Your Complete Malaysia HR Calendar 2026: Key Payroll & Compliance Dates HR Must Not Miss
As we approach 2026, HR managers and business owners are entering one of the most important planning periods of the year. A well-structured HR and payroll calendar doesn’t just help you stay organised — it directly impacts payroll accuracy, compliance, staffing efficiency, and employee satisfaction.
This guide highlights the key HR, payroll, statutory, and staffing dates every Malaysian employer must prepare for in 2026. Use it as a reference for:
Planning your HR workload
Managing leave & shift distribution
Ensuring timely statutory submissions
Avoiding compliance mistakes
Staffing around festive seasons & peak periods
Let’s walk through the essential dates, quarter by quarter.
Q1 2026: January – March
January
New leave balances & cycles begin (depending on your company policy)
Update shift rosters, allowances & entitlements
Salary revision updates (if applicable)
Verify payroll structure for new year
PCB/MTD, EPF, SOCSO, EIS submissions
Chinese New Year staffing & leave planning
February
CNY public holidays
Shift reshuffling & festive leave adjustments
Payroll adjustments for bonuses or festive allowances
Standard statutory submissions
EA Form preparation and issuance to staff deadline (before 28th February)
March
Individual tax filing window opens
Year-to-date payroll reporting
PCB/MTD, EPF, SOCSO, EIS submissions
Employer e-Filing deadline (Form E) by 31st March 2026
2026 Q1 Public Holidays
| Date | Day | Holiday | States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Jan | Thu | New Year's Day | National except Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis & Terengganu |
| 14 Jan | Wed | YDPB Negeri Sembilan's Birthday | Negeri Sembilan |
| 17 Jan | Sat | Israk and Mikraj | Kedah, Negeri Sembilan, Perlis & Terengganu |
| 18 Jan | Sun | Israk and Mikraj Holiday | Terengganu |
| 1 Feb | Sun | Thaipusam | Johor, Kuala Lumpur, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Perak, Putrajaya & Selangor |
| 1 Feb | Sun | Federal Territory Day | Kuala Lumpur, Labuan & Putrajaya |
| 2 Feb | Mon | Federal Territory Day Holiday | Kuala Lumpur, Labuan & Putrajaya |
| 2 Feb | Mon | Thaipusam Holiday | Johor, Kuala Lumpur, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Perak, Putrajaya & Selangor |
| 17 Feb | Tue | Chinese New Year | National |
| 18 Feb | Wed | Chinese New Year Holiday | National |
| 19 Feb | Thu | Awal Ramadan | Johor & Kedah |
| 20 Feb | Fri | Independence Declaration Day | Melaka |
| 4 Mar | Wed | Installation of Sultan Terengganu | Terengganu |
| 7 Mar | Sat | Nuzul Al-Quran | National except Johor, Kedah, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Sabah & Sarawak |
| 8 Mar | Sun | Nuzul Al-Quran Holiday | Kelantan & Terengganu |
| 21 Mar | Sat | Hari Raya Aidilfitri | National |
| 22 Mar | Sun | Hari Raya Aidilfitri Holiday | National |
| 23 Mar | Mon | Sultan of Johor's Birthday | Johor |
| 23 Mar | Mon | Hari Raya Aidilfitri Holiday | National except Kedah |
| 24 Mar | Tue | Hari Raya Aidilfitri Holiday | Melaka |
| 30 Mar | Mon | Sabah Governor's Birthday | Sabah |
Q2 2026: April – June
April
Preparation for mid-year performance cycles
Festive/leave distribution planning for Ramadhan & Raya
Regular statutory submissions
May
Labour Day (1 May)
Mid-year appraisal preparation
Shift planning for Hari Raya Aidiladha period
June
Mid-year reviews executed
Adjust KPIs, OKRs & role targets
Workforce planning for Q3
Mandatory statutory submissions
2026 Q2 Public Holidays
| Date | Day | Holiday | States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Apr | Fri | Good Friday | Sabah & Sarawak |
| 26 Apr | Sun | Sultan of Terengganu's Birthday | Terengganu |
