According to the official calendar, Costa Ricans will be able to enjoy 12 holidays in 2025, of which 9 are mandatory and 3 are non-mandatory. The transfer of holidays to join them to the weekends was implemented during the pandemic with the purpose of encourage local tourism.
The mandatory paid holidays for 2025 are:
Wednesday, January 1: New Year
Friday, April 11: Juan Santamaría Day
Thursday, April 17: Holy Thursday
Friday, April 18: Good Friday
Thursday, May 1: Labor Day
Friday, July 25: Annexation of the Nicoya Party
Friday, August 15: Mother’s Day
Monday, September 15: Independence Day
Thursday, December 25: Christmas
The non-mandatory paid holidays are:
Saturday, August 2 (Saturday): Day of the Virgin of the Angels
Sunday, August 31: Day of the Black Person and Afro-Costa Rican Culture
Monday, December 1 (Monday): Day of the Abolition of the Army
Long weekends
The good news is that in 2025 there will be six long weekends, even though dates will not be moved as in previous years.
The holidays that fall on Friday and will allow us to enjoy these extended weekends are:
April 11: Juan Santamaría Day
April 18: Good Friday
July 25: Annexation of the Nicoya Party
August 15: Mother’s Day
In addition, September 15 (Independence Day) falls on a Monday, which will also lead to a long weekend.
Transfer of holidays
It is important to note that, according to official information, no holiday has been planned to be moved to a different day for 2025. However, there is a bill in the Legislative Assembly that proposes moving the celebration of some holidays to promote more long weekends.
If this project is approved, any changes will be reported. The Ministry of Labor reminds that no worker is obliged to work during holidays, except in exceptional cases contemplated in articles 150 and 151 of the Labor Code.
If an employee refuses to work on a holiday, he or she cannot be sanctioned for this decision. Employers must take into account that, if a worker works on a holiday with mandatory pay, he or she must receive double pay for that day. In the case of non-mandatory paid holidays, if the employee works, he or she will receive his or her normal salary.
This holiday calendar offers Costa Ricans the opportunity to plan their breaks and activities in advance for the coming year, allowing them to enjoy national celebrations and moments of leisure.
