Guatemalan Holidays 2026: Full Calendar for U.S. Employers

Hiring remote talent in Guatemala gives U.S. companies access to professionals who work in compatible time zones, understand U.S. business expectations, and bring strong experience across customer support, operations, finance, marketing, and tech.

But if you’re managing a Guatemala-based employee, it’s important to understand the local holiday calendar. Some holidays are official paid days off, some are half-day holidays, and others are regional or city-specific observances that may affect availability.

This guide breaks down the 2026 Guatemalan holidays, including official public holidays, Holy Week dates, regional holidays, long weekends, and what U.S. companies should know when planning meetings, deadlines, PTO, and team coverage.

For more context on nearshore hiring, you can also read our guide to nearshore staffing in Latin America.

Guatemalan Holidays 2026: Full Calendar for Employers

Official Public Holidays vs. Regional and Partial Holidays in Guatemala

Not every important holiday in Guatemala works the same way. Some dates are official public holidays, some are half-day holidays, and others only apply in specific cities, municipalities, or situations.

For U.S. companies hiring remote talent in Guatemala, the key difference is simple:

• Official public holidays usually mean employees are entitled to the day off.
• Half-day holidays may only apply after midday.
• Regional holidays depend on the employee’s location.
• Special holidays, like Mother’s Day, may apply to specific groups of workers.

Guatemala’s labor code lists several paid holidays for private-sector workers, including January 1, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, May 1, June 30, September 15, October 20, November 1, December 25, plus half-days on December 24 and December 31. It also includes the local holiday of each municipality.

Official Public Holidays

Official public holidays are the main dates employers should plan around first. In 2026, these include:

• New Year’s Day: Thursday, January 1
• Holy Thursday: Thursday, April 2
• Good Friday: Friday, April 3
• Holy Saturday: Saturday, April 4
• Labor Day: Friday, May 1
• Army Day, observed: Monday, June 29
• Independence Day: Tuesday, September 15
• Revolution Day: Tuesday, October 20
• All Saints’ Day: Sunday, November 1
• Christmas Day: Friday, December 25

These are the dates most likely to affect schedules, meetings, project timelines, and customer coverage.

Half-Day Holidays

Guatemala also has two important half-day holidays near the end of the year:

• Christmas Eve: Thursday, December 24, 2026
• New Year’s Eve: Thursday, December 31, 2026

On these dates, workers typically rest from 12:00 p.m. onward, so U.S. companies should avoid scheduling afternoon meetings, deadlines, or urgent handoffs.

Regional and Local Holidays

Guatemala also recognizes local holidays tied to each municipality. This means a remote employee in Guatemala City may observe a different local holiday than someone in Antigua, Quetzaltenango, Escuintla, or another city.

For example, August 15, the Feast of the Assumption, is especially important in Guatemala City. It may not affect every employee in the country, but it can affect workers based in the capital or municipalities that observe it.

Special Case: Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day, celebrated on May 10, is a special case. It is not a standard nationwide day off for every worker, but it applies as a paid holiday for working mothers.

In 2026, Mother’s Day falls on Sunday, May 10, so it may not affect the regular workweek for many remote teams. Still, it’s worth mentioning in the article because it is part of Guatemala’s employer holiday planning context.

What This Means for U.S. Companies

If you’re managing a Guatemala-based employee, don’t rely only on a generic holiday calendar. Instead, create a clear company policy that explains:

• Which Guatemalan holidays are observed
• Which U.S. company holidays also apply
• How half-day holidays work
• Whether regional holidays are included
• How employees should request PTO for local or personal observances

This keeps expectations clear and helps your team avoid scheduling conflicts around important dates.

Major Guatemalan Holidays Explained

Guatemala’s holiday calendar includes national holidays, religious observances, half-day holidays, and local celebrations. Some dates apply across the whole country, while others depend on the employee’s location or personal situation.

Here are the major Guatemalan holidays U.S. companies should understand when working with Guatemala-based talent.

New Year’s Day

Date in 2026: Thursday, January 1
Type: Official public holiday

New Year’s Day is a national holiday in Guatemala. Most offices, banks, schools, government agencies, and many private businesses close for the day.

For remote teams, this is an easy date to plan around. Avoid scheduling onboarding calls, urgent reviews, or client deadlines on January 1.

Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday

Date in 2026: Thursday, April 2; Friday, April 3; and Saturday, April 4
Type: Official public holidays

Holy Week, or Semana Santa, is one of the most important holiday periods in Guatemala. In 2026, the official Holy Week rest days fall from Thursday, April 2 through Saturday, April 4.

For employers, this is one of the biggest planning moments of the year. Many employees may travel, attend religious events, or take additional PTO around the holiday period. If your Guatemala-based team supports customers, clients, or time-sensitive operations, plan coverage early.

