Mu Dra
It has been officially announced that there will be a total of 32 public holidays in the 2026 calendar year, and the Factories and General Labour Laws Inspection Department has informed relevant factories, workshops, and workplaces accordingly.
The announcement includes substitute long holidays as part of public holidays. In addition to the nine-day Thingyan holiday, public holidays in 2026 will include Independence Day, Union Day, Chinese New Year, Peasants’ Day, Tabaung Full Moon Day, Armed Forces Day, Labour Day, Kasone Full Moon Day, Martyrs’ Day, Waso Full Moon Day, National Day, and Christmas Day. In the 2026 calendar, some of these holidays are designated as one-day holidays, while others are set as two-day holidays.
“Substitute holidays have been added all at once, making Union Day a two-day holiday, and Chinese New Year also a two-day holiday. It seems this was arranged so that holidays fall consecutively. In February, Union Day holidays fall on the 12th and 13th, and Chinese New Year holidays fall on the 16th and 17th, so for employees this will effectively become an extended holiday period,” said an industrial zone worker based in Yangon.
It is understood that the announcement of public holidays for 2026 is intended to instruct offices nationwide to grant leave and public holidays in accordance with the Leave and Holidays Act and its bylaws, in line with Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act regarding transferable contracts and public holidays.
The statement also notes that extended public holidays will include the Myanmar New Year Thingyan office holiday lasting nine days, the Thadingyut office holiday lasting three days, and the Tazaungdaing office holiday lasting two days.
It was also stated that during 2026, Karen New Year’s Day does not fall within the list of public office holidays, and that the dates for Eid al-Adha (Qurbani Eid) and Deepavali will be announced separately when they occur.
