Oman Public Holidays List 2026

Note: Oman's weekend is Friday-Saturday. All Islamic (lunar) holidays are subject to confirmation at the time by official moon sighting and may shift by a day or two. The Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha day counts are set by the government's Eid announcement each year, so the totals can vary slightly.

How Oman Holidays Impact Payroll and Leave Management?

In Oman, the calendar is shaped heavily by Islamic observances, with Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha each running for several days and clustering with Al Israa Wal Miraj, the Islamic New Year and the Prophet's Birthday across the year. During Eid especially, it feels like a grand celebration: people are on leave, travelling, and enjoying personal time. All of this brings changes in attendance, increased leave requests, and varied working arrangements which impact payroll accuracy and leave processes for both employers and employees.

Two factors make Oman trickier than most. First, the two Eids are confirmed only by moon sighting, so a holiday "on paper" can shift by a day or two, and your roster, overtime and holiday-pay calculations have to move with it. Second, working a public holiday carries a high statutory premium (200% of basic wage on top of the normal day, or two paid days off in lieu), and a holiday that lands on the Friday or Saturday weekend triggers a compensation or substitute-day rule, so entitlements depend on the year's official circular rather than a fixed pattern. While all of these issues can impact accuracy adversely, if enterprises are well-prepared and rely on technology instead of manual intervention, it helps align pay cycles, overtime and statutory requirements without disruption. This not only eases processes for the employer but also aids employees by providing clarity on leave entitlements, pay calculations, and timely compensation during a high-expectation period.