Public Holidays by Country
Updated: May 2026
The number of public holidays varies significantly between countries, directly affecting how many working days are available in any given period. International contracts and cross-border teams need to know exactly which holidays apply and when.
Select your country in the calculator to automatically apply the correct holiday calendar.
Open the Business Days Calculator →Country comparison at a glance
| Country | National holidays / year | Observed rule | Moveable feasts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇫🇷 France | 11 | No (lost if weekend) | Easter Mon, Ascension, Whit Mon |
| 🇺🇸 United States | 11 federal | Yes (Fri or Mon) | Easter not federal |
| 🇬🇧 UK (Eng & Wales) | 8 | Yes (nearest weekday) | Easter Fri & Mon |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | 9 national | No | Easter Fri & Mon, Ascension, Whit Mon |
| 🇨🇦 Canada | 10 federal | Yes (nearest weekday) | Easter Fri & Mon |
France — 11 jours fériés, no substitution
France has 11 national public holidays. Unlike the US and UK, France does not apply an observed substitution rule: if a holiday falls on a Sunday, there is no Monday off. This means some years have fewer effective business-day impacts than others. The five holidays that include Easter-based dates (Easter Monday, Ascension, Whit Monday) move every year. In 2026, May is particularly dense with holidays: Labour Day on May 1, Victory in Europe Day on May 8, Ascension on May 14, and Whit Monday on May 25.
United States — 11 federal holidays with observed dates
The US has 11 federal holidays. When a holiday falls on Saturday, it is observed on Friday. When it falls on Sunday, it is observed on Monday. This means the business day impact is always exactly 11 days per year. Easter Sunday is not a federal holiday in the US, which distinguishes it from France, Germany, UK and Canada. Thanksgiving is the only major US holiday that falls on a Thursday (the fourth Thursday of November), making it unique in always creating a 2-day weekend extension.
United Kingdom — 8 bank holidays, with exceptions
England and Wales have 8 standard bank holidays. Scotland has 9 (adding St Andrew's Day), and Northern Ireland has 10 (adding St Patrick's Day and the Battle of the Boyne). The UK government can add one-off bank holidays for major events — the late Queen's funeral in September 2022 and the Coronation bank holiday in May 2023 are recent examples. For planning purposes, always check the official UK government bank holiday list for the current year.
Germany — 9 national + state-specific holidays
Germany's 9 national holidays apply uniformly across all 16 Bundesländer. Additionally, each state may observe additional regional holidays. Bavaria has the most, with 13 public holidays per year including Epiphany (January 6), Corpus Christi, and All Saints' Day. Baden-Württemberg and North Rhine-Westphalia observe Corpus Christi. When calculating business days for German counterparties, confirm whether national or state holidays apply.
Canada — 10 federal holidays, province variations
Canada has 10 federal public holidays. Provinces and territories may observe additional statutory holidays: British Columbia observes Family Day in February and BC Day in August. Quebec's Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day on June 24 is a provincial holiday not observed elsewhere. As with Germany, confirm which level (federal or provincial) governs your contract.
Cross-border deadline implications
When a contract involves parties in different countries, disagreements can arise over which holiday calendar governs deadlines. Best practice is to specify this explicitly in the contract: "business days means any day on which banks are open for business in Paris" or "working days means days that are not Saturday, Sunday or federal holidays in the United States." Ambiguity here is litigation waiting to happen.