Public Holidays 2027 by Country
Plan your 2027 hiring around early Easter and the late December holiday cluster. Confirm each country's public holiday rules before you set start dates, notice periods or holiday pay.
Planning around 2027 public holidays
Easter falls early in 2027, with Good Friday on 26 March and Easter Monday on 29 March. Christmas Day is a Saturday and Boxing Day a Sunday, so most countries move those holidays to Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 December. These two clusters can compress start dates, notice periods and payroll cutoffs. If you are hiring senior or professional staff across these countries, check the relevant public holiday calendar before confirming an offer. Small timing differences affect when a new hire can start and when you must pay holiday premiums.
- Easter: Good Friday 26 March and Easter Monday 29 March 2027.
- Christmas week: Christmas falls on a Saturday, so most places observe the holidays on Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 December. In the US the federal observance is Friday 24 December.
- Jump to: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand.
Last checked 5 November 2026 against official government calendars. Some state and regional dates can still change.
United States
The 11 federal holidays bind only government offices. Private employers set their own paid holiday calendar. No federal or state law requires private employers to give paid holidays. The federal Department of Labor says holiday pay is a matter between employer and employee. Rhode Island requires premium pay for retail work on some holidays, so check that if you hire retail staff there. Apply your policy consistently across offers and handbooks.
Federal holidays 2027
| Date | Holiday | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 1 Jan | New Year's Day | |
| Mon 18 Jan | Martin Luther King Jr. Day | |
| Mon 15 Feb | Washington's Birthday (Presidents' Day) | |
| Mon 31 May | Memorial Day | |
| Fri 18 Jun | Juneteenth | Observed; 19 June is a Saturday |
| Mon 5 Jul | Independence Day | Observed; 4 July is a Sunday |
| Mon 6 Sep | Labor Day | |
| Mon 11 Oct | Columbus Day | Indigenous Peoples' Day in some states |
| Thu 11 Nov | Veterans Day | |
| Thu 25 Nov | Thanksgiving Day | |
| Fri 24 Dec | Christmas Day | Observed; 25 December is a Saturday |
| Fri 31 Dec | New Year's Day 2028 | Observed; 1 January 2028 is a Saturday |
Main state holidays 2027
These close state government offices. Private employers decide for themselves whether to observe them.
| Date | Holiday | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 12 Feb | Lincoln's Birthday | Connecticut, Illinois, New York |
| Mon 1 Mar | Casimir Pulaski Day | Illinois |
| Tue 2 Mar | Texas Independence Day | Texas |
| Tue 2 Mar | Town Meeting Day | Vermont |
| Fri 26 Mar | Good Friday | Some states, including Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey and Tennessee |
| Fri 26 Mar | Prince Kuhio Day | Hawaii |
| Mon 29 Mar | Seward's Day | Alaska |
| Wed 31 Mar | Cesar Chavez Day | California |
| Fri 16 Apr | DC Emancipation Day | Washington DC |
| Mon 19 Apr | Patriots' Day | Massachusetts, Maine |
| Wed 21 Apr | San Jacinto Day | Texas |
| Fri 11 Jun | King Kamehameha I Day | Hawaii |
| Sat 24 Jul | Pioneer Day | Utah (observed date set by the state) |
| Mon 9 Aug | Victory Day | Rhode Island |
| Mon 16 Aug | Bennington Battle Day | Vermont |
| Fri 20 Aug | Statehood Day | Hawaii |
| Mon 18 Oct | Alaska Day | Alaska |
| Fri 29 Oct | Nevada Day | Nevada |
| Fri 26 Nov | Day after Thanksgiving | Many states, including California, Texas, Florida and Pennsylvania |
Canada
Federally regulated employers follow 10 general holidays under the Canada Labour Code. Everyone else follows their province, and each province has a different list. Employees usually get holiday pay and a premium if they work the day. Check the correct jurisdiction before you set a holiday policy for a new hire. If you operate in multiple provinces, do not assume one calendar applies.
| Date | Holiday | Statutory in |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 1 Jan | New Year's Day | All |
| Mon 15 Feb | Family Day | Alberta, BC, New Brunswick, Ontario, Saskatchewan (Louis Riel Day in Manitoba, Heritage Day in Nova Scotia, Islander Day in PEI) |
| Fri 26 Mar | Good Friday | All (Quebec employers may give Easter Monday instead) |
| Mon 24 May | Victoria Day | Federal, Alberta, BC, Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan (National Patriots' Day in Quebec) |
| Thu 24 Jun | Fête nationale | Quebec |
| Thu 1 Jul | Canada Day | All |
| Mon 2 Aug | Civic holiday | Statutory as BC Day, Saskatchewan Day and New Brunswick Day; not statutory in Ontario, Alberta or Manitoba |
| Mon 6 Sep | Labour Day | All |
| Thu 30 Sep | National Day for Truth and Reconciliation | Federal, BC, Manitoba |
| Mon 11 Oct | Thanksgiving | Federal, Alberta, BC, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan |
| Thu 11 Nov | Remembrance Day | Federal, Alberta, BC, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, PEI, Saskatchewan |
| Sat 25 Dec | Christmas Day | All |
| Sun 26 Dec | Boxing Day | Federal, Ontario |
When Christmas and Boxing Day fall on a weekend, federally regulated employees get Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 December, and most provinces give a substitute day off. Newfoundland and Labrador and the territories have their own additional days.
