World's second richest country to give citizens 5 long holiday weekends

People in Singapore, the world's second richest country by GDP per capita, can look forward to five long weekends in 2027, offering several opportunities for short breaks and travel throughout the year.

According to the Ministry of Manpower's schedule released on June 18, the city-state will observe a total of 11 public holidays.

The first extended weekend will kick off right at the start of the year with New Year's Day, which falls on a Friday.

The Lunar New Year will be celebrated on Saturday, Feb. 6, and Sunday, Feb. 7. Because the holiday falls over the weekend, the following Monday has been designated as a public holiday, creating a seamless three-day break, according to Asia One.

Good Friday will be observed on March 26, securing another long weekend for residents.

Two additional public holidays will fall on Mondays, rounding out the five extended weekends: Hari Raya Haji on May 17 and National Day on Aug. 9.

Several other holidays fall mid-week, presenting opportunities for workers to maximize their annual leave. Vesak Day on May 20 and Deepavali on Oct. 28 will both be observed on Thursdays. Taking the subsequent Friday off will allow employees to create four-day weekends.

Singapore's 2027 holiday calendar. Graphics by AI

May offers one of the best windows for an extended getaway, as highlighted by Time Out magazine. Employees who take just two days of annual leave on Tuesday, May 18, and Wednesday, May 19, can bridge Hari Raya Haji (Monday, May 17) with Vesak Day (Thursday, May 20) to enjoy a continuous six-day break.

Other notable dates include Hari Raya Puasa, which falls on Wednesday, March 10. Labor Day and Christmas Day both land on Saturdays, potentially qualifying workers for time off in lieu depending on their company's internal policies.

Public holiday compensation rules

Singapore, ranked by The Economist earlier this year as the world's second-richest country, trailing only Switzerland in terms of GDP per capita, allows workers who clock in on a public holiday to be entitled to additional compensation. They receive an extra day's salary at their basic rate, on top of their regular pay for that day.

Alternatively, employers may offer time off in lieu based on a mutually agreed number of hours worked during the public holiday, according to The Straits Times.

These protective arrangements apply to laborers earning more than S$4,500 (US$3,480) a month, as well as non-laborers, including managers and executives, earning over S$2,600 monthly.

This favorable holiday schedule aligns with Singapore's robust economic standing.

The Southeast Asian city-state was also named the richest country in Asia and the sixth richest in the world in the 2026 Prosperity Index by insurance comparison platform HelloSafe.

The Prosperity Index evaluates nations based on five indicators drawn from the IMF, the World Bank, the UNDP, and the OECD. These metrics include GDP per capita in purchasing power parity, gross national income per capita, the Human Development Index, the Gini measure of income inequality, and the relative poverty rate.