List of Public Holidays in Egypt 2026

Egypt’s public holiday calendar includes national events, Islamic and Coptic religious occasions, and cultural celebrations. These public holidays can affect work schedules, payroll, travel, and government services, so it helps to have the latest Egypt holidays calendar 2026 on hand.

For employees, holidays are a chance to plan time off, travel, and family activities. For HR teams and employers, they also matter for attendance, shift planning, and payroll. Since some dates may change based on official announcements and the Islamic lunar calendar, it’s best to confirm the final dates before making work plans.

Public Holidays in Egypt - 2026 at a Glance

The following public holidays list 2026 provides an overview of the main Egypt official holidays expected throughout the year. Having the dates in one place makes it easier to plan work schedules, leave, and important business activities.

Note: Islamic holidays follow the lunar calendar, so their dates may vary based on official moon-sighting announcements. Employers should check government updates before finalizing the Egypt government holidays schedule for 2026.

What Each Holiday Means

The List of Holidays in Egypt 2026 includes religious occasions, historical events, and cultural celebrations. Understanding what each date represents can help employees and businesses plan ahead.

For someone new to the Egyptian holiday calendar, some of these occasions may be unfamiliar. A quick look at their background also explains why certain dates are particularly important to employees and families.

• Bank Holiday - January 1

The year starts with a bank holiday. While it may not have the same cultural importance as some of the other Egypt annual holidays, it can still affect banking services and financial transactions.

Businesses should keep this date in mind when planning payments, transfers, payroll activities, or other banking-related work. It is a useful date to include when preparing an internal calendar of Official Holidays in Egypt. For payroll planning, businesses can also use the Overtime Calculator to estimate overtime costs when employees work around public holidays.

In practical terms, even a one-day bank closure can matter if a payment or transfer is being processed around the start of the month.

• Coptic Christmas - January 7

Coptic Christmas is celebrated on January 7 and is one of the most important Christian holidays in Egypt.

The day is especially significant for Egypt’s Coptic Christian community. Many people attend church services and spend the holiday with family. Traditional meals and gatherings are also an important part of the celebration.

Government offices and many businesses may close for the occasion, so adding the date to the annual calendar early can help HR teams plan employee leave, attendance, and work schedules more smoothly.

• January Revolution and National Police Day - January 25

January 25 has two important meanings in Egypt.

It is National Police Day, which commemorates Egyptian police officers, and it is also the anniversary of the January 25 Revolution of 2011.

The revolution became a major turning point in Egypt’s modern political history. Public institutions and businesses generally observe the day as a national holiday, making it an important part of the country’s Egypt national holidays.

For businesses, it is worth checking the final official working-day arrangement before making staffing plans around this date.

• Eid al-Fitr - March 20–22

Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan and is one of the most important holidays in Egypt. Families come together, share special meals, exchange gifts, and give to those in need, while children often receive money or presents.

The holiday usually lasts several days, so employers should plan ahead for staffing, payroll, and leave requests. Since Eid follows the Islamic lunar calendar, the exact dates may change, so HR teams should check official Egypt public holiday updates before finalizing schedules.

• Sinai Liberation Day - April 25

Sinai Liberation Day commemorates the return of the Sinai Peninsula to Egyptian sovereignty in 1982. The occasion is observed as a national holiday and is associated with Egypt’s military and political history. Government institutions and many businesses observe the day.

If the government announces a substitute working day or changes the official day off, employers should update their internal attendance and leave calendars. This is particularly important for organization’s that rely on an annual Egypt holidays calendar 2026 for workforce planning.

A small change in the official day off can have a knock-on effect on shifts, meetings, payroll processing, and employee leave.

• Labor Day - May 1

Labor Day is observed on May 1 and recognizes the contribution of workers across Egypt. It is commonly marked by organizations, workplaces, and labor groups. For employees, it is also an important annual public holiday and should be considered when preparing work schedules and payroll calendars.

As part of the country’s Egypt annual holidays, Labor Day is also useful for businesses when calculating expected working days for the year.

For HR departments, it is another date that should be reflected in attendance and payroll systems before the month begins.

• Coptic Easter - April 12

Coptic Easter is an important religious occasion for Egypt’s Coptic Christian community. The date does not always fall on the same day as Easter in Western Christian traditions because the Coptic Orthodox Church follows a different calculation for determining the date.

Families often attend church services and spend time together during the holiday. Employers should include it when preparing their public holidays list 2026 and annual leave schedules.

For workplaces with diverse teams, including the date in the shared holiday calendar also helps employees plan their leave in advance.

• Sham El Nessim - April 13

Sham El Nessim is one of Egypt’s oldest celebrations.

Unlike many other holidays on the calendar, it is not specifically associated with one modern religion. Its roots can be traced back to ancient Egyptian traditions celebrating the arrival of spring.

Today, families across Egypt take part in the day. Picnics, parks, coloured eggs, green onions, and traditional foods are commonly associated with the celebration.

One of the foods strongly linked to Sham El Nessim is feseekh, a traditional salted and fermented fish. For businesses, it is another date to consider when preparing a complete list of Egypt official holidays and employee schedules.

For many families, however, the day is less about the formal holiday itself and more about getting together and enjoying time outdoors.

• Wakfet Arafat - May 26

Wakfet Arafat, also known as the Day of Arafah, takes place just before Eid al-Adha. It is one of the most important days in the Islamic calendar and is particularly significant for Muslims performing Hajj. The day is generally associated with prayer, reflection, and worship.

