Fireworks welcoming the New Year 2025 in Hoàn Kiếm area, Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The Government has officially approved a four-day break for the 2026 New Year holiday following a working-day swap arrangement, allowing the holiday to run from January 1 to January 4.

In a document issued on Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister Phạm Thị Thanh Trà agreed with a proposal from the Ministry of Home Affairs to grant public employees four consecutive days off for the New Year.

Civil servants and public employees will be off from Thursday, January 1, through Sunday, January 4, 2026. To compensate, the working day of Friday, January 2, will be shifted to Saturday, January 10.

The Government has encouraged private-sector employers to apply the same New Year holiday schedule for their employees, while ensuring that all labour entitlements are fully implemented in accordance with the law.

The Deputy Prime Minister also requested agencies and units to arrange on-duty staff appropriately and flexibly organise work schedules to ensure uninterrupted operations and effective public services during the holiday period.

Ministries, agencies and local authorities have been tasked with developing specific and suitable plans and measures to encourage organisations, enterprises and individuals to proactively maintain production, business and socio-economic activities.

These measures aim to ensure stable supply and demand of goods and services, maintain price and market stability and support economic growth before, during and after the 2026 New Year holiday.

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Lunar New Year (Tết) holiday will last five days, including one day before Tết and four days after. Combined with four weekly days off, employees will enjoy a continuous nine-day break.

Meanwhile, for the National Day, civil servants and public employees will be entitled to two days off as prescribed, including September 2 and the preceding day, September 1. A working-day swap will also be applied, moving the working day of Monday, August 31, to Saturday, August 22, resulting in a five-day consecutive holiday nationwide.

The Ministry of Home Affairs encourages employers at enterprises to apply the New Year holiday for 2026 for employees in line with the schedule applicable to civil servants and public employees, while fully ensuring all statutory entitlements for workers in accordance with the law, and encouraging agreements that are more beneficial to employees.

In 2026, the total number of public holidays and festive breaks will reach a record 25 days, including adjacent weekly days off. — VNS