What Are The Public Holidays in Oman in 2026?

List of Public Holidays in Oman (2026)

Oman’s public holidays follow both the Gregorian and Islamic lunar calendars, so exact dates for Islamic holidays depend on official moon sightings and government announcements. The table below shows the most likely dates for 2026, which you should confirm closer to the time.

Do Employers Have to Provide Paid Leave on Public Holidays?

Yes, Omani labor law generally requires employers to provide paid leave on official public holidays announced by the government. Employees are entitled to their normal basic wage for these days, and the holidays apply nationwide rather than by region. Islamic holidays are confirmed each year by royal decree, and if a holiday falls on a weekend, the government often designates an alternative observed day for the public and private sectors. Part‑time employees are usually entitled to public holiday pay on a pro‑rated basis if the holiday falls on a day they would normally work. If your employees must work on a public holiday, they are typically entitled to premium pay (often at least 125%–200% of the basic wage) or compensatory time off, depending on the contract and sector‑specific rules. Because implementation can vary, you should always check the latest royal decrees and any sector regulations that apply to your company.

Legal Penalties for Not Providing Paid Holiday Leave

Failure to grant or correctly pay public holidays can expose your company to administrative penalties and employee claims. The Ministry of Labour is the main enforcement authority and can investigate complaints, order back‑pay for unpaid or underpaid holidays, and impose fines for non‑compliance with the Labour Law and related royal decrees. Common employer mistakes include treating Islamic holidays as flexible rather than mandatory, miscalculating pay for employees who work on holidays, and failing to apply observed days when the government shifts a holiday that falls on a weekend. In disputes, employees can bring claims before the labour courts, which may award unpaid wages, compensation, and in some cases additional penalties or legal costs. For cross‑border teams, it is safest to align your internal policies with the strictest reading of the law and keep written records of holiday schedules, pay calculations, and any agreed compensatory time off.

How Do Holidays Affect Overtime Thresholds?

In Oman, public holidays sit alongside normal daily and weekly working‑time limits, and work performed on a public holiday is usually treated as overtime. Employees who work on an official holiday are generally entitled to their normal wage plus an overtime premium or a substitute rest day, as set out in the Labour Law, implementing regulations, and their employment contract. Holiday work can also push an employee over the standard weekly hours threshold, which means you may owe both overtime for excess hours and a premium for working on the holiday itself. To stay compliant, you should track hours worked on each public holiday separately, apply the correct premium rate, and clearly document whether you are granting additional pay, time off in lieu, or a combination of both. Because overtime rules can differ for specific sectors and for senior managerial roles, you should review local legal advice before assuming any category of staff is exempt.

Stay 100% Compliant with Leave Regulations Using Playroll

Managing Omani public holidays across a distributed team can be tricky, especially when Islamic dates shift each year and are only confirmed shortly before the holiday. Playroll helps you stay ahead of these changes by maintaining up‑to‑date country calendars, automatically applying new royal decrees, and syncing observed days across your payroll and HR systems. When you hire in Oman through Playroll, we handle local employment contracts, ensure public holiday entitlements are correctly reflected in leave policies, and calculate premium pay or time off in lieu when employees work on a holiday. Our in‑country experts monitor changes to the Labour Law and Ministry of Labour guidance so your company does not have to chase last‑minute announcements. You get clear visibility into upcoming Omani holidays, accurate payroll runs that respect local rules, and a single source of truth for leave, overtime, and public holiday compliance for your entire global team.