Employee Leave in Vietnam: Statutory Leave Entitlements for 2026

Managing employee leave in Vietnam can quickly become complicated, especially with the evolving labor regulations coming in 2026. Many HR teams struggle to understand which leave types are mandatory, how entitlements are calculated, and what changes they must prepare to hiring in Vietnam.

If you’re searching for a straightforward breakdown of Vietnam’s leave policies for 2026, this guide gives you exactly what you need: clear entitlements, updated rules, and practical steps to manage leave without risking compliance issues.

Employee Leave in Vietnam at a Glance

Subject to eligibility conditions, employees in Vietnam may receive:

1. Between 12 and 16 working days of annual leave
2. One additional annual leave day for every five years of service with the same employer
3. Twelve paid statutory public holiday days from 1 July 2026
4. Between 30 and 70 working days of social insurance covered sick leave, depending on the employee’s contribution history and working conditions
5. Up to 20 working days per child to care for a sick child under seven
6. Six months of maternity leave, with additional leave for multiple births
7. Between five and 14 working days of leave when an insured male employee’s wife gives birth, with additional days in certain multiple birth cases
8. Paid personal leave for marriage and specified family bereavements
9. Unpaid leave for specified family events and other reasons agreed with the employer

The applicable entitlement can depend on the employee’s job, length of service, family circumstances, medical documentation, and social insurance participation.

Which Laws Govern Employee Leave in Vietnam?

The main legal instruments governing employee leave are:

1. The Labour Code 2019, which covers annual leave, public holidays, personal leave, unpaid leave, maternity protection, and employment security
2. The Social Insurance Law 2024, which governs sickness, maternity, childcare, and related social insurance benefits
3. Implementing regulations and annual government notices, which provide detailed procedures and holiday arrangements

Employers should distinguish between an employee’s right to take leave and the employee’s eligibility to receive a social insurance benefit. An employee may have a protected right to be absent from work, while payment during that absence may depend on social insurance contributions and supporting documents.

Overview of Employee Leave in Vietnam

Here is a quick overview of what a full time employee in Vietnam typically enjoys by law, assuming they meet eligibility conditions:

1. Public Holiday in Vietnam in 2026

Under Article 112 of the Labour Code 2019, employees in Vietnam are entitled to 11 public holidays with full pay every calendar year. For 2026, the gazetted public holidays are:

• New Year’s Day – 1 January, Thursday
• Lunar New Year (Tet) – 16-20 February, Monday to Friday
• Hung Kings Commemoration Day – 26 April, Sunday
• Hung Kings Commemoration Holiday – 27 April, Monday
• Reunification Day – 30 April, Thursday
• Labor Day – 1 May, Friday
• National Day Holiday – 1 September, Tuesday
• National Day – 2 September, Wednesday

What If an Employee Works on a Public Holiday?

Employees who work overtime on a public holiday or paid leave day must generally receive at least 300 percent of the applicable salary for the work performed.

For employees paid by the day, this amount does not include the normal salary they are already entitled to receive for the paid public holiday. Additional premiums may apply when the employee works at night.

Employers should receive the employee’s agreement before arranging overtime, except in limited special circumstances permitted by law.

2. Annual Leave Entitlements in 2026

Basic Annual Leave

Employees who have completed 12 months of continuous service for the same employer are entitled to paid annual leave as follows:

• At least 12 working days per year for work in normal conditions
• At least 14 working days per year for employees who are minors, employees with disabilities, or employees in heavy, hazardous or dangerous jobs
• At least 16 working days per year for employees in especially heavy, hazardous or dangerous jobs

Seniority Increase

Annual leave increases with long service. Under Article 114, employees receive 1 additional day of annual leave for every 5 years of employment with the same employer.

So an employee in normal conditions with 10 years of service would have at least 14 days of annual leave in total.

3. Sick Leave and Sickness Benefits

Sick leave in Vietnam is largely governed by social insurance rules rather than pure labour law. The 2024 Social Insurance Law, effective from 2025, sets out updated entitlements that apply for:

Ordinary Sickness Leave

For employees in normal working conditions, the maximum annual sick leave entitlement covered by social insurance is:

• Up to 30 days per year if social insurance contributions are under 15 years
• Up to 40 days per year if contributions are from 15 to under 30 years
• Up to 60 days per year if contributions are 30 years or more

For employees in heavy, hazardous, dangerous or especially hazardous jobs, the limits increase to 40, 50 and 70 days respectively.

Employees with certain long term illnesses on a Ministry of Health list may receive sickness benefits for up to 180 days per year, and sometimes longer at a reduced rate if they still require treatment.

Sickness allowance is usually paid at 75 percent of the salary used as the basis for social insurance contributions in the month before the leave.

Leave to Care for a Sick Child

From 2024 Social Insurance Law, effective 2025:

• Up to 20 working days per year for each child under 3 years
• Up to 15 working days per year for each child from 3 to under 7 years

This applies per parent if both contribute to social insurance.

Allowance is again generally 75 percent of the social insurance salary.

