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Is today a public holiday in Iraq?
Upcoming Holidays & Bank Closures in Iraq
Approaching central clearing pauses and statutory non-working days under Official Holidays Law No. 12 of 2024 & Labor Law No. 37 of 2015.
Leave Optimization
Strategic calendar bridges to maximize consecutive days off.
Banking & Settlement Guides
Payment rails, trading hours, and financial holiday calendars.
How Statutory Public Holidays Work in Iraq
Official holidays in the Republic of Iraq are formally codified under the Official Holidays Law No. 12 of 2024 (قانون العطلات الرسمية رقم 12 لسنة 2024), passed by the Council of Representatives, alongside workplace employment provisions under Iraqi Labor Law No. 37 of 2015. Iraq operates a Friday to Saturday weekly weekend, with Sunday functioning as a standard working day.
Comprehensive National Calendar
Law 12 establishes 11 universal official holidays across Iraq, including historic civic events (Army Day, Republic Day, National Day, Victory Day), major Islamic holy days (Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, Ashura, Mawlid), Nowruz, and Eid al-Ghadir.
Labor Law No. 37 Overtime
Under Article 72 of the Iraqi Labor Law, an employee required to work on an official public holiday is legally entitled to compensatory wage premiums of at least 200% of their base wage or an alternative paid rest day in lieu.
Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) & ISX
The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) suspends the Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) system and foreign exchange window on statutory holidays. The Iraq Stock Exchange (ISX) suspends equity trading. Digital retail cards and electronic wallets operate continuously.
Religious Minority Public Holidays
Under Law 12 of 2024, specialized statutory holidays are designated for recognized religious communities (including Christians, Mandaeans, and Yazidis) on their specific festive dates, granting them fully paid legal time off nationwide.
Official Primary Sources
Last verified: September 2026Official Holidays Law, Central Bank RTGS & Labour Law 37/2015
In the Republic of Iraq, public holidays are established under the national Official Holidays Law enacted by the Council of Representatives, supplemented by executive circulars from the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers (CABINET). Iraq observes nationwide civic commemorations (such as Republic Day and Independence Day) alongside major Islamic solemnities (Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, Ashura, and Arba'een).
Labour Law No. 37 of 2015: Holiday Overtime Rules
Under Labour Law No. 37 of 2015 (Articles 72 and 73), work on official public holidays and weekly rest days is prohibited except in authorized essential services, healthcare, and continuous manufacturing. When an employee is required to perform work during a statutory holiday, the employer must compensate the worker with:
- Their standard wage for the holiday; plus
- A statutory wage supplement of not less than 100% of their base wage (double pay); or
- An alternative compensatory paid day off within the same month by mutual agreement.
The Friday–Saturday Weekend & Weather Emergency Holidays
Iraq operates an official Friday and Saturday weekend. Under statutory Iraqi administrative jurisprudence, holidays coinciding with a Friday or Saturday do not automatically transfer to the following Sunday. However, the Council of Ministers frequently issues ad hoc emergency holiday declarations for the public sector during extreme summer heatwaves (when temperatures exceed 50°C / 122°F) or during multi-day mass religious pilgrimages like Arba'een.
Banking Clearing Rails: Central Bank of Iraq (CBI / RTGS)
Wholesale interbank financial settlement is supervised by the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) through the Iraqi Payments System (IPS / RTGS):
- Wholesale Settlement Halts: High-value wire settlement, interbank electronic cheque truncation, and corporate foreign currency auctions pause on official statutory holidays and decreed banking days.
- Digital Retail & Salary Cards: Domestic electronic card switches (including Qi Card and NeoPay) process ATM withdrawals, POS transactions, and retail mobile wallet operations continuously across the national retail switch. Verify corporate turnaround times using our Working Days Calculator.
Iraq Stock Exchange (ISX Trading Schedule)
The Iraq Stock Exchange (ISX) in Baghdad operates trading sessions from Sunday through Thursday. The exchange halts trading on all gazetted national holidays and on executive non-working days decreed by the Council of Ministers.