Labor Day

Date in 2026: Friday, May 1
Type: Official public holiday

Labor Day is an official public holiday in Guatemala. In 2026, it falls on a Friday, creating a long weekend.

Avoid scheduling major launches, finance deadlines, or important client handoffs on this date. If you have customer-facing employees in Guatemala, confirm coverage before the holiday.

Mother’s Day

Date in 2026: Sunday, May 10
Type: Special paid holiday for working mothers

Mother’s Day is a special case in Guatemala. It is not a standard public holiday for every worker, but it is recognized as a paid holiday for working mothers.

Because it falls on a Sunday in 2026, it may not affect the regular workweek for most teams. Still, it’s worth including in your employer calendar so your policy is clear.

Army Day

Date in 2026: Monday, June 29, observed / Tuesday, June 30, historical date
Type: Official public holiday

Army Day is tied to June 30, but holiday calendars may list the observed rest day differently when the date is moved for long-weekend planning. Some 2026 calendars list the holiday on Tuesday, June 30, while others show the observed rest day on Monday, June 29.

For the article, I’d keep the employer-friendly wording simple: “Army Day is June 30, but in 2026, some calendars observe the rest day on Monday, June 29. Confirm your company calendar in advance.”

Feast of the Assumption

Date in 2026: Saturday, August 15
Type: Regional/local holiday

The Feast of the Assumption is especially important in Guatemala City. It is not necessarily a nationwide holiday for every employee, but it may affect workers based in the capital or municipalities that observe it.

For remote teams, this is a good reminder to ask employees about local holidays during onboarding. A Guatemala City-based employee may follow a different local calendar than someone in another municipality.

Independence Day

Date in 2026: Tuesday, September 15
Type: Official public holiday

Independence Day is one of Guatemala’s most important national holidays. It commemorates Guatemala’s independence from Spain and is widely celebrated with civic events, parades, flags, and school or community activities.

For U.S. companies, this is a key date to block off. Avoid major meetings, presentations, or deadlines on September 15.

Revolution Day

Date in 2026: Tuesday, October 20
Type: Official public holiday

Revolution Day commemorates Guatemala’s 1944 Revolution. It is an official public holiday and may affect business operations, employee availability, and local services.

Since it falls on a Tuesday in 2026, it may create a shorter workweek for some teams, especially if employees request PTO on Monday.

All Saints’ Day

Date in 2026: Sunday, November 1
Type: Official public holiday

All Saints’ Day is an official holiday in Guatemala and an important cultural and religious observance. Families may visit cemeteries, gather with relatives, or participate in local traditions.

Because it falls on a Sunday in 2026, it may not affect the standard Monday-to-Friday workweek, but it is still worth noting in the calendar.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

Date in 2026: Thursday, December 24 and Friday, December 25
Type: Half-day holiday and official public holiday

Christmas Eve is typically treated as a half-day holiday, while Christmas Day is an official public holiday. This means employees may be unavailable from midday on December 24 and fully off on December 25.

For remote teams, plan December coverage early. Many employees may also request additional PTO around the final week of the year.

New Year’s Eve

Date in 2026: Thursday, December 31
Type: Half-day holiday

New Year’s Eve is another half-day holiday in Guatemala. Employees typically rest from midday onward.

Avoid scheduling afternoon meetings, last-minute approvals, or urgent deadlines on December 31. If you need year-end finance, operations, or customer support coverage, confirm it before the final week of December.

Regional and Local Holidays in Guatemala

Guatemala has national holidays that apply across the country, but it also recognizes local holidays tied to each municipality. That means availability can vary depending on where your employee lives.

For U.S. companies hiring remote talent in Guatemala, this matters because a team member in Guatemala City may follow a slightly different local calendar than someone in Antigua, Quetzaltenango, Escuintla, San Marcos, or another municipality.

Why Regional Holidays Matter

Regional holidays may not always affect the entire country, but they can still affect your employee’s schedule. Under Guatemala’s labor rules, the local fair day for each municipality can count as a paid rest day for workers in that location.

This means you shouldn’t rely only on a national holiday list. A national calendar gives you the main dates, but a local calendar helps you avoid surprises.

Example: August 15 in Guatemala City

One of the clearest examples is August 15, the Feast of the Assumption.

This date is especially important in Guatemala City, where it is tied to the city’s patron saint celebration and local fair. It may affect business activity, traffic, employee availability, and local services in the capital. Other municipalities may operate normally unless they also observe the date as their local holiday.

For remote teams, the takeaway is simple: if your employee is based in Guatemala City, include August 15 in your holiday planning.

Other Local Observances to Keep in Mind

Local holidays in Guatemala may include:

• Municipal fairs
• Patron saint celebrations
• Religious festivals
• City anniversary events
• Community celebrations
• Regional school or family events

These dates may not always appear in a standard international holiday calendar, but they can still affect availability.

