Vietnam should gradually have more holidays: experts

Vietnam has 11 official public holidays, including one day for New Year's Day, five days for the Lunar New Year, one day for the Hung Kings' Commemoration Day, two days for the Reunification Day and Labor Day (April 30–May 1) and two days for National Day in September.

The new Vietnam Culture Day on Nov. 24, which is pending formal approval by the National Assembly, would bring the number to 12.

Professor Le Van Trinh, chairman of the Association for Occupational Safety and Health Science and Technology, said the country’s number of official public holidays remains low compared to that in many developed countries.

"It is time to study ways to amend the Labor Code to increase the number of annual holidays and reduce working hours as the country’s socioeconomic conditions gradually improve," he said.

Regarding which holidays should be added, Trinh said many people want the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday to be extended beyond the current five official days.

However, that holiday usually falls in late January or early February, meaning Vietnam begins its longest holiday when most countries have already finished celebrating the New Year.

Hence, he suggested adding holidays around New Year’s Day to better align with the globalization trend.

Children in ao dai attending a Vietnamese festival at the Youth Cultural House in Ho Chi Minh City in early 2025. Photo by VnExpress/Khuong Nguyen

Pham Minh Huan, former Deputy Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, said there were 10 official public holidays before the 2019 revision of the Labor Code. The revision added one more day, though many opinions at the time had called for an increase of two or three.

Huan proposed a gradual increase in the number of holidays and spreading them throughout the year, which he said could bring multiple benefits, including enhancing mental well-being and stimulating consumer demand.

However, any increase in holidays should also be tied to improvements in labor productivity and careful assessment of the impact on businesses, he noted.

The Vietnamese Union said it will consult with workers to propose a number that aligns with regional norms, especially those of similarly developed countries, as well as workers’ productivity levels, socioeconomic conditions and Vietnamese traditions.

It had for years called for more official public holidays as the current number is much lower than the regional average of 15-17 days.

Sharing the perspective of businesses, Ko Tae Yeon, chairman of the Korean Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam, said he supports adding holidays to allow workers more time to rest, but hopes the government will announce any changes early so companies can proactively adjust their production plans.

In Southeast Asia, Cambodia has the highest number of public holidays, ranging from 18 to 22 days while the Philippines has 13-18 days.

Countries in Europe and North America have only 10-14 holidays but workers are entitled to lengthy annual leave, typically 20-30 days. Instead of concentrating time off around public holidays, Western countries allow workers to manage their time off more flexibly.