs has sent an official dispatch to relevant ministries and agencies seeking opinions on proposed holiday schedules for the 2027 Lunar New Year (Tet) and National Day. Two options are presented for the Tet holiday: a 7-day break or a 10-day break. The first option proposes a 5-day official holiday, extended by weekends to a total of 7 days, running from February 4, 2027 (28th day of the 12th lunar month) to February 10, 2027 (5th day of the 1st lunar month). Civil servants and public employees would return to work on February 11, 2027 (6th day of the 1st lunar month). The second option extends the holiday to 10 consecutive days, from February 5, 2027 (29th day of the 12th lunar month) to February 14, 2027 (9th day of the 1st lunar month). This involves working on Friday, February 5, 2027, and swapping it with Saturday, February 27, 2027, creating a 10-day break encompassing 5 official holiday days, two full weekends, and one swapped day. Civil servants and public employees would resume work on February 15, 2027 (10th day of the 1st lunar month). The drafting agency suggests the first option, with a more spread-out holiday period, would better facilitate travel and Tet preparations for citizens. The second option, with a holiday starting closer to Lunar New Year's Eve, could lead to concentrated travel demand, placing significant pressure on transportation, especially in large urban areas. For businesses, employers can choose to grant their employees one day off at the end of the old year and four days at the beginning of the new year, or two days at the end and three at the beginning, or vice versa, provided they notify employees 30 days in advance. For National Day in 2027, civil servants and public employees are scheduled to have a 4-day break from September 2 to September 5, including the official holiday and the following day, plus the weekend. Vietnam currently observes 11 official public holidays. There is also a proposal to add Vietnam Cultural Day on November 24 as a paid holiday, which would bring the total to 12 official holidays if approved. Source: VnExpress