What Employers Should Do

The best approach is to ask Guatemala-based employees about local holidays during onboarding or at the start of the year.

You can keep it simple:

“Here are the company holidays we observe. Are there any local or regional holidays in your municipality that we should add to the team calendar?”

This helps you respect local observances while keeping planning clear for the whole team.

It’s especially useful for customer support, sales, finance, operations, and technical support roles where coverage matters during U.S. business hours.

How Guatemalan Holidays Affect Remote Teams

Guatemalan holidays are easy to manage when you plan ahead. The key is understanding which dates are full public holidays, which ones are half-day holidays, and which ones may depend on the employee’s municipality.

For U.S. companies, Guatemala’s time zone alignment is a major advantage. Many Guatemala-based professionals can work closely with U.S. teams in real time, but they still follow their local holiday calendar.

Project Deadlines

If a major deadline falls near a Guatemalan public holiday, build in extra time. This is especially important around:

• Holy Week
• Labor Day
• Army Day
• Independence Day
• Revolution Day
• Christmas
• New Year’s Eve

Holy Week is especially important because employees may take extra time off before or after the official holiday period. If you have a launch, client handoff, or finance deadline in early April 2026, plan ahead.

Customer Support Coverage

If your Guatemala-based employees support U.S. customers, holidays can affect coverage. Some U.S. companies may operate normally on Guatemalan holidays, so it’s important to decide in advance whether your employee will be off, working, or covered by another team member.

This matters most for roles like:

• Customer support reps
• Technical support specialists
• Account managers
• Operations assistants
• Virtual assistants
• Sales development reps

A shared coverage plan helps you avoid gaps in response times.

Meetings and Internal Reviews

Avoid scheduling important meetings on Guatemalan public holidays or during half-day holiday afternoons.

This is especially important for:

• Weekly planning calls
• Client presentations
• Performance reviews
• Product launches
• Finance close deadlines
• Urgent hiring interviews

For example, avoid scheduling afternoon meetings on December 24 or December 31, since these are typically half-day holidays.

PTO Planning

Some employees may request additional PTO around holidays that are culturally or personally important, even if the date itself does not apply to every worker.

For example, employees may request extra time around:

• Holy Week
• Mother’s Day
• Local municipal holidays
• Christmas Eve
• New Year’s Eve
• Family or religious celebrations

These requests are easier to manage when your company has a clear PTO policy and encourages employees to communicate plans early.

Payroll and Business Operations

Guatemalan holidays can also affect banks, government offices, vendors, and local services. If your company works with local providers, payroll partners, background check vendors, or equipment delivery services, build extra time around official holidays.

This is especially useful for:

• Payroll processing
• Invoice approvals
• Contract signatures
• Background checks
• Equipment delivery
• Local paperwork

Even fully remote teams still depend on local systems sometimes, so it’s better to leave room in the schedule.

The Simple Rule for U.S. Employers

The easiest way to manage Guatemalan holidays is to create one shared calendar at the beginning of the year.

Include:

• Official Guatemalan public holidays
• Half-day holidays
• U.S. company holidays
• Regional or municipal holidays
• Expected coverage needs
• Any role-specific exceptions

That way, your Guatemala-based employees know what to expect, and your U.S. team can plan projects, meetings, and customer coverage with fewer surprises.

Best Practices for Managing Holidays With Guatemala-Based Employees

Managing holidays with Guatemala-based employees is simple when expectations are clear. The goal is to make sure everyone knows which holidays are observed, how half-day holidays work, and who covers urgent tasks when part of the team is offline.

Here are a few best practices for U.S. companies hiring remote talent in Guatemala.

Create a Shared Holiday Calendar

At the beginning of the year, create one calendar that includes:

• Guatemalan official public holidays
• Half-day holidays
• U.S. company holidays
• Regional or municipal holidays
• Planned PTO
• Coverage needs

This helps your U.S. team avoid scheduling meetings, launches, or deadlines on days when Guatemala-based employees may be offline.

Clarify Which Holidays Are Paid Days Off

Not every date works the same way in Guatemala. Some holidays are full public holidays, some are half-day holidays, and some depend on the employee’s location.

Your policy should clearly explain:

• Which Guatemalan holidays your company observes
• Whether employees receive paid time off for those holidays
• How Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve half-days work
• Whether municipal holidays are included
• How employees should request time off for local observances

This avoids confusion, especially for distributed teams with people in different countries.

Plan Early Around Holy Week

Holy Week is one of the most important holiday periods in Guatemala. In 2026, the key dates are:

• Holy Thursday: Thursday, April 2
• Good Friday: Friday, April 3
• Holy Saturday: Saturday, April 4

Many employees may also request additional PTO before or after these dates, so it’s smart to plan coverage early.

