Under a Tet holiday plan approved by the Prime Minister based on a proposal from the Ministry of Home Affairs, civil servants and public employees will have a total of nine consecutive days off for the 2026 Lunar New Year, including public holidays and weekends.

Specifically, the break will run from Saturday, February 14, 2026, which is the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month of the Year of the Snake, through Sunday, February 22, 2026, corresponding to the sixth day of the first lunar month of the Year of the Horse.

Under the Labor Code, public employees are entitled to five official Tet holidays, including one day before Tet and four days after Tet.

Combined with four weekend days, the total holiday period amounts to nine consecutive days.

For employees in the business sector, employers are encouraged to develop Tet holiday plans that suit production and business conditions, while also taking into account the public sector schedule.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has suggested several options, such as taking one day off at the end of the Year of the Snake and four days at the beginning of the Year of the Horse.

Other options include two days at the end of the old year and three days at the start of the new year, or three days at the end of the old year and two days at the beginning of the new year.

Employers are required to inform employees of the Tet holiday schedule at least 30 days in advance.

If weekly rest days coincide with public holidays or Tet holidays as stipulated, employers must arrange compensatory leave on the following working day.

The Ministry of Home Affairs also encourages businesses to adopt a holiday schedule similar to that of the public sector and to prioritize agreements that are more favorable to employees.

According to labor experts, a nine-day Tet holiday allows workers more time to reunite with family and restore their energy after a year of work.

This, in turn, is expected to help improve morale and productivity when employees return to work.

In addition, the extended holiday is seen as a factor that can stimulate consumer demand, boost tourism and service activities, and create momentum for economic growth at the start of the year.

To avoid disruptions to production and business operations, many companies have proactively prepared early.

Measures include flexible shift arrangements, working extra hours before the holiday or increasing overtime afterward, as well as maintaining on-duty teams for key operations.

Some enterprises have also accelerated digital transformation and automation to ensure order fulfillment and stable operations during the holiday period.

The longer break also enables people to better plan their travel schedules, reducing congestion during peak days.

More balanced travel flows are expected to ease traffic pressure in major cities and on key transport routes.

This contributes to safer and more convenient travel during Tet, while also reducing the burden on transport infrastructure and service forces.

Vu Diep