Vietnamese Holidays and Annual Observances for Workplace Retention | A Practical Guide for HR Managers (2026 Edition)

These observances are not limited to a particular religion; they are widely recognized across Vietnam. Tet and the Mid-Autumn Festival are deeply tied to ethnic identity—comparable, in Japanese terms, to a blend of the year-end/New Year period and a summer festival.

Tet (Lunar New Year) — The Observance with the Greatest Impact on Workplace Management

For Vietnamese people, Tet (Tết Nguyên Đán) is the most important annual observance. Centered on the lunar New Year’s Day, many people prioritize returning home, spending time with family, and praying to ancestors. In 2025, lunar New Year’s Day fell on Wednesday, January 29; in 2026, on Tuesday, February 17. In 2027, it is scheduled for Saturday, February 6. Remember that the date changes every year because it follows the lunar calendar.

Workplace impact during the Tet period

Many Vietnamese nationals in Japan hope to take paid leave or special leave around Tet. The main effects are as follows.

• Concentrated paid-leave requests: applications cluster in the one to two weeks around Lunar New Year, making shifts harder to staff
• Strong desire for temporary return home: employees with financial room are more likely to want to go back to Vietnam
• Motivation shifts: as Tet approaches, some employees enter a mental “homecoming mode”
• Timing of resignation or job change: the period around Tet is often seen as a career turning point, so exit decisions tend to cluster then

Key points for workplace communication about Tet

Simply saying “Chúc Mừng Năm Mới” (Happy New Year) can significantly strengthen trust with Vietnamese employees. There is also a custom called lì xì—giving a small amount of money in a red envelope—and companies that offer this as a gesture of care report a positive response. More than the amount, what matters is the message that you value their culture.

Common Questions from the Field

In international talent support settings, questions about Vietnamese employees’ holidays and observances come in throughout the year. Representative cases are summarized below.

“Paid leave piles up at Tet and the site can’t operate”

This is the issue managers in manufacturing and nursing care raise most often. Five or six Vietnamese employees may request paid leave at the same time, making it impossible to build a shift. An effective response is to spell out preferred-leave rules around Tet in the work rules around November of the previous year and encourage early applications. Sharing rules such as first-come, first-served or rotation with everyone in advance helps prevent disruption on site.

“They went home and never came back”

Some people job-hunt during a Tet return home and then resign without coming back. Behind this often lie dissatisfaction with the workplace or wages and prolonged separation from family; weak day-to-day communication raises the risk. Confirming current satisfaction and future intentions in a one-on-one meeting before departure is an important preventive step.

“They asked for time off on a specific lunar-calendar day”

You may receive leave requests based on the lunar calendar, such as Qingming (around the 3rd day of the 3rd lunar month) or the Ghost Festival (15th day of the 7th lunar month). These days carry religious and family importance, so rather than refusing outright, considering adjustments within paid leave supports retention.

“They want the company to celebrate Tet”

Some Vietnamese employees want to bring a Tet celebratory mood into the workplace themselves. Companies that hold simple decorations or potluck parties report deeper cross-cultural understanding and better interaction with Japanese colleagues. Creating such occasions is a low-cost way to strengthen workplace cohesion.

Failure Patterns and How to Avoid Them

Companies that fail to retain Vietnamese talent share common tendencies. Major failure patterns and concrete ways to avoid them are outlined below.

Failure pattern 1: Dismissing Tet as “just wanting New Year time off”

Tet is not merely a long weekend; it is deeply tied to family, ancestors, and cultural identity. Vietnamese employees who feel their leave was brushed off lightly may conclude they are not valued and begin considering resignation. An effective countermeasure is for managers to understand what Tet means and to build a workplace culture of saying directly, “Enjoy your time.”

Failure pattern 2: Overlooking clashes between peak-season plans and lunar observances

Because lunar observances change date every year, peak-season shifts set without prior checks can overlap with observance days. The late April–early May period (Reunification Day and May Day), which coincides with Japan’s Golden Week, is especially prone to conflict between Vietnamese employees’ wishes and staffing demand. Make it a habit each January–February to confirm lunar observance dates and cross-check them against the annual shift plan.

Failure pattern 3: One-size-fits-all handling with no multicultural consideration

An attitude of “this is a Japanese company, so only Japanese rules apply,” and refusing paid-leave requests tied to lunar observances, creates a sense of psychological exclusion. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare’s Guidelines for Improving Employment Management of Foreign Workers also recommend building employment environments based on understanding of cultural background. A flexible stance that allows leave related to Vietnamese observances within the statutory paid-leave system is an investment in long-term retention.

