How Kazakhstanis will rest in May 2026
Tengrinews.kz — May 2026 in Kazakhstan will become one of the busiest months in terms of the number of public holiday days off. Residents of the country will enjoy additional rest days in honor of public holidays and Kurban Ait, allowing them to plan vacations, trips to visit relatives, or outdoor picnics in advance.
How many days off Kazakhstanis will have in May 2026The number of days off will depend on the work schedule:
with a five-day workweek — 14 days off and 17 working days;with a six-day workweek — 9 days off and 22 working days.
May will become one of the “shortest” months in terms of working days thanks to several public holidays and the transfer of a day off.
What holidays will be celebrated in Kazakhstan in May 2026In May, Kazakhstanis will celebrate several public holidays at once:
May 1 (Friday) — Kazakhstan People’s Unity Day;
May 7 (Thursday) — Defender of the Fatherland Day;May 9 (Saturday) — Victory Day.
In addition, in 2026, Kurban Ait falls in May, with its first day on May 27 (Wednesday). It should be noted that Islamic holidays depend directly on the lunar calendar, so the final dates may be adjusted.
It should be recalled that in 2024 there was an unusual situation with the date of Qurban Ait. Initially, the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan (SAMK) announced that the holiday would fall on June 17, Monday. The Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population scheduled a day off for Monday, giving Kazakhstanis the opportunity for a three-day break. Many people had already planned trips and various events for those days.
However, ten days before the planned date, the SAMK changed the schedule and moved Kurban Ait to June 16, Sunday. Following this decision, the ministry also canceled the Monday day off, disrupting many people’s plans. At the time, Labor Minister Svetlana Zhakupova explained that she fully understood the public’s feelings, but rules are rules.
How Kazakhstanis will rest on May 1
Kazakhstanis who work five days a week will get three consecutive days off:
May 1 (Friday) — public holiday;
May 2 (Saturday) — day off;
May 3 (Sunday) — day off.
For those with a six-day workweek, the schedule will be as follows:
May 1 — day off;
May 2 — working day;
May 3 — day off.
How Kazakhstanis will rest on May 7 and 9
The series of long weekends will continue with Defender of the Fatherland Day and Victory Day. Since May 9 in 2026 falls on a Saturday, the day off will be transferred to Monday, May 11.
For Kazakhstanis with a five-day workweek, the rest schedule will be:
May 7 (Thursday) — day off;
May 8 (Friday) — working day;
May 9, 10, and 11 — days off, taking the transferred holiday into account.
For those who work on Saturdays, no transfer is provided, so the schedule looks like this:
May 7 — day off;
May 8 — working day;
May 9 — day off;
May 10 — Sunday, day off;
May 11 — working day.
How Kazakhstanis will rest on Kurban Ait in 2026Kazakhstanis will get another additional day off on May 27, a Wednesday, when the country marks the first day of Kurban Ait. The date may still be adjusted depending on the lunar calendar.
Other holidays
In May, Kazakhstanis will also mark a number of professional and commemorative dates:
May 10 (second Sunday of the month) — Mother’s Day;May 17 — Communications Workers’ Day;
May 20 — Metrology Workers’ Day;
May 21 — Culture and Arts Workers’ Day;
May 31 (last Sunday of the month) — Chemical Industry Workers’ Day;May 31 — Day of Remembrance for Victims of Political Repressions and Famine.
May 2026 will become one of the most convenient months for short trips and family vacations thanks to several long weekends in a row.