Vietnam proposes paid holiday on July 27

Vietnam’s National Assembly discussed proposed amendments to several laws, including the Labor Code, on the morning of November 9. Interior Minister Nguyễn Tiến Hải said the drafting agency had accepted lawmakers’ proposal to add War Invalids and Martyrs Day on July 27 to the annual list of paid holidays, allowing workers to take the day off at full pay from 2027. The measure remains under legislative review.

Interior Minister Nguyễn Tiến Hải responds to lawmakers’ comments at the National Assembly.（VietVance）

The draft also proposes making Vietnam Culture Day on November 24 an annual paid holiday from 2026. Under the current Labor Code, workers receive 11 paid public holidays a year, covering New Year’s Day, the Lunar New Year, the Hung Kings’ Commemoration Day, the April 30 holiday, International Workers’ Day and National Day. If both proposed holidays are approved, the annual total will rise to 13 days.

National Assembly deputy Nguyễn Sỹ Hội, chair of the Nghệ An Province Veterans Association, proposed the July 27 holiday, saying many voters want more time to take part in commemorative activities and visits to those being honored. Nguyễn Thị Kim Thoa, a National Assembly deputy and chair of the Vĩnh Long Province Women’s Union, also supports the proposal. She said 2027 marks the 80th anniversary of the commemoration, and a holiday would help families take part in related activities.

Nguyễn Sỹ Hội, chair of the Nghệ An Province Veterans Association and a National Assembly deputy.（VietVance）

The Vietnamese government proposed making July 27 a holiday during the 2019 revision of the Labor Code, but the National Assembly did not approve it. Some deputies argued that commemorative activities were already held regularly and that an additional holiday could prolong the grief of families who lost relatives. The proposal has returned to discussions on amending the law, and the final arrangement depends on the outcome of the draft’s review.

Source: VietVance