The Ministry of Home Affairs has just issued a document to collect opinions from ministries and branches on the plan to exchange working days to extend the 2026 New Year holiday from 1 day according to regulations to 4 consecutive days.
New Year's Day 2026 falls on Thursday, January 1, 2026.
Therefore, the Ministry of Home Affairs proposes to exchange the working day from Friday, January 2, 2026, to make up for it on Saturday of the following week, or January 10, 2026.
If this plan is approved, cadres, civil servants, public employees and workers will have continuous holidays from January 1 to January 4, 2026, including one day off as prescribed, one day off as a result of exchange and two days off every week.
The Ministry of Home Affairs said that the swapping of working days does not change the total working time fund for the year, while creating conditions for workers to have more complete holidays, contributing to stimulating tourism, consumption and promoting economic growth at the beginning of the new year.
The consultation of ministries and branches on this plan was carried out during the day.
This agency also encourages employers in the non-state sector to apply the same 2026 New Year's holiday as the public sector, on the basis of ensuring full rights of employees according to legal regulations and more favorable agreements.
In addition to New Year's Day, other holidays and Tet holidays in 2026 will basically remain the same according to the Labor Code. On the occasion of Hung Vuong's Commemoration Day (March 10 of the lunar calendar) on the weekend, workers will have the next working day off, a total of 3 consecutive days off. After that, the April 30 - May holiday will last 4 days, from April 30 to May 3, 2026, due to two holidays combined with two weekends.
On the occasion of National Day in 2026 alone, civil servants and public employees will have 5 consecutive days off, from August 29 to September 2, 2026. According to the swapping plan, the Monday working day, August 31, 2026, will be transferred to make up for it on Saturday, August 22, 2026.
For the Lunar New Year holiday schedule in 2026, cadres, civil servants and public employees are given 5 days off according to regulations, including one day before Tet and four days after Tet.
The official holiday lasts from February 16 to February 20, 2026 (ie from December 29, At Ty year to January 4, Binh Ngo year).
Combined with the two weekends before and after Tet, the public sector agency block has a total of 9 consecutive days off and returns to work from February 23, 2026.
According to current regulations, Vietnam has 11 official holidays each year, including New Year's Day, Lunar New Year, Hung Kings' Commemoration Day, April 30 - May 1 and National Day. From 2021, National Day will be supplemented with an additional day off before or after September 2 depending on the year. Foreign workers working in Vietnam will have an additional day off for traditional Tet and a National Day of their country.
The Ministry of Home Affairs believes that in the context of the 2026 New Year falling in the middle of the week, swapping working days is a suitable solution to form a 4-day continuous holiday, meeting the needs of people for rest, travel and tourism at the beginning of the new year.
If the 2026 New Year's holiday lasts 4 days, visitors can choose destinations with moderate travel distance, favorable weather and can experience it fully in a short time.
In the North, Sa Pa is an attractive choice with the end of the year flower season, highland villages, suitable for a trip combined with relaxation and discovery.
In the Central region, Hue and Hoi An bring cultural tourism experiences, heritage and quiet space at the beginning of the year, suitable for tourists who want to relax and slow down.
Nha Trang is also a suitable choice thanks to its pleasant climate, many fun activities, swimming and sightseeing.
In addition, Da Lat is always a popular destination thanks to its cool weather, romantic scenery and many gentle resting spaces.
For those who love the sea, Phu Quoc enters the most beautiful season of the year, the sea is calm, the sun is stable, suitable for a 3-4 day vacation at high-end resorts.
In addition, with short flights and a limited schedule, Singapore or Bangkok are also suggestions worth considering for the New Year if the holiday lasts 4 days.
