2025 Holidays - Egypt

Egypt Public Holiday Observance Rules

1. General Observance

Public holidays in Egypt are established by government decree and are published in the official holiday calendar. They are normally observed on the specified calendar dates.

2. Weekend Observance

Egypt’s standard workweek is Sunday through Thursday, with Friday and Saturday typically designated as weekend days. If a public holiday falls on a Friday or Saturday, it is generally observed on that day, since those days are already non-working for many employees.

3. Substitute Days for Fixed National Holidays

For some key fixed national holidays, if the holiday falls on a weekend, the government may designate a substitute working day (usually a Sunday or the preceding Thursday) as the official day off.

Employers must adhere to the official holiday calendar and any official directives regarding substitute days. Employees working on a substitute day (or on the holiday itself if no substitution is provided) are entitled to overtime pay or compensatory leave according to Egyptian labor law.

4. Special Cases

Many public holidays in Egypt are based on the Islamic lunar calendar (e.g., Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha) and are observed on dates determined by religious authorities, and are generally not shifted even if they fall on a weekend.

Fixed secular holidays (such as Revolution Day or Sinai Liberation Day) follow the practice described above—if they fall on a weekend, a substitute day may be designated as specified by the official calendar.

5. Additional Notes

Employers are required to comply with the official public holiday calendar and any subsequent government decrees.

For any public holiday on which work is performed (whether on the original date or on a substitute day), employees are entitled to premium compensation or compensatory time off as mandated by Egyptian labor law.

For the most up-to-date and precise information, consult the current official holiday calendar and any relevant legislative updates.