| 1 May | Fri | Labour Day | National |
| 3 May | Sun | Labour Day Holiday | Kedah |
| 17 May | Sun | Raja Perlis' Birthday | Perlis |
| 18 May | Mon | Raja Perlis' Birthday Holiday | Perlis |
| 22 May | Fri | Hari Hol Pahang | Pahang |
| 26 May | Tue | Arafat Day | Kelantan & Terengganu |
| 27 May | Wed | Hari Raya Haji | National |
| 28 May | Thu | Hari Raya Haji Holiday | Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis & Terengganu |
| 30 May | Sat | Harvest Festival | Labuan & Sabah |
| 31 May | Sun | Wesak Day | National |
| 31 May | Sun | Harvest Festival Holiday | Labuan & Sabah |
| 1 Jun | Mon | Hari Gawai | Sarawak |
| 1 Jun | Mon | Agong's Birthday | National |
| 1 Jun | Mon | Wesak Day Holiday | National except Kedah, Kelantan & Terengganu |
| 2 Jun | Tue | Hari Gawai Holiday | Sarawak |
| 17 Jun | Wed | Awal Muharram | National |
| 21 Jun | Sun | Sultan of Kedah's Birthday | Kedah |
Q3 2026: July – September
July
Begin 2027 budget planning
HR training needs analysis
Mid-year payroll forecasting
August
Merdeka staffing arrangements
Employee engagement programmes
Statutory submissions
September
Prepare performance review cycles
Payroll simulation for year-end costs
Recruitment planning for Q4
2026 Q3 Public Holidays
| Date | Day | Holiday | States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Jul | Tue | Georgetown World Heritage City Day | Penang |
| 11 Jul | Sat | Penang Governor's Birthday | Penang |
| 21 Jul | Tue | Hari Hol Almarhum Sultan Iskandar | Johor |
| 22 Jul | Wed | Sarawak Day | Sarawak |
| 31 Jul | Fri | Sultan of Pahang's Birthday | Pahang |
| 24 Aug | Mon | Melaka Governor's Birthday | Melaka |
| 25 Aug | Tue | Prophet Muhammad's Birthday | National |
| 31 Aug | Mon | Merdeka Day | National |
| 16 Sep | Wed | Malaysia Day | National |
| 29 Sep | Tue | Sultan of Kelantan's Birthday | Kelantan |
| 30 Sep | Wed | Sultan of Kelantan's Birthday Holiday | Kelantan |
Q4 2026: October – December
October
Performance review cycle begins
Finalise contract renewals
Annual leave reconciliation notices
All statutory submissions
November
Prepare HR reports & dashboards
Annual workforce planning
Confirm 2027 leave calendar
December
HR data clean-up (attendance, leave, payroll adjustments)
Best time for system migration or HR tech upgrades
Final statutory cycle of the year
2026 Q4 Public Holidays
| Date | Day | Holiday | States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Oct | Sat | Sarawak Governor's Birthday | Sarawak |
| 6 Nov | Fri | Sultan of Perak's Birthday | Perak |
| 8 Nov | Sun | Deepavali | National except Sarawak |
| 9 Nov | Mon | Deepavali Holiday | National except Kedah, Kelantan, Sarawak & Terengganu |
| 11 Dec | Fri | Sultan of Selangor's Birthday | Selangor |
| 24 Dec | Thu | Christmas Eve | Sabah |
| 25 Dec | Fri | Christmas Day | National |
| 27 Dec | Sun | Christmas Holiday | Kedah |
Overall Key HR Tasks
| Task | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Publish full-year holiday calendar by Jan 2026 | Enables employees to plan leave early and helps HR schedule coverage |
| Review each state's holiday list | Ensures correct compliance for multi-state operations |
| Mark Islamic dates as tentative | Because moon-sighting can shift dates—keep flexibility |
| Budget for overtime or holiday-work premiums | To avoid unexpected payroll cost spikes |
| Align leave policy with long weekends | To improve employee satisfaction and minimise ad hoc requests |
Planning ahead is the key to a smooth HR year.
With so many statutory deadlines, staffing patterns, and payroll cycles to manage, having a clear HR calendar helps your team stay accurate, compliant, and prepared.
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