Is today a public holiday in Singapore?

Employment Act, In-Lieu Rest Rules & MAS Financial Rails

In Singapore, official public holidays are established under the Holidays Act 1904 (First Schedule) and regulated for the workforce under Section 88 of the Employment Act 1968, administered by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). Singapore recognizes 11 gazetted public holidays per calendar year, reflecting the nation's multi-ethnic and secular character.

Sunday Rollover & The 2026 In-Lieu Schedule

Under Section 88(2) of the Employment Act, when a gazetted public holiday falls on a rest day (which is Sunday for most standard employment schedules), the working day immediately following that rest day is statutorily designated as a paid public holiday in lieu.

In 2026, three major public holidays coincide with a Sunday, generating automatic long weekends:

• Vesak Day (Sunday, 31 May 2026): The following Monday, 1 June 2026 is observed as an official public holiday in lieu.
• National Day (Sunday, 9 August 2026): The following Monday, 10 August 2026 is observed as an official public holiday in lieu.
• Deepavali (Sunday, 8 November 2026): The following Monday, 9 November 2026 is observed as an official public holiday in lieu.

Combined with standard Friday holidays (Good Friday, Labour Day, and Christmas Day), 2026 delivers six natural three-day long weekends. Discover how to bridge additional annual leave around these dates using our 2026 PTO Maximizer.

Official 2027 MOM Public Holiday Schedule & Long Weekends

Published by the Singapore Ministry of Manpower (MOM) on 18 June 2026, the official 2027 Singapore calendar includes 11 gazetted public holidays and four 3-day long weekends:

• New Year's Day: Friday, 1 January 2027 (3-day weekend).
• Chinese New Year: Saturday, 6 February 2027 and Sunday, 7 February 2027 — with Monday, 8 February 2027 designated as an official public holiday in lieu under Section 88(2) of the Employment Act.
• Hari Raya Puasa: Wednesday, 10 March 2027.
• Good Friday: Friday, 26 March 2027 (3-day weekend).
• Labour Day: Saturday, 1 May 2027 (5-day week employees receive off-in-lieu or 1 extra day's salary).
• Hari Raya Haji: Monday, 17 May 2027 (3-day weekend).
• Vesak Day: Thursday, 20 May 2027.
• National Day: Monday, 9 August 2027 (3-day weekend).
• Deepavali: Thursday, 28 October 2027.
• Christmas Day: Saturday, 25 December 2027 (5-day week employees receive off-in-lieu or 1 extra day's salary).

The Saturday Rule for 5-Day Workweeks

For employees working a 5-day week where Saturday is a contracted non-working day, public holidays landing on a Saturday (such as Hari Raya Puasa on Saturday, 21 March 2026) do not automatically transfer to the following Monday by national gazette. However, under Section 88(3) of the Employment Act, the employer must provide an equitable statutory remedy:

1. Grant the employee a day off in lieu on an agreed alternative working day; or
2. Pay the employee an extra day's salary at the basic rate of pay.

Working on a Public Holiday: Section 88 Pay Rules

Under Section 88(4) of the Employment Act, employees covered under the Act who are required to work on a gazetted public holiday are entitled to an extra day's salary at the basic rate of pay, in addition to their regular gross salary for that holiday (amounting to double pay for that working day).

By mutual agreement between employer and employee, the additional pay may be substituted with a full working day off in lieu. For specific staff categories—namely managers, executives, and workmen earning above S$4,500/month (or non-workmen earning above S$2,600/month)—employers are legally permitted under MOM regulations to grant time-off-in-lieu (TOIL) based on the exact number of hours actually worked on the holiday, rather than granting a full day's credit.

Commercial Openings & Chinese New Year

Unlike European economies with statutory retail trading bans, Singapore's commercial sector remains largely deregulated under the Shop Houses and Retail Regulations. Shopping malls, supermarkets (such as NTUC FairPrice and Cold Storage), food courts, and tourist attractions across Marina Bay and Orchard Road remain open on virtually all public holidays.

The major operational exception is Chinese New Year (Days 1 & 2: Tuesday 17 Feb & Wednesday 18 Feb 2026). While essential transport and select large retail chains operate, traditional neighborhood heartland shops, hawker centers, and independent dining venues typically close for two to four days. Review expected operational patterns in our guide on What Stays Open on Public Holidays.

Banking Settlement Rails: MAS MEPS+ vs. FAST / PayNow 24/7

Wholesale interbank financial infrastructure is operated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) via the MEPS+ (MAS Electronic Payment System) real-time gross settlement network. MEPS+ pauses high-value interbank wholesale transfers on gazetted public holidays, and traditional Interbank GIRO (IBG) batch files do not process.

However, domestic retail and commercial banking operates continuously across modern digital rails:

• FAST & PayNow: The Fast And Secure Transfers (FAST) network and PayNow operate 24/7/365. Instant peer-to-peer mobile payments, QR merchant checkouts, and corporate account transfers up to authorized limits settle in seconds on holidays and weekends.
• Branch Services: Physical retail bank lobbies close on gazetted public holidays, though automated cash deposit machines and ATM networks remain fully functional. Calculate business turnaround times using our Working Days Calculator.

Singapore Exchange (SGX Trading Schedule)

The Singapore Exchange (SGX) closes for securities and derivatives trading on all 11 gazetted public holidays, as well as on official Monday substitute holidays (such as 1 June, 10 August, and 9 November 2026). On the business eves preceding Chinese New Year, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day, SGX operates shortened half-day trading sessions closing at 12:30 PM local time.

Singapore Payment Rails, Exchange Cutoffs & Statutory Pay Matrix (2026–2027)

When a statutory public holiday or in-lieu bank holiday occurs in Singapore, commercial banking counters, central bank real-time gross settlement (RTGS) rails, and retail instant payment systems follow distinct operational rules:

Key 2026 vs. 2027 Holiday Date Shifts & Bridge-Day Planning in Singapore

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 Singapore should account for the following 2026–2027 date comparisons and leave-bridge opportunities: