What Are The Public Holidays in Mongolia in 2026?

List of Public Holidays in Mongolia (2026)

Below is an overview of the main nationwide public holidays in Mongolia in 2026 to help you plan staffing, leave, and payroll for your Mongolian team.

Do Employers Have to Provide Paid Leave on Public Holidays?

Yes, Mongolian labor law generally treats public holidays as paid non‑working days for employees, meaning your company should pay employees their regular wage for these days if they would normally work on them. If a public holiday falls on a weekend, practice in Mongolia is often to grant a substitute weekday as an observed holiday, but you should confirm the exact rules and any annual government decisions for 2026 with a local adviser, as implementation can vary year to year.

Employees who are scheduled to work on a public holiday are typically entitled to premium pay in addition to their normal wage or to compensatory rest time, depending on the employment contract and collective agreements. Part‑time employees are usually entitled to paid public holidays on a pro‑rated basis if the holiday falls on a day they would ordinarily work. Where an employee is not normally scheduled on the holiday date, there is usually no additional paid entitlement, but again, check contracts and internal policies to ensure consistent treatment.

Legal Penalties for Not Providing Paid Holiday Leave

Failure to provide paid public holiday leave or the correct premium pay when employees work on a holiday can expose your company to administrative fines and back‑pay claims. Labor authorities in Mongolia can investigate complaints, order employers to correct underpayments, and impose penalties for repeated or serious violations. Employees may also bring claims for unpaid wages, which can include interest and, in some cases, additional compensation.

Common mistakes by foreign employers include treating public holidays as unpaid leave, failing to apply substitute days when the government announces them, and not paying the correct premium when staff work on holidays. To reduce risk, keep written records of work schedules, hours worked on holidays, and how you calculated holiday pay, and monitor official announcements that may add or shift holiday dates in a given year.

How Do Holidays Affect Overtime Thresholds?

In Mongolia, work performed on a public holiday is generally treated as work on a rest day and is subject to higher pay rates than ordinary working time. While the exact premium rate and how it interacts with overtime thresholds can depend on the Labor Code provisions, collective agreements, and individual contracts, it is common for employers to pay at least a higher‑than‑normal multiplier for hours worked on public holidays, or to grant equivalent paid time off in lieu.

Overtime limits and daily or weekly maximums still apply, so if an employee works on a public holiday in addition to their normal weekly hours, those hours may count both as holiday work and as overtime. In practice, this often means a combined premium rate. Because interpretation can vary and the law is periodically updated, you should obtain local legal advice or work with a specialist provider to confirm the correct multipliers and caps for your sector and workforce.

Stay 100% Compliant with Leave Regulations Using Playroll

Navigating Mongolian public holidays, substitute days, and premium pay rules can be challenging, especially if your HR and payroll teams are based in another country. Playroll helps you stay compliant by handling local employment contracts, statutory leave, and holiday pay calculations for your Mongolian hires.

When you hire through Playroll, your team members in Mongolia are employed via a fully compliant local entity, with contracts that reflect Mongolian labor law, including public holiday and overtime provisions. We track official holiday calendars, monitor legal changes, and update payroll settings so that paid holidays, substitute days, and any required premium rates are applied automatically.

You keep full control over day‑to‑day management – setting schedules, approving time off, and deciding who needs to work on a holiday – while Playroll ensures that wages, holiday pay, and overtime are calculated correctly and paid on time. That means fewer compliance headaches, less manual admin, and a better experience for your Mongolian team.

If you are planning to expand or already employ people in Mongolia, Playroll can help you:

Hire employees quickly without setting up a local entity.
Issue locally compliant contracts that reflect Mongolian leave and holiday rules.
Automate payroll, including public holiday and overtime calculations.
Stay ahead of legal changes that affect working time and pay.
Reduce compliance risk while giving your team a smooth, predictable pay experience.

With Playroll, you can focus on building a high‑performing team in Mongolia while we take care of the complex, country‑specific compliance details in the background.