What Are The Public Holidays in Paraguay in 2026?

List of Public Holidays in Paraguay (2026)

Paraguay recognizes a set of nationwide public holidays that apply to most employees across the country. Below is an overview of the main statutory public holidays for 2026 that your company should plan around.

Do Employers Have to Provide Paid Leave on Public Holidays?

Yes, Paraguayan labour law generally treats national public holidays as paid days of rest for employees, provided they would normally work on that day. If a public holiday falls on a day the employee is not scheduled to work, there is usually no additional paid entitlement, although collective agreements or company policy may be more generous.

When a public holiday falls on a weekend, the law does not automatically grant an extra weekday off nationwide, but the government may issue decrees moving certain holidays to create long weekends. You should monitor official decrees each year and update your holiday calendar and payroll rules accordingly.

Part-time employees are typically entitled to paid public holidays on a pro rata basis when the holiday falls on a day they are normally scheduled to work. For shift workers, you should align entitlements with their regular rota and any applicable collective bargaining agreement.

If employees are required to work on a public holiday, they are generally entitled to their normal daily wage plus a premium or compensatory rest, depending on the nature of the work and any applicable collective agreement. Many employers choose to offer both enhanced pay and time off in lieu to remain competitive and avoid disputes.

Legal Penalties for Not Providing Paid Holiday Leave

Failure to respect public holiday rights can expose your company to administrative sanctions and back-pay liabilities. Labour inspections in Paraguay are carried out by the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security, which can investigate complaints, review time and pay records, and order corrective measures.

Where inspectors find that employees were not granted paid public holidays or were underpaid for work performed on those days, employers can be required to pay wage differences, surcharges, and in some cases statutory interest. Repeated or serious non-compliance can lead to fines calculated per affected worker, and may also increase the risk of broader audits into your company’s employment practices.

Common mistakes include treating public holidays as unpaid leave, misclassifying employees as independent contractors to avoid holiday obligations, and failing to adjust pay for shift workers who work on holidays. Keeping clear records of schedules, hours worked, and holiday pay calculations is essential to defend your position in the event of an inspection or claim.

How Do Holidays Affect Overtime Thresholds?

In Paraguay, work performed on a public holiday is typically treated as exceptional work and should be compensated at a higher rate than ordinary hours, often in combination with overtime rules when daily or weekly limits are exceeded. The Labour Code sets standard limits on daily and weekly working hours, and any hours beyond those limits are generally considered overtime and attract premium pay.

When an employee works on a public holiday, you should first determine whether those hours fall within or beyond the normal daily and weekly thresholds. Hours within the standard limit are usually paid at a holiday premium rate, while hours beyond the limit are paid at the applicable overtime rate, which may be higher. Collective agreements or individual contracts can set more favourable multipliers, and many employers adopt clear internal policies to avoid ambiguity.

To stay compliant, configure your timekeeping and payroll systems so that public holiday hours are coded separately from regular and overtime hours. This makes it easier to apply the correct premium rates, calculate social security contributions, and demonstrate compliance during inspections.

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