United Kingdom
England and Wales have 8 bank holidays in 2027. Scotland has 9 and Northern Ireland has 10. There is no legal right to a paid day off on a bank holiday. The 5.6 weeks of statutory annual leave can include bank holidays. State in the contract whether bank holidays are part of annual leave and whether work on a bank holiday attracts extra pay.
| Date | Bank holiday | England and Wales | Scotland | Northern Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 1 Jan | New Year's Day | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mon 4 Jan | 2 January (substitute day) | No | Yes | No |
| Wed 17 Mar | St Patrick's Day | No | No | Yes |
| Fri 26 Mar | Good Friday | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mon 29 Mar | Easter Monday | Yes | No | Yes |
| Mon 3 May | Early May bank holiday | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mon 31 May | Spring bank holiday | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mon 12 Jul | Battle of the Boyne | No | No | Yes |
| Mon 2 Aug | Summer bank holiday | No | Yes | No |
| Mon 30 Aug | Summer bank holiday | Yes | No | Yes |
| Tue 30 Nov | St Andrew's Day | No | Yes | No |
| Mon 27 Dec | Christmas Day (substitute day) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Tue 28 Dec | Boxing Day (substitute day) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Ireland
Ireland has 10 public holidays. Eligible employees get one of four options: a paid day off on the day, a paid day off within a month, an extra day of annual leave, or an extra day's pay. The employer chooses. Good Friday is not a public holiday. Confirm which option you will use before the holiday and apply it consistently.
| Date | Public holiday |
|---|---|
| Fri 1 Jan | New Year's Day |
| Mon 1 Feb | St Brigid's Day |
| Wed 17 Mar | St Patrick's Day |
| Mon 29 Mar | Easter Monday |
| Mon 3 May | May bank holiday |
| Mon 7 Jun | June bank holiday |
| Mon 2 Aug | August bank holiday |
| Mon 25 Oct | October bank holiday |
| Sat 25 Dec | Christmas Day |
| Sun 26 Dec | St Stephen's Day |
Australia
National holidays apply across Australia, and state and territory holidays add more. Employees get a paid day off, and penalty rates usually apply if they work. Victoria's AFL Grand Final Friday date is set later in the year, so check it before finalising start dates or contracts in Victoria. Confirm the state or territory calendar for every new hire.
National holidays 2027
| Date | Holiday | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 1 Jan | New Year's Day | All |
| Tue 26 Jan | Australia Day | All |
| Fri 26 Mar | Good Friday | All |
| Mon 29 Mar | Easter Monday | All |
| Sun 25 Apr | Anzac Day | All; extra day Monday 26 April in NSW, Queensland, WA, ACT and NT |
| Sat 25 Dec | Christmas Day | All; extra days Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 December in every state |
| Sun 26 Dec | Boxing Day | All |
State and territory holidays 2027
| State or territory | Additional holidays |
|---|---|
| New South Wales | Easter Saturday and Sunday; King's Birthday Mon 14 Jun; Labour Day Mon 4 Oct |
| Victoria | Labour Day Mon 8 Mar; Easter Saturday and Sunday; King's Birthday Mon 14 Jun; AFL Grand Final Friday (date set once the AFL fixture is known); Melbourne Cup Tue 2 Nov |
| Queensland | Easter Saturday and Sunday; Labour Day Mon 3 May; King's Birthday Mon 4 Oct; Royal Queensland Show Wed 11 Aug (Brisbane area) |
| Western Australia | Labour Day Mon 1 Mar; Easter Sunday; WA Day Mon 7 Jun; King's Birthday Mon 27 Sep |
| South Australia | Adelaide Cup Mon 8 Mar; Easter Saturday and Sunday; King's Birthday Mon 14 Jun; Labour Day Mon 4 Oct; Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve from 7pm |
| Tasmania | Eight Hours Day Mon 8 Mar; Easter Sunday; King's Birthday Mon 14 Jun |
| Australian Capital Territory | Canberra Day Mon 8 Mar; Easter Saturday and Sunday; Reconciliation Day Mon 31 May; King's Birthday Mon 14 Jun; Labour Day Mon 4 Oct |
| Northern Territory | Easter Saturday and Sunday; May Day Mon 3 May; King's Birthday Mon 14 Jun; Picnic Day Mon 2 Aug; Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve from 7pm |
New Zealand
New Zealand has 12 public holidays, including Matariki on 25 June 2027, plus one regional anniversary day. Holidays that fall on a weekend are Mondayised for employees who do not normally work that weekend day. Employees who work a public holiday get time and a half and, if it is an otherwise working day, an alternative paid day off.
