What Are The Public Holidays in Mauritius in 2026?

List of Public Holidays in Mauritius (2026)

Mauritius has a mix of fixed and movable public holidays that reflect its multicultural and multi‑faith society. Use this list to plan staffing, leave, and payroll for your Mauritian team in 2026.

Do Employers Have to Provide Paid Leave on Public Holidays?

Yes, Mauritian labour law generally requires employers to treat public holidays as paid days off for employees who would normally work on those days. If a public holiday falls on a day when an employee is usually scheduled to work, you must pay their normal daily wage even if they do not work, provided they meet any minimum attendance or service conditions set by law or collective agreements.

Where a public holiday falls on a Sunday, it is typically observed on the next working day so that employees still receive the benefit of a paid holiday. If your business operates seven days a week, you should align your practice with the statutory list of public holidays and any guidance from the Ministry of Labour, ensuring that employees receive either the day off with pay or the appropriate premium if they work.

Part‑time employees are also entitled to public holiday benefits on a pro‑rata basis when the holiday falls on a day they would normally work. For shift workers, you should check their roster: if the public holiday coincides with a scheduled working day, they are entitled to the relevant paid holiday or premium pay if they are required to work.

When employees work on a public holiday, Mauritian law typically requires payment at a higher rate than the normal wage, often combined with compensatory rest. Because specific entitlements can change and may be supplemented by collective agreements or contracts, you should always verify current statutory rates and any sector‑specific rules before finalising your holiday pay policy.

Legal Penalties for Not Providing Paid Holiday Leave

Failure to comply with public holiday rules in Mauritius can expose your company to administrative and financial penalties. The Ministry of Labour, Human Resource Development and Training is the main enforcement authority and can investigate complaints from employees, conduct workplace inspections, and order corrective action where underpayment or non‑payment is identified.

Non‑compliant employers may be required to pay arrears of wages, including any premium rates due for work performed on public holidays, and can face fines or prosecution under applicable labour legislation. Repeated or deliberate breaches increase the risk of more serious sanctions and reputational damage, particularly for multinational employers expected to uphold strong compliance standards.

Common mistakes include treating public holidays as unpaid leave, failing to apply premium pay when employees work on those days, misclassifying part‑time or shift workers to avoid entitlements, and not adjusting for observed days when a holiday falls on a Sunday. To reduce risk, keep clear records of schedules, hours worked on public holidays, and how you calculated pay, and ensure your local HR and payroll teams understand the statutory requirements.

How Do Holidays Affect Overtime Thresholds?

Public holidays in Mauritius can affect how you calculate overtime and premium pay. When an employee works on a public holiday that would otherwise be a rest day, their hours are typically paid at a higher statutory rate than ordinary hours. In many cases, this premium is separate from standard overtime, meaning you may owe both the public holiday premium and overtime if total hours exceed normal daily or weekly limits.

If a public holiday falls on a normal working day and the employee does not work, the day is usually paid at the normal rate and does not count as hours worked for overtime purposes. However, if you require staff to work additional days to make up for a public holiday, those extra hours may attract overtime once they exceed the standard working‑time thresholds set by law or collective agreements.

Because overtime and public holiday rules can be updated and may vary by sector, the safest approach is to confirm the current statutory thresholds and premium multipliers with a local legal adviser or the Ministry of Labour, and then configure your payroll system so that holiday work is flagged and calculated correctly.

Stay 100% Compliant with Leave Regulations Using Playroll

Managing public holidays and leave rules in Mauritius doesn’t have to be complex. Playroll keeps you 100% compliant by automatically tracking local holidays, observed days, and pay requirements –  so your team is paid correctly and on time, every time.

Whether you’re hiring your first employee or scaling a growing team, Playroll lets you employ talent without setting up a local entity. We handle compliant contracts, benefits, and payroll in one platform, so you can reduce compliance risk and focus on growing your business while we take care of the heavy-lifting in the background. Book a chat with our team to get started.