If your Guatemala-based employees support customers, clients, operations, or finance workflows, avoid leaving coverage decisions until the last minute.

Don’t Ignore Half-Day Holidays

Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve are easy to overlook because they are not full-day holidays.

In Guatemala, these dates are typically treated as half-day holidays, which means employees may be unavailable from midday onward.

For 2026, mark these clearly:

• Christmas Eve: Thursday, December 24
• New Year’s Eve: Thursday, December 31

Avoid scheduling afternoon meetings, urgent approvals, or year-end deadlines on those dates.

Ask About Municipal Holidays

Guatemala recognizes local holidays tied to municipalities, so two employees in different cities may not follow the exact same local calendar.

During onboarding, ask a simple question:

“Are there any municipal or local holidays in your city that we should include in the team calendar?”

This is especially useful if your employee is based in Guatemala City, where August 15 is commonly observed as a local holiday.

Build Backup Coverage for Customer-Facing Roles

If your Guatemala-based employees work in customer support, sales, account management, technical support, operations, or virtual assistance, make sure coverage is planned before holidays.

A simple coverage plan should answer:

• Who is off?
• Who is covering?
• Which tasks can wait?
• Which tasks need same-day attention?
• What should customers or internal teams expect?

This keeps service levels steady without putting pressure on employees during local holidays.

Put the Holiday Policy in Writing

A written policy makes holiday planning easier for everyone.

Your policy should include:

• The official company holiday calendar
• PTO request rules
• Half-day holiday expectations
• Coverage expectations
• Regional holiday guidance
• What happens when a holiday falls on a weekend

This is especially helpful for remote teams where people may work from different countries, follow different calendars, and support overlapping time zones.

Keep Communication Simple

You don’t need a complicated process. A shared calendar, a written policy, and early communication are usually enough.

The goal is to help Guatemala-based employees enjoy their holidays while helping your U.S. team plan deadlines, meetings, and customer coverage with confidence.

The Takeaway

Guatemalan holidays are easy to manage when your team has a clear calendar from the start.

For U.S. companies hiring in Guatemala, the main thing is to understand the difference between official public holidays, half-day holidays, and local municipal holidays. Some dates apply across the country, while others may depend on where your employee lives or whether the holiday applies to a specific group of workers.

In 2026, the key dates to plan around are January 1, April 2–4, May 1, June 29, September 15, October 20, November 1, December 24, December 25, and December 31. These are the dates most likely to affect work schedules, meetings, deadlines, customer coverage, and local business operations.

The simplest approach is to create one shared holiday calendar, clarify PTO expectations, and ask Guatemala-based employees about any local holidays that matter in their municipality.

At South, we help U.S. companies hire skilled remote professionals across Guatemala and Latin America, from customer support reps and virtual assistants to marketers, finance specialists, operations talent, and software developers. You get access to pre-vetted candidates who work in U.S. time zones and can integrate smoothly with your existing team.

Want to hire remote talent from Guatemala without guessing your way through local hiring details? Schedule a free call with us and we’ll help you find the right fit.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are the official public holidays in Guatemala in 2026?

The main official public holidays in Guatemala in 2026 include New Year’s Day, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Labor Day, Army Day, Independence Day, Revolution Day, All Saints’ Day, and Christmas Day. Guatemala also has half-day holidays on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

When is Holy Week in Guatemala in 2026?

In 2026, Holy Week in Guatemala runs from Sunday, March 29 to Sunday, April 5, with the main public holiday dates falling on Holy Thursday, April 2; Good Friday, April 3; and Holy Saturday, April 4.

Is Christmas Eve a full public holiday in Guatemala?

No. Christmas Eve is typically a half-day holiday in Guatemala, with workers resting from midday onward. In 2026, Christmas Eve falls on Thursday, December 24.

Is New Year’s Eve a holiday in Guatemala?

Yes, but it is usually treated as a half-day holiday. In 2026, New Year’s Eve falls on Thursday, December 31, and workers typically rest from midday onward.

Is August 15 a public holiday in all of Guatemala?

No. August 15 is mainly a local holiday in Guatemala City for the Feast of the Assumption. It may affect employees based in the capital, but it does not necessarily apply to every worker across the country.

Do U.S. companies need to follow Guatemalan holidays for remote employees?

If you hire remote employees in Guatemala, you should clearly define which holidays your company observes. At minimum, it’s smart to plan around Guatemala’s official public holidays, half-day holidays, and any local municipal holidays that apply to your employee’s location.

How should companies plan around Guatemalan holidays?

The best approach is to create a shared holiday calendar at the start of the year. Include Guatemalan public holidays, U.S. company holidays, half-day holidays, municipal holidays, PTO expectations, and coverage needs so everyone knows what to expect.

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