| Date | Holiday | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 1 Jan | New Year's Day | |
| Mon 4 Jan | Day after New Year's Day | Mondayised; 2 January is a Saturday |
| Mon 8 Feb | Waitangi Day | Mondayised; 6 February is a Saturday |
| Fri 26 Mar | Good Friday | |
| Mon 29 Mar | Easter Monday | |
| Mon 26 Apr | ANZAC Day | Mondayised; 25 April is a Sunday |
| Mon 7 Jun | King's Birthday | |
| Fri 25 Jun | Matariki | |
| Mon 25 Oct | Labour Day | |
| Mon 27 Dec | Christmas Day | Mondayised; 25 December is a Saturday |
| Tue 28 Dec | Boxing Day | Mondayised; 26 December is a Sunday |
Regional anniversary days 2027
| Date | Region |
|---|---|
| Mon 25 Jan | Wellington |
| Mon 1 Feb | Auckland and Nelson |
| Mon 8 Mar | Taranaki |
| Mon 22 Mar | Otago |
| Tue 30 Mar | Southland |
| Mon 27 Sep | South Canterbury |
| Fri 22 Oct | Hawke's Bay |
| Mon 1 Nov | Marlborough |
| Fri 12 Nov | Canterbury (Christchurch) |
| Mon 29 Nov | Westland and Chatham Islands |
Check anniversary days with the local council, as some regions observe a different date.
Leave and other hiring rules
For annual leave, sick leave and parental leave, see our paid leave guide.
More hiring guides and tools
- Pay transparency laws by country
- Non-compete laws by country
- Notice periods and probation by country
- Work visas and sponsorship by country
- Background check laws by country
- Illegal interview questions by country
- Salary history bans by state and country
- Reference check laws by country
- Paid leave by country and US state
- Cost of hire calculator
- Cost of vacancy calculator
- Job ad pay transparency checker
- Exempt salary threshold checker
Sources
- US federal holidays: opm.gov
- US holiday pay: dol.gov
- California state holidays: calhr.ca.gov
- Hawaii state holidays: dhrd.hawaii.gov
- Canada Labour Code: laws-lois.justice.gc.ca
- Ontario: ontario.ca
- British Columbia: gov.bc.ca
- Alberta: alberta.ca
- UK bank holidays: gov.uk
- Ireland: citizensinformation.ie
- New South Wales: nsw.gov.au
- Victoria: business.vic.gov.au
- Queensland: qld.gov.au
- Western Australia: wa.gov.au
- New Zealand: employment.govt.nz
Questions employers ask
Do US private employers need to give employees the 11 federal holidays off?
Private employers are not required to give paid holidays by any federal or state law. The 11 federal holidays bind only government offices. The federal Department of Labor says holiday pay is a matter between employer and employee. Rhode Island requires premium pay for retail work on some holidays, so check that for retail roles.
If an employee in Canada works a general holiday, what are they owed?
Employees usually get holiday pay and a premium if they work the day. Federally regulated employers follow 10 general holidays under the Canada Labour Code. Other employers follow their province, and each province has a different list. Check the applicable jurisdiction before setting pay for that day.
Can a UK employer count bank holidays as part of statutory annual leave?
There is no legal right to a paid day off on a bank holiday in the UK. The 5.6 weeks of statutory annual leave can include bank holidays. State in the contract whether bank holidays are part of annual leave and whether work on a bank holiday attracts extra pay. England and Wales have 8 bank holidays in 2027.
How do employers in Ireland compensate staff for public holidays?
Eligible employees get one of four options: a paid day off on the day, a paid day off within a month, an extra day of annual leave, or an extra day's pay. The employer chooses which option. Good Friday is not a public holiday. Confirm the choice before the holiday and apply it consistently.
What should an Australian employer check before setting a start date around a public holiday?
Check both the national and the state or territory holiday calendar. Employees get a paid day off, and penalty rates usually apply if they work. Victoria's AFL Grand Final Friday date is set later in the year, so confirm it before finalising contracts or start dates in Victoria.
If a New Zealand public holiday falls on a weekend, when is it observed?
Holidays that fall on a weekend are Mondayised for employees who do not normally work that weekend day. Employees who work on a public holiday get time and a half and, if it is an otherwise working day, an alternative paid day off. New Zealand has 12 public holidays plus one regional anniversary day.
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