Saudi Arabia has 9 public holidays in 2026, made up of 2 fixed national days (Founding Day and Saudi National Day) and 7 Islamic religious days across the two Eids (Eid al-Fitr over three days, and Eid al-Adha over four days including Arafat Day). Below is the official list with dates, the day of the week, and what each means for payroll and leave. Public holidays are governed by the Saudi Labour Law (Royal Decree M/51 of 2005, Articles 112 to 114) and administered by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD), and all Islamic dates follow the Umm Al-Qura calendar, confirmed by official moon sighting closer to the time.
Holiday calendar 2026
| Date | Day | Holiday | Holiday Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 Feb | Sunday | Founding Day | National |
| 20 Mar | Friday | Eid al-Fitr (start)* | Religious |
| 21 Mar | Saturday | Eid al-Fitr Holiday (Day 2)* | Religious |
| 22 Mar | Sunday | Eid al-Fitr Holiday (Day 3)* | Religious |
| 26 May | Tuesday | Arafat Day (Waqfat)* | Religious |
| 27 May | Wednesday | Eid al-Adha (start)* | Religious |
| 28 May | Thursday | Eid al-Adha Holiday (Day 2)* | Religious |
| 29 May | Friday | Eid al-Adha Holiday (Day 3)* | Religious |
| 23 Sep | Wednesday | Saudi National Day | National |
How Saudi Holidays Impact Payroll and Leave Management?
Saudi Arabia's calendar is built around four official occasions: two fixed national days (Founding Day and Saudi National Day) and two major Eid periods, with Eid al-Fitr running for three days and Eid al-Adha for four days including Arafat Day, both often bridging into the Friday and Saturday weekend. 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.