Failure pattern 4: Giving important explanations only in Japanese

Leave-request rules and work-rule changes are sometimes communicated only in Japanese, and dissatisfaction builds when they are not understood. Employees who have only recently arrived in Japan often cannot fully follow oral explanations in Japanese. Prepare Vietnamese materials on work rules and leave-request procedures (including use of translation tools) and explain them properly at onboarding. Multilingual “Daily Life and Work Guidebooks” provided by the Immigration Services Agency of Japan can also be used as reference materials.

Points Hiring Managers Often Overlook

From hiring and onboarding through retention, here are points hiring managers often miss.

Insufficient documentation of paid-leave request rules in the work rules

In many small and mid-sized companies, work rules do not specify how paid leave is handled for observances and holidays particular to foreign employees. If Vietnamese employees feel after joining that they “can’t take paid leave for Tet” or “no one understands lunar observances,” early turnover risk rises. Review the work rules before hiring and put in writing the leave-request deadlines and whether allocation is first-come, first-served or rotational.

Temporary return risk around Tet and failure to explain status-of-residence procedures

Depending on the status of residence (Specified Skilled Worker, Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, and others), re-entry procedures may be required after a temporary return home. Under Immigration Services Agency of Japan rules, leaving Japan without a valid re-entry permit can cause the status of residence to lapse. HR should establish a flow to guide employees planning to return home on obtaining re-entry permission at least two weeks before departure.

Do not confuse cultural observances with religion

Vietnam is a multi-religious country where Buddhism, Catholicism, and folk beliefs coexist. Tet and the Mid-Autumn Festival are not specific religious rites; they are cultural and ethnic observances celebrated widely in the north, center, and south. A blanket policy of “no leave for religious reasons” misses the point; responses should be based on understanding of cultural background.

Missing signs of return home or resignation

If, two to three months before Tet (around October–November), you see higher remittance amounts, changes in workplace behavior, or more browsing of job sites, the person may be preparing to return home or resign. An effective criterion is to confirm “future career intentions,” “family situation,” and “day-to-day difficulties” in regular one-on-one meetings. Early intervention before problems surface can prevent many resignations. For communication challenges with employees of other nationalities, such as Myanmar talent, see also our article on workplace communication with Myanmar talent.

Quick Reference: Annual Observance Calendar Valued by Vietnamese Talent

This quick reference organizes major observances for Vietnamese talent in chronological order. Lunar observances change date every year, so make it a habit to check a lunar calendar at the start of the year.

January–February (Tet season)

Kitchen Gods’ Day (Táo Quân) on the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month is the psychological marker that Tet preparations have begun. Families perform a ritual sending the kitchen gods to heaven, and from that day many households begin full-scale Tet preparations. The core Tet holiday runs from the 30th day of the 12th lunar month through the 4th day of the 1st lunar month, centered on family gatherings, homecoming, and prayers to ancestors. The 15th day of the 1st lunar month is the Lantern Festival (Tết Nguyên Tiêu), celebrating the first full moon after Tet.

March–April

Around the 3rd day of the 3rd lunar month is Qingming (Thanh Minh), when families visit graves and make offerings to ancestors. For Vietnamese people working in Japan who cannot return home, it is often an occasion they ask family in Vietnam to carry out on their behalf. The 10th day of the 3rd lunar month is Hung Kings Commemoration Day (Giỗ Tổ Hùng Vương), a national public holiday inside Vietnam.

April–May

Reunification Day / Liberation of the South (Ngày Giải Phóng Miền Nam) on April 30 commemorates the fall of Saigon in 1975 and holds deep historical meaning for Vietnamese people. International Workers’ Day (May Day) on May 1 is observed as in Japan, and inside Vietnam it often forms part of a longer break with the surrounding days.

July–August

The 7th lunar month (especially the Ghost Festival / Tháng Cô Hồn on the 15th day) is regarded as a month for offering to ancestral spirits. Customs include avoiding going out at night and making roadside offerings; employees from the south may act with particular reverence during this month. The Mid-Autumn Festival (Tết Trung Thu) on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month is especially popular as a children’s occasion, and employees with children strongly focus on celebrating with family.

