Public holidays in Belgium in 2027

According to the Federal Public Service Employment, an employee may not be made to work on ten public holidays a year, and the employer must pay for these days. They are:

• 1 January — Friday 1 January 2027
• Easter Monday — Monday 29 March 2027
• 1 May (Labour Day) — Saturday 1 May 2027
• Ascension Day — Thursday 6 May 2027
• Whit Monday — Monday 17 May 2027
• 21 July (National Day) — Wednesday 21 July 2027
• 15 August (Assumption) — Sunday 15 August 2027
• 1 November (All Saints) — Monday 1 November 2027
• 11 November (Armistice) — Thursday 11 November 2027
• 25 December (Christmas) — Saturday 25 December 2027

Sources: FPS Employment, Labour and Social Dialogue — Feestdagen; Government of the Netherlands — 2027 calendar, for the 2027 Easter, Ascension and Whitsun dates; both read 8 October 2026.

To guarantee employees their ten holidays, the law says that when a holiday coincides with a Sunday or a usual non-working day in the business, it must be replaced. The replacement day is set on a normal working day and is treated as a public holiday for the employees of that business.

In 2027 that matters three times: 1 May (Saturday), 15 August (Sunday) and 25 December (Saturday). How the replacement days are fixed depends on your sector and employer, so check with your employer for your own dates.

Belgium's calendar gives some good breaks in 2027: Easter Monday in late March, Ascension Thursday on 6 May, Whit Monday on 17 May, and the National Day on Wednesday 21 July. In November, All Saints falls on a Monday, making a long weekend.

If you work in Belgium, your employer will tell you the replacement days for the weekend holidays — ask early if you're planning trips.