Public holidays by country
Last reviewed: 7 November 2026
Public holidays compared across countries: national public holidays, number of national public holidays, working on a public holiday, shop opening on public holidays, holiday falling on a weekend. Pick a country for the full list of rules, each with its official source.
| Country | National public holidays | Number of national public holidays | Working on a public holiday | Shop opening on public holidays | Holiday falling on a weekend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | 9 official days incl. Good Friday; see note | 8 (plus Good Friday for deadlines) | No statutory premium; cao or contract decides | Closed on listed holidays; municipalities may exempt | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| United Kingdom | Differs by nation; see lists | E&W 8, Scotland 10, NI 10 in 2026 | No right to paid leave; may count toward leave | ⚠ Not yet verified | Substitute weekday, normally next Monday |
| France | 11 days; 2026 dates listed | 11 (more in Alsace-Moselle) | Only 1 May compulsory off; double pay then | ⚠ Not yet verified | No substitute day by law |
| Spain | 8 days everywhere; regions add more | 8 everywhere; max 14 a year | Paid and non-recoverable | 16 Sundays/holidays minimum; regions pick days | Sunday holiday moves to Monday |
| Italy | 12 holidays plus Sundays | 12 (excl. Sundays) | Daily pay due; work gets holiday surcharge | No legal closing obligation on holidays | No substitute day; extra daily pay if worked |
| United States | 11 federal holidays, 2026 dates from OPM | 11 | Federal staff: 200% pay; private sector not covered here | ⚠ Not yet verified | Sat to Friday; Sun to Monday (federal staff) |
| Canada | 10 federal general holidays | 10 (federally regulated employers) | Holiday pay plus 1.5x for hours worked | ⚠ Not yet verified | Paid day in lieu on nearest working day |
| Mexico | Art. 74: 7 yearly days plus 2 conditional | 7 yearly, plus 1 Oct every 6 years and election days | Double pay on top of rest-day pay (triple) | ⚠ Not yet verified | Sunday premium (Art. 71) also payable |
| Ireland | 10 days; Good Friday is not one | 10 | Paid day off, extra leave day or extra day pay | ⚠ Not yet verified | Benefit still due; no automatic day off |
| Australia | 8 named days, plus state-declared days | 8 named, more by state | Can refuse unreasonable request; paid if absent | ⚠ Not yet verified | State law or agreement may substitute a day |
| Poland | 14 days + Sundays; 24 Dec since 2025 | 14 (+ Sundays) | Only listed cases; day off or 100% extra | Banned, with exemptions (Art. 6) | Non-Sunday holiday cuts working time 8 h |
| Portugal | 13 mandatory; Easter-linked dates movable | 13 mandatory | Paid; work gives 50% extra or time off | Must close if Sunday work not allowed | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Belgium | 10 days incl. 21 Jul and 11 Nov | 10 | Work banned unless Sunday work allowed; paid; rest | ⚠ Not yet verified | Substitute working day, set by sector or company |
| Sweden | 13 named days + all Sundays | 13 (+ Sundays) | Set by collective agreements, not the Act | ⚠ Not yet verified | Fixed-date holidays keep their date |
| Austria | 13 days incl. 26 Oct and 8 Dec | 13 | 24 h rest; pay for work on top of holiday pay | Closed unless an exception applies | Sunday rest rules apply |
| Greece | 9 compulsory; Easter Monday movable | 9 by law (+ up to 5 by decision) | Banned except exempt activities; +75% pay | Commercial activity banned; category exceptions | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Switzerland | 1 August federal; others by canton | 1 federal (+ up to 8 cantonal) | Sunday-style ban; permit needed to work | ⚠ Not yet verified | No right to take it back |
| Czechia | 13 days incl. Good Friday and 24 Dec | 13 | Only listed work; time off or pay supplement | Shops over 200 m2 closed on set days | Pay replacement only on a working day |
| Hungary | 11 days incl. Good Friday, Whit Monday | 11 | 100% premium for work on a holiday | ⚠ Not yet verified | Yearly decree: 3 rest days in 2026, worked on Saturdays |
| Norway | Sundays plus 10 named days (Act lists, no 2026 dates) | 10 named days plus Sundays | Banned unless the work requires it; must be discussed | Closed; small shops and some others exempt | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| New Zealand | 11 days; Matariki 10 July 2026 | Max 12 a year; 11 national in 2026 | Paid day off; 1.5x and a paid day in lieu if worked | Shops closed Christmas, Good Friday, Anzac am, Easter Sun | Moves to Monday if weekend is not a working day |
| Croatia | 14 days; Easter/Corpus Christi movable | 14 (Easter counted as 2 days) | Pay due; Government can order work | Shops closed; kiosks 07:00-13:00 | No substitute day |
| Turkey | 7 fixed days, plus Ramadan and Kurban Bayram | 7 fixed days plus 2 religious holidays | Work needs agreement or consent; extra day pay | 29 Oct: private workplaces must close | Holiday ending Friday: Saturday also a holiday |
How to read the comparison
The table compares these points:
- National public holidays
- Number of national public holidays
- Working on a public holiday
- Shop opening on public holidays
- Holiday falling on a weekend
Before you rely on it
These are national rules. Regions, cities, employers and venues can add their own, and the law changes. A rule marked “to verify” has not yet been confirmed against an official source. Each country page links to the official sources, and those are the place to confirm the details.
General information, not legal advice. Rules change: check the official source before you fly or ride.