Health Recovery After Sickness

If an employee has used all their annual sick leave and still has not recovered within 30 days of returning to work, they may be entitled to additional convalescence leave of 5, 7 or 10 days in a year, depending on the case.

For employers, this means:

• Eligible sickness and childcare sickness benefits are generally funded through Vietnam’s social insurance system rather than paid as ordinary salary by the employer.
• HR and payroll teams need a clear process for collecting medical certificates and coordinating with the social insurance authority

4. Maternity Leave in Vietnam in 2026

Vietnam continues to offer one of the more generous maternity regimes in the region.

Duration of Maternity Leave

Female employees giving birth are entitled to:

• Six months of maternity leave per childbirth
• Up to two months of that period can be taken before the expected date of birth
• In the case of twins or more, an extra month of leave is granted for each child from the second onward

Adoptive parents of a child under six months old are usually entitled to the remainder of maternity leave until the child reaches six months of age.

5. Paternity and Parental Leave

Paternity Leave

Fathers who contribute to social insurance are entitled to paternity leave when their spouse gives birth. The entitlement varies by situation, for example:

• Five working days for a normal single birth
• Seven working days for a caesarean or premature single birth
• Ten working days for twins born naturally
• Fourteen working days for twins born via caesarean
• For three or more children, an additional three days per child from the third child

Paternity leave must usually be taken within 30 days from the birth date. It is funded by social insurance, and employees receive a salary based on their social insurance contribution salary.

Leave to Care for Young Children

As mentioned earlier, parents can take social insurance paid leave to care for sick children under 7 years old, up to 20 or 15 days per year per child depending on age.

Personal Leave for Marriage and Bereavement

Article 115 of the Labour Code grants paid personal leave for key life events.

Employees are entitled to fully paid leave in these cases:

• Their own marriage: Three days of paid leave
• Marriage of a biological or adopted child: One day of paid leave
• Death of a close family member: Three days of paid leave if the employee’s biological or adoptive parent, parent in law, spouse, or biological or adopted child passes away

In addition, employees are entitled to one unpaid day off in these cases:

• Death of a grandparent or biological sibling
• Marriage of a parent or biological sibling

Beyond this, employees may negotiate additional unpaid leave with their employer.

6. Unpaid Leave and Impact on Social Insurance

Outside the specific unpaid days above, Vietnamese law allows employers and employees to agree on additional unpaid leave for other reasons. There is no fixed legal maximum, but both sides must consent.

From a compliance perspective:

• If an employee takes unpaid leave for 14 working days or more in a month, that month is usually not counted for social insurance contributions and benefits, except in some maternity cases.
• HR and payroll teams need to monitor long unpaid leave carefully to avoid under or overpaying social insurance.

Manage Employee Leave and Payroll in Vietnam With Greater Confidence

Hiring in Vietnam involves more than allocating annual leave. Your payroll process must also distinguish employer paid absences from social insurance funded benefits, track statutory documentation, calculate proportional entitlements, and reflect unpaid leave correctly in monthly contributions.

Glints TalentHub helps you hire, onboard, pay, and manage professionals in Vietnam through one coordinated solution. You can receive support with:

1. Locally compliant employment contracts
2. Leave policy implementation
3. Payroll calculations
4. Social insurance administration
5. Employee onboarding and documentation
6. Ongoing employment compliance

Speak with a Glints TalentHub specialist about hiring and managing employees in Vietnam.

Frequently Asked Questions About Employee Leave in Vietnam

How many annual leave days do employees receive in Vietnam?

Employees working under normal conditions generally receive at least 12 working days of paid annual leave after completing 12 months of service. Some employees qualify for 14 or 16 days depending on their circumstances and working conditions.

Is annual leave paid in Vietnam?

Yes. Statutory annual leave is paid by the employer based on the employee’s employment arrangements and applicable wage rules.

Do employees receive annual leave during their first year?

Yes. Employees with less than 12 months of service generally receive annual leave in proportion to the period worked.

How many paid public holidays are there in Vietnam?

Vietnam provides 11 paid statutory public holiday days each year. Foreign employees generally receive two additional days for their traditional New Year and National Day.

Who pays for sick leave in Vietnam?

Eligible sickness benefits are generally paid through Vietnam’s social insurance system, subject to contribution and medical documentation requirements.

How long is maternity leave in Vietnam?

Eligible female employees are generally entitled to six months of maternity leave, with additional time for multiple births. Social insurance funds the statutory maternity benefit for qualifying employees.

How long is paternity leave in Vietnam?

Eligible fathers generally receive between five and 14 working days, depending on factors such as caesarean delivery and multiple births.

Can employees take unpaid leave in Vietnam?

Employees receive unpaid leave for certain specified family events and may agree with their employer to take additional unpaid leave.

What happens to unused annual leave when an employee resigns?

The employer should calculate any statutory payment due for accrued but unused annual leave as part of the employee’s final settlement.

Can an employer provide more leave than the statutory minimum?

Yes. Employers may offer more generous contractual leave, provided the policy does not reduce employees’ statutory entitlements.

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