Public holidays
Public holidays by country, paid days a year
The paid public holidays of 107 countries, each linked to the law or official calendar that sets them. They run from 1 day in Switzerland to 26 days in Sri Lanka a year.
Paid public holidays a year, most first
National paid public holidays as the law or official calendar states them; regional holidays are noted where the wording says so.
Countries whose holidays are stated another way
No single yearly count to rank; the wording says how the holidays are set.
| Country | As the law states it | Read at source |
|---|---|---|
| Egypt | No fixed statutory count (set by ministerial decision)↗ | Oct 3, 2026 |
| India | Varies by state↗ | Oct 29, 2026 |
Statutory minimums or standards; employment contracts and collective agreements can set more. Employment terms as listed on each country page (labour data as of Aug 18, 2026 unless re-read since), 107 countries.
Public holidays by country: common questions
Which country has the most public holidays?
In our data the most paid public holidays a year is 26 days, in Sri Lanka, and the fewest is 1 day, in Switzerland. 92 of the 105 countries have at least 10↗. Regional holidays can add more in federal countries.
Are public holidays paid on top of annual leave?
In most countries yes: public holidays are paid days off in addition to statutory annual leave, which is compared on its own page. The United Kingdom is the main exception, where the statutory 5.6 weeks↗ of leave may include bank holidays.
What if an employee works on a public holiday?
Many laws require a premium or a day off in lieu for work on a public holiday; the rule differs by country, and the employer of record, as the legal employer, applies it.
Hiring someone in another country? Pick the country and we rank the employer of record providers that employ there and apply its employment law, with their published fees.
Get matchedMore employment rules by country: employer costs, minimum wage, annual leave, working hours, overtime pay, sick leave, maternity leave, paternity leave, 13th month salary, probation period, notice period, severance pay and employer pension.