Iraq Payment Rails, Exchange Cutoffs & Statutory Pay Matrix (2026–2027)
When a statutory public holiday or in-lieu bank holiday occurs in Iraq, commercial banking counters, central bank real-time gross settlement (RTGS) rails, and retail instant payment systems follow distinct operational rules:
| Operational System / Mandate | Iraq Statutory Rule & Holiday Settlement Schedule |
|---|---|
| Wholesale RTGS & Wire Settlement | Central Bank of Iraq CBI-RTGS & C-ACH (Operates Sun–Thu; closed on Fri–Sat weekends and Law No. 12 of 2024 holidays) |
| Batch ACH, Payroll & Check Clearing | CBI Electronic Cheque Clearing & Salary Domiciliation (Tawtin) (Paused on official Cabinet & CBI bank holidays including Jan 2 / Jul 1) |
| 24/7 Instant Retail Payment Rail | Iraq National Switch, QiCard & ZainCash (Operates 24/7/365 for electronic card and wallet transfers) |
| Securities Exchange (Iraq Stock Exchange (ISX)) | Iraq Stock Exchange (ISX) trades Sunday–Thursday and suspends trading on all Council of Ministers holiday declarations |
| Statutory Holiday Premium Pay | 200% double wage rate for working on an official public holiday under Iraqi Labour Law No. 37 of 2015 Article 68 |
| Minimum Paid Annual Leave | 21 paid days minimum per year under Labour Law No. 37 of 2015 Article 75 (+2 days for every 5 years of service) |
Key 2026 vs. 2027 Holiday Date Shifts & Bridge-Day Planning in Iraq
Because fixed calendar holidays shift one weekday forward between 2026 and 2027 (and movable lunar or liturgical holidays shift by 10 to 15 days), HR teams, payroll processors, and employees in Iraq should account for the following 2026–2027 date comparisons and leave-bridge opportunities:
| Holiday Observance | 2026 Date | 2027 Date | Legal Scope | 2026 Leave & Bridge Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day (رأس السنة الميلادية) | 2026-01-01 (Thu) | 2027-01-01 (Fri) | Law 12/2024 Statutory | Book Friday off for a 4-day bridge break (1 PTO day) |
| Iraqi Army Day (عيد الجيش العراقي) | 2026-01-06 (Tue) | 2027-01-06 (Wed) | Law 12/2024 Statutory | Book Monday off for a 4-day bridge break (1 PTO day) |
| Eid al-Fitr (Day 1) | 2026-03-20 (Fri) | 2027-03-10 (Wed) | Religious Statutory | Natural 3-day long weekend (0 PTO days needed) |
| Eid al-Fitr (Day 2) / Nowruz Festival | 2026-03-21 (Sat) | 2027-03-10 (Wed) | Law 12/2024 Statutory | Falls on weekend — check statutory rollover rule above |
| Eid al-Fitr (Day 3) | 2026-03-22 (Sun) | 2027-03-10 (Wed) | Religious Statutory | Falls on weekend — check statutory rollover rule above |
| International Workers' Day | 2026-05-01 (Fri) | 2027-05-01 (Sat) | Law 12/2024 Statutory | Natural 3-day long weekend (0 PTO days needed) |
Frequently Asked Questions: Iraq Public Holidays
Do public holidays roll over to Sunday if they fall on a Friday or Saturday in Iraq?
No. Iraq does not have an automatic Sunday rollover system. Holidays coinciding with the Friday–Saturday weekend are absorbed unless an ad hoc executive decree is issued by the Council of Ministers.
What is the statutory pay rate for working on a public holiday in Iraq?
Under Labour Law No. 37 of 2015, employees required to work on an official holiday are entitled to a wage premium of at least double their basic pay rate (200% total compensation) or an alternative day of paid compensatory rest.
Why does Iraq occasionally declare emergency public holidays in summer?
The Iraqi Council of Ministers exercises statutory authority to declare public-sector emergency non-working days when summer temperatures exceed 50°C (122°F) to protect public health and ease power grid demand.
Does the Iraq Stock Exchange operate on Fridays and Saturdays?
No. The Iraq Stock Exchange trades from Sunday through Thursday, aligning with the official Middle Eastern workweek, and closes on all gazetted national holidays.
Do Qi Card and electronic salary payments work during Iraqi bank holidays?
Yes. Digital card networks and electronic ATM switches operate 24/7/365, allowing government employees and private citizens to access banked funds and execute electronic payments at any time.
How do instant retail payments vs. interbank wire transfers work on public holidays in Iraq?
In Iraq, wholesale interbank settlement and batch clearing (Central Bank of Iraq CBI-RTGS & C-ACH and CBI Electronic Cheque Clearing & Salary Domiciliation) pause on official weekday bank holidays, meaning standard payroll files, checks, and high-value wires settle on the next business day (T+1). However, domestic real-time retail payment rails (Iraq National Switch, QiCard & ZainCash) continue operating 24/7/365.
How many total public holidays and working days does Iraq have in 2026 and 2027?
Our verified Iraq calendar tracks 18 scheduled holiday and observance entries in 2026 and 19 entries in 2027 under Official Holidays Law No. 12 of 2024 & Labor Law No. 37 of 2015. Use the interactive Working Days Calculator above on this page to compute exact net business days between any two dates in Iraq for 2026 or 2027.
Tracking Middle Eastern Market Closures? Check live worldwide market holidays today with our Today Worldwide Tracker, or calculate operational financial windows using the Working Days Calculator.
Iraq 2026–2027 Public Holiday Calendar
Official public holidays, weekday labels, and banking observances under Official Holidays Law No. 12 of 2024 & Labor Law No. 37 of 2015
Workplace & Holiday Utilities
Accurate chronometry tools to calculate business days, leave bridges, and countdowns.
Calculate exact business days between two dates, excluding national bank holidays.
Compare public holidays between any two countries and find common days off or gaps.
Check operating status for mail delivery, private couriers, supermarkets, and pharmacies.
Turn 15 annual leave days into up to 45 consecutive days off by bridging holidays.
Live feed showing which sovereign jurisdictions are currently observing public holidays today.
Verify if tomorrow is a public holiday, bank holiday, or securities market closure across 48 countries.
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Directory checking passenger rail, subways, and airport express connector holiday schedules.
Authoritative guides, labor statutes, and central banking payment clearing operating rules.
Compare central bank RTGS wire cutoffs, batch ACH pauses, and 24/7 instant rails across 48 countries.
Verify full-day trading halts, early-close sessions, and T+1 settlement shifts across 48 exchanges.
Compare weekend holiday rollover rules, makeup workdays, and statutory overtime pay rates worldwide.
Compare 2026 vs. 2027 public holiday dates, Easter/Lunar shifts, and December 2027 rollovers.
Calculate direct deposit shifts, T-2 batch cutoff deadlines, and export .ics/CSV payroll calendars.
Simulate cross-border wire arrival value dates across central bank cutoffs and holiday halts.
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