Guides

How to plan your annual leave around Singapore public holidays

Checked against MOM on 15 November 2026

The Employment Act gives at least 7 to 14 days of annual leave, and many contracts give more. Placed well, the same leave gives noticeably more days off. Here is a simple method.

1. Start with the bridge days

A bridge day sits between a holiday and a weekend. Taking it off joins them into one break. In 2027:

• Holidays on a Thursday (Vesak Day, Deepavali) need the Friday.
• Holidays on a Friday or Monday already make long weekends; add one more day for four days off.
• Mid-May is special: Hari Raya Haji (Monday 17) and Vesak Day (Thursday 20) are three days apart, so two days of leave give six days off.

The planner lists every bridge for the leave you have.

2. Decide which breaks matter most

Longer trips need longer breaks. Set “Shortest break” to 5 or more days in the planner, and it will only suggest breaks long enough for travel. For rest days at home, 3-day breaks spread through the year may suit you better.

3. Apply early for popular weeks

Everyone sees the same bridges. Chinese New Year, the mid-May bridge and the December school holidays fill up fast in most teams, so put in your request as soon as the leave calendar opens.

4. Keep a few days in reserve

Plans change and you may fall ill or need to care for family. Keeping two or three days unplanned until later in the year avoids losing them. Check your company’s carry-forward rules, which vary by employer.

5. Count your Saturday holidays

In 2027 three holidays fall on a Saturday. If you work Monday to Friday and get a day off in lieu for each, that is up to three extra days to place. Find out how your employer gives them before you plan the rest. See public holidays on a Saturday.

6. Check your entitlement

New in your job? Leave in your first year is pro-rated by completed months. The annual leave calculator shows how many days you have earned.