Saudi Arabia Public Holidays 2026 — Full Calendar for Expats

Saudi Arabia has four official public holidays each year: the two Eids, National Day (23 September), and Founding Day (22 February). For expats, knowing these dates matters for two practical reasons — paid leave entitlements and planning exit/re-entry visas and trips home before government counters close.

This is the complete 2026 public holiday calendar, who gets the day off, what shuts down, and how to make the most of each break.

Saudi Arabia Public Holidays 2026 — At a Glance

Note on Eid dates: The two Eids follow the lunar Hijri calendar and are confirmed by moon sighting (Umm al-Qura). The Gregorian dates above are the officially announced 2026 estimates; the exact start shifts by a day based on sighting.

1. Founding Day — 22 February 2026

Founding Day commemorates the establishment of the First Saudi State in 1727. It is a paid public holiday for government, private, and non-profit sector employees. In 2026 it fell on a Sunday, giving private-sector workers a natural long weekend with the Friday–Saturday weekend.

2. Eid Al-Fitr 2026

Marks the end of Ramadan. The holiday typically runs 4 days in the private sector (Eid plus allocated leave). Government offices, banks, and most businesses close for the duration. Because it fell near a weekend in 2026, many expats combined it with annual leave for an extended break home.

3. Eid Al-Adha 2026

Coincides with the Hajj pilgrimage. The holiday runs around 4 days (starting from the Day of Arafah). As with Eid Al-Fitr, all sectors observe it. If you were planning travel home during this period, exit/re-entry visas and flights book out months in advance.

4. National Day — 23 September 2026

National Day marks the unification of Saudi Arabia in 1932. It is fixed to 23 September every year (unlike the Eids, it does not move with the moon). In 2026 it falls on a Wednesday — a mid-week day off with no automatic long weekend. Booking Thursday 24 September as a single annual-leave day creates a four-day break (Wed–Sat) for the cost of one leave day.

Who Gets Paid Leave?

Under Saudi labour law, National Day and Founding Day are official paid holidays covering the private and non-profit sectors, not just government. Expat and Saudi employees are treated equally — your nationality does not change the entitlement; your sector and contract do. The two Eids carry multi-day entitlements in the private sector.

Practical points:

• Shift/site workers (hospitals, security, retail, hospitality) may be required on site. Agree in writing how the day will be compensated — an official holiday is paid time off.
• If you are already on annual leave when a holiday falls, your leave is extended, not swallowed.
• If a holiday lands on the weekend (not the case for National Day 2026), the Civil Service HR rules amended in 2023 shift compensation to the adjacent working day.

What Closes and What Stays Open

Closed: Jawazat offices, Maktab Amal, municipality desks, passport counters, and bank branches.

Open: Malls, restaurants, cinemas, and all digital government services. Absher, Muqeem, Tawakkalna, and banking apps keep working — so you can still pay an iqama renewal or check an exit/re-entry visa status from your phone on the holiday itself.

How Expats Should Plan Around Holidays

1. Book leave early. Everyone in your company eyes the same calendar. Request a bridging leave day (e.g., Thu 24 Sept) before the queue forms.
2. Check documents this month, not in September. Iqama validity, exit/re-entry validity, and passport expiry all need working government counters to fix — and those are closed on the holiday.
3. Mind the gap. After National Day 2026 there is no official holiday until Founding Day on 22 February 2027 — a five-month stretch. Any trip home comes out of your annual leave, so your exit/re-entry visa must cover the whole period abroad.

FAQ — Saudi Public Holidays 2026

How many public holidays does Saudi Arabia have in 2026? Four: Founding Day (22 Feb), Eid Al-Fitr (~20 Mar), Eid Al-Adha (~27 May), and National Day (23 Sep).

Is Saudi National Day a paid holiday for private-sector expats? Yes. National Day is an official paid holiday for public, private, and non-profit sectors. Expats get the same entitlement as Saudi nationals.

Will National Day 2026 be a long weekend? Not by default — it falls on a Wednesday. Booking Thursday 24 September as annual leave makes it a four-day break.

Do Eid dates change every year? Yes. The Eids follow the lunar Hijri calendar and are set by moon sighting (Umm al-Qura). National Day and Founding Day are fixed Gregorian dates.

Are Absher and banking apps available on holidays? Yes. Digital services — Absher, Muqeem, Tawakkalna, and banking apps — run normally on all public holidays.

Related Guides

• Saudi School Calendar 2026–27 — term dates and how schools align with holidays
• Apply Exit/Re-Entry Visa Online — plan travel around closures
• Final Exit Visa — Complete Guide — for permanent departures
• Complete Iqama Guide — keep residency valid through holiday periods

Source

Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) official holiday schedule for financial institutions (1447H / 2026) lists Eid Al-Fitr, Eid Al-Adha, National Day, and Founding Day as official holidays. National Day is fixed by Royal Decree to 23 September annually.