The date follows the Islamic lunar calendar, so employers should confirm the official date before finalizing their holiday schedules. This is especially important when using Egypt public holiday dates for payroll and attendance planning.

Since the date can move from year to year, it is better not to rely only on a previous year's calendar.

• Eid al-Adha - May 27–30

Eid al-Adha, also known as the Feast of Sacrifice, follows the Day of Arafah.

The holiday commemorates Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to God. Muslims around the world mark the occasion through prayer, family gatherings, and the sacrifice of an animal for those who are able to do so.

The meat is traditionally shared with family members, friends, neighbors, and people in need.

Eid al-Adha is normally observed over several days, making it one of the longer periods in the Egypt holidays calendar 2026. For employers, this can mean additional planning for shifts, leave requests, and payroll processing. Understanding the Average Salary in Egypt can also help businesses budget effectively when planning staffing and payroll during extended holiday periods.

For employees, it is also a period when extended family gatherings and travel can make advance leave planning particularly useful.

• El Hijra - June 17

El Hijra marks the Islamic New Year and commemorates the migration of Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE. Compared with Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, the occasion is generally quieter. However, it remains an important date in the Islamic calendar and is observed as a public holiday.

It is therefore included among the country’s Official Holidays in Egypt and should be reflected in company attendance systems.

• June 30th Anniversary - June 30

June 30 commemorates the mass demonstrations that took place in Egypt in 2013 and the political events that followed. It is recognized as a national occasion and is included among Egypt’s public holidays.

As with other holidays, the government may announce a substitute day off when appropriate, so businesses should check the official announcement before making final staffing arrangements. Keeping these updates in one place makes managing National Holidays in Egypt easier for HR teams.

For HR managers, checking the final government announcement is especially useful when the holiday falls close to other scheduled leave or business deadlines.

• Revolution Day - July 23

Revolution Day commemorates the Egyptian Revolution of 1952. The revolution brought an end to the rule of King Farouk and eventually led to the establishment of the Egyptian Republic. It remains one of the country’s most significant national occasions.

The day is marked with official events and ceremonies, and government offices and many businesses observe the holiday.

For employers, July 23 should be included when preparing the annual List of Holidays in Egypt 2026 and calculating working days.

• Moulid El Nabi - August 26

Moulid El Nabi celebrates the birth of Prophet Muhammad. The occasion is observed by Muslims in Egypt through religious gatherings, prayers, sermons, charitable activities, and family traditions.

Since the Islamic calendar is lunar, the Gregorian date can change from year to year. The final public holiday date should therefore be checked against the official announcement.

Businesses should also update their internal Egypt government holidays calendar if the official date changes.

This is one of those dates where checking the official update closer to the occasion is better than relying on an old calendar.

• Armed Forces Day - October 6

Armed Forces Day is observed on October 6 and commemorates Egypt’s military operations during the October 1973 War. The date has particular importance in Egypt’s modern military history. Official ceremonies and events are held to remember the role of the Egyptian Armed Forces.

For businesses, October 6 should be included when preparing annual attendance and working-day calendars. It is one of the key dates among the country’s Egypt national holidays. Using recruitment management software can also help businesses plan workforce requirements and manage staffing more efficiently around public holidays. Planning ahead is particularly useful for companies that have teams working on shifts or provide services that continue during public holidays.

Keeping Track of Egypt’s Public Holidays

For HR teams, public holidays in Egypt are more than dates on a calendar. They can affect employee attendance, leave planning, payroll processing, shift management, and overall workforce scheduling.

This becomes more challenging when a holiday lasts several days, as happens with Eid, or when the government announces a substitute day off. Even a small change to the official calendar can require HR teams to update attendance systems and communicate new schedules to employees.

In day-to-day HR work, these small changes can quickly become time-consuming when they are managed manually.

A platform such as Zimyo’s Leave and Attendance solution can help HR teams manage these situations more easily by:

• Keeping holiday calendars organized and updated
• Managing attendance during multi-day holidays
• Connecting leave records with payroll processes
• Helping HR teams identify unusual attendance patterns
• Reducing manual work around employee leave and attendance
• Supporting more consistent HR and workforce management

Having the holiday calendar properly configured can save HR teams from making last-minute changes whenever an official announcement is released. It also gives businesses a single reference point for Egypt official holidays, employee leave, and attendance planning.

Why an Updated Holiday Calendar Matters

Keeping track of Egypt's annual holidays is particularly useful for companies with large teams, shift workers, or employees working across different locations.

An updated calendar can help HR teams:

• Plan employee leave in advance
• Avoid payroll processing delays
• Organize shift coverage
• Track attendance accurately
• Communicate holidays clearly to employees
• Prepare for changes announced by the government

This is also why companies should avoid relying on an old public holidays list 2026 or an unverified online calendar. Using reliable HR software can help HR teams manage holiday schedules and workforce planning more efficiently, while official announcements should always be checked when dates are subject to change.

A simple habit of reviewing the holiday calendar before each major holiday can save HR teams from avoidable attendance and scheduling issues later.

Conclusion

Egypt’s 2026 holiday calendar includes a mix of religious celebrations, national occasions, historical anniversaries, and long-standing cultural traditions. Together, these dates form an important part of the country’s annual schedule.

Some dates are fixed and easier to plan for, while Islamic holidays may require additional attention because they follow the lunar calendar. Government decisions can also affect the final working day for certain occasions.

For employees, travelers, and businesses operating in Egypt, keeping an updated calendar of public holidays in Egypt can help avoid scheduling surprises. For HR teams, it can also make attendance, leave, payroll software, and workforce planning much easier throughout the year.