What Are The Public Holidays in Singapore in 2026?

List of Public Holidays in Singapore (2026)

Singapore has 11 gazetted public holidays in 2026 that apply nationwide. Use the table below to plan staffing, leave, and payroll for your Singapore-based team.

Do Employers Have to Provide Paid Leave on Public Holidays?

Yes, Singapore law generally requires employers to provide paid public holidays to employees covered by the Employment Act. Every employee is entitled to 11 paid public holidays a year, unless they fall on a rest day or non-working day, in which case a day off or compensation must be provided according to the Act.

If a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the next working day is treated as the paid holiday. If it falls on a rest day that is not Sunday, the following working day is usually the paid holiday. For employees who are required to work on a public holiday, you must either pay an additional day’s salary at the basic rate on top of the day’s pay, or grant a full day off in lieu, depending on the employee’s pay structure and what you have agreed in writing.

Part-time employees are also entitled to public holiday benefits on a pro-rated basis, depending on the number of hours or days they work compared with a full-time employee. For shift workers, the entitlement depends on whether the public holiday falls on a day they are scheduled to work, and you should clearly document how you calculate their public holiday pay in their employment contracts.

Legal Penalties for Not Providing Paid Holiday Leave

Failure to provide the correct public holiday pay or time off can amount to a breach of the Employment Act. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) enforces these rules and can investigate complaints from employees or issues flagged during inspections.

Non-compliance can lead to orders to rectify underpayments, financial penalties, and, in more serious or repeated cases, prosecution. Penalties can include fines and, for severe breaches, potential criminal liability for responsible officers. MOM may also require employers to make back payments to affected employees, which can quickly add up if errors have gone unnoticed for a long period.

Common mistakes include treating public holidays as unpaid for eligible employees, not providing an alternative day off when a holiday falls on a rest day, miscalculating pay for employees who work on a public holiday, and failing to pro-rate entitlements correctly for part-time staff. Keeping clear records of work schedules, pay calculations, and written agreements on public holiday arrangements is essential to demonstrate compliance.

How Do Holidays Affect Overtime Thresholds?

Public holidays in Singapore interact with overtime rules, especially for employees covered by Part IV of the Employment Act (such as workmen earning up to a prescribed salary threshold and certain non-workmen). When these employees work on a public holiday, they are generally entitled to an extra day’s basic pay or a full day off in lieu, on top of their usual pay for the day.

If they work beyond their normal working hours on a public holiday, those additional hours are typically treated as overtime and must be paid at the statutory overtime rate, calculated based on their hourly basic rate. For employees not covered by Part IV, overtime and public holiday arrangements are largely a matter of contract, but MOM expects terms to be fair and clearly communicated.

Because public holidays can change the number of working days in a pay period, you should ensure your payroll system correctly distinguishes between normal hours, public holiday hours, and overtime hours. This is especially important for hourly and shift-based workers, where misclassification can lead to underpayment and compliance risk.

Stay 100% Compliant with Leave Regulations Using Playroll

Managing Singapore's public holidays and leave rules 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.