Singapore is home to diverse nationalities, cultures, and religious beliefs. Its public holidays reflect this, with celebrations for Christians, Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims.
In this article, we'll take a look at every public holiday, what each one signifies, and what HR teams should keep in mind for each celebration. We reveal which dates fall on weekends and which holidays are connected to long weekends. We recognize that this website is for HR news across all of Asia, but our metrics show the vast majority of our audience is in Singapore.
Singapore's Ministry of Manpower (MOM) outlined these public holidays for the year:
| Holiday | Observed on |
|---|---|
| New Year's Day | 1 January 2026 |
| Lunar New Year (Day 1) | 17 February 2026 |
| Lunar New Year (Day 2) | 18 February 2026 |
| Hari Raya Puasa | 21 March 2026 |
| Good Friday | 3 April 2026 |
| Labour Day | 1 May 2026 |
| Hari Raya Haji | 27 May 2026 |
| Vesak Day | 31 May 2026 |
| Monday, 1 June 2026, will be a public holiday if the employee's rest day falls on 31 May 2026. | |
| National Day | 9 August 2026 |
| Monday, 10 August 2026, will be a public holiday if the employee's rest day falls on 9 August 2026. | |
| Deepavali | 8 November 2026 |
| Monday, 9 November 2026, will be a public holiday if the employee's rest day falls on 8 November 2026. | |
| Christmas Day | 25 December 2026 |
Some great news for employees: there will be six long weekends this year!
Each day of celebration holds significance as far as religion, culture, and history are concerned. Here are some insights into the public holidays observed in Singapore.
New Year's Day is always on the first of January and marks the start of the Gregorian calendar year.
In Singapore, New Year's Day is a secular public holiday. Many employees use it for rest, family gatherings, or to recover from New Year's Eve celebrations.
Lunar New Year is one of the most significant festivals in Singapore. Celebrations run for two days; most establishments close on both days. The dates change every year because they follow the lunar calendar.
This celebration is about:
You'll see a lot of leave requests before and after these two public holidays. Companies with continuous operations need clear staffing plans and standby rosters.
Lunar New Year is also called Chinese New Year or Spring Festival. Using the term "Lunar New Year" is a more intentional, inclusive choice – it honours the traditions of other Asian cultures that follow the lunar calendar.
Hari Raya Puasa, also known as Eid al‑Fitr, marks the end of Ramadan. It celebrates a month of fasting, prayer and reflection for Muslims. The date depends on the lunar calendar.
On this public holiday, Muslims often:
HR teams should expect:
Good Friday is a Christian public holiday that marks the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. In Singapore, churches hold special services, often morning or afternoon ceremonies.
The dates for Good Friday change every year. But as it always falls on a Friday, it is one of the easiest long weekends to plan around.
Labour Day, or May Day, celebrates workers' contributions and the labour movement. Its roots lie in the global push for the eight‑hour working day.
In Singapore, Labour Day is a key date for:
For HR, Labour Day is a good time to:
Labour Day holiday is a good time to celebrate milestones such as Singapore's strong labour market growth in 2025.
Hari Raya Haji, also known as Eid al‑Adha, is another major Islamic public holiday. It marks Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to Allah.
This public holiday is also connected to the annual pilgrimage called the haj. Muslims who can travel to Mecca are obliged to do so, at least once in their lifetime.
On this public holiday, Muslims:
The date for Hari Raya Haji follows the Islamic lunar calendar, so it changes every year.
Vesak Day is the most important public holiday in the Buddhist calendar. It represents the birth, enlightenment, and death of Gautama Buddha.
Typical observances include:
For HR, Vesak Day affects staffing across a Sunday and Monday. Rosters must be clear on who is scheduled on Sunday, and who benefits from the Monday public holiday if it applies to them.
National Day marks Singapore's independence in 1965. It is one of the biggest celebrations of the year. Some highlights include:
HR often supports:
National Day is a celebration of how far Singapore has come since 1965. The parade showcases the strength of Singapore's armed forces – just look at the 2025 parade highlights:
Deepavali, or Diwali, is the Hindu Festival of Lights. It symbolises the victory of light over darkness and good over evil.
This public holiday is marked by:
From an HR point of view, Deepavali sits close to year‑end. It can coincide with project deadlines and peak retail activity, so advanced planning helps.
Christmas Day is a Christian public holiday marking the birth of Jesus Christ. In Singapore, many people celebrate it in a secular way as well.
The day is known for:
For HR, Christmas Day is part of the broader year‑end period. This is usually when leave, shutdown plans and coverage arrangements all peak.
According to the Holidays Act, there are 11 public holidays. Singapore had as many as 16 public holidays until 1968, but the list was trimmed down for productivity reasons.
In 1968, these were removed from the public holiday list:
These changes were made after the government consulted with religious groups in Singapore. Each group was allowed to keep two holidays, and the days left off the list were designated as optional holidays for that faith.
There has been a campaign to bring back Thaipusam as a public holiday due to its significance to Hindus in Singapore:
In Singapore, not every public holiday comes from the Holidays Act. Polling Day for national elections is a good example.
Polling Day for a general election or a presidential election is declared a public holiday under these laws:
Having a Polling Day does not reduce the number of public holidays for that year. The most recent Polling Day was on 3 May 2025, bringing the total public holidays to 12 for 2025.
In Singapore, employees covered by the Employment Act are entitled to 11 paid public holidays a year. Part 4 of the Act covers hours of work, rest days, and holiday entitlements for certain employees:
Part 4 changes how some conditions are handled, but not the basic public holiday entitlement. Employees who are not covered under Part 4 – such as managers, executives, and higher earners – may still get 11 paid public holidays, depending on their employment contract.
If an employee does not work on a public holiday:
If an employee is on unpaid leave on the public holiday, they do not get paid for it.
If a public holiday falls on:
If an employee who is not covered under Part 4 works on a public holiday, they can get time off in lieu instead of extra pay. The employee and employer must agree to this beforehand.
Singapore's public holiday celebrations are vibrant and colourful, just like the cultures and nationalities that have made this island nation home. In 2026, Singapore will observe all 11 public holidays in the calendar.
Employers, however, say the additional holiday will be a burden
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