September

National Day (Quốc khánh) on September 2 marks Ho Chi Minh’s declaration of independence and is an important day tied to Vietnamese national identity.

October–December (Tet preparation period)

From around October–November, more employees begin thinking about returning home for Tet or changing jobs. One-on-one meetings in this period influence next year’s retention rate. When Kitchen Gods’ Day on the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month arrives, the following year’s Tet season begins again.

Practical Checklist

Actions HR managers and site supervisors should take throughout the year are organized below. Building this checklist into the annual plan helps prevent gaps in observance-related handling.

Actions before Tet (November–January)

• Confirm the date of Lunar New Year’s Day and reflect it in the company calendar and manager shared sheet
• Communicate paid leave and special leave application deadlines and operational rules (first-come, first-served, rotation systems, etc.) to all employees
• Identify early whether anyone wishes to return home and individually advise them on the need to obtain re-entry permission
• Give employees returning home a warm greeting of “Chúc Tết Vui Vẻ” (Happy Tet)
• Plan shift coverage for the Tet period, including Japanese employees and employees of other nationalities

Actions after Tet (February–March)

• Confirm the return dates of employees who went home and follow up on re-entry procedures
• Conduct a one-on-one meeting within two weeks of their return to work to check motivation and future career intentions
• If any employees show lower motivation after returning, consider ongoing follow-up and more frequent meetings

Year-round multicultural support

• Each year in January–February, confirm the dates of lunar calendar events and align them with the annual shift plan
• Consider once a year participating in training on building multicultural workplaces, using Hello Work counters or external support organizations
• Prepare and annually update materials explaining work rules and internal policies in Vietnamese
• Plan small workplace events around cultural occasions (Tet, Mid-Autumn Festival, etc.) to promote interaction with Japanese employees
• Manage status of residence renewal and change timing for each employee and provide early support guidance

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q. Do Vietnamese residents in Japan have the right to take time off for Tet?

A. Japanese labor standards law applies to Vietnamese residents in Japan, so Vietnam’s statutory public holidays do not automatically apply. However, they can of course apply for leave timed around Tet within their paid leave entitlement. Employers may exercise the “right to change the timing of leave” when there is a legitimate business reason, but showing consideration for cultural events helps improve retention. A growing number of companies also recognize it as special leave.

Q. Are there procedures to watch for with temporary return home around Tet?

A. It depends on the status of residence. People with statuses such as Specified Skilled Worker or Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services may be able to use special re-entry permission (re-entry within one year from the date of departure) when leaving Japan, provided it is within the validity period of their status of residence. Please check the latest information from the Immigration Services Agency of Japan. It is important for HR staff to confirm with the individual before they return home and guide them through the necessary procedures.

Q. Are there events other than Tet that Vietnamese employees value?

A. Tet is the most important event, but the lunar seventh-month Ullambana (ancestor memorial), Mid-Autumn Festival (Tết Trung Thu), and Qingming Festival (grave visits) also carry significant psychological meaning. Employees with children especially value celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival with their children. Thinking “we only need to know about Tet” is not enough; year-round calendar management is needed.

Q. How can Japanese employees deepen their understanding of Vietnamese events?

A. Running a simple multicultural understanding training session in-house is effective. Asking Vietnamese employees themselves to “please teach us about Tet” also boosts their sense of self-efficacy. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare’s guidelines on improving employment management of foreign workers can also be used as learning materials for HR staff. As an example from another nationality, our article on workplace communication with Myanmar talent may also be useful.

Q. Can small and medium-sized enterprises also handle multicultural support?

A. Even without large-scale systems, simply starting with three points—“show interest in events and speak up,” “check the lunar calendar and build it into plans,” and “support return-home procedures”—can change retention rates among Vietnamese employees. Cultural consideration that can be done without heavy cost is an investment that directly helps recover hiring costs.

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Understanding holidays and annual events is as important as hiring and system design for improving retention of Vietnamese talent. Building a workplace that respects cultural occasions such as Tet is not merely “kind consideration”; it is a management investment that reduces hiring costs, raises workplace productivity, and strengthens the employer brand. As lunar-calendar events recur each year on shifting dates, equipping HR to grasp accurate information each time and share it with frontline managers supports stable long-term operation of a multinational workplace.

For specific consultation on hiring and retention support for Vietnamese talent, please contact us via the Foreign Talent Insights inquiry page. Specialist staff with a track record in multinational talent acceptance support will respond individually.

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