Ticino Public Holidays | Frontaliere Ticino
Ticino Public Holidays — free tools and expert guides for cross-border workers (frontalieri) between Switzerland and Italy. Compare salaries, tax, LAMal health insurance, pensions, and cost of living in Ticino. Updated 2026.
By Frontaliere Ticino Editorial Team · Cross-border tax & pension specialists
Canton Ticino observes 15 public holidays per year — the 9 federal Swiss holidays plus 6 cantonal holidays specific to Ticino. For cross-border workers, these dates directly affect overtime calculations, pay for days worked on holidays (at least 1.25× rate), and whether the employer must pay for the holiday even if the worker is absent.
Public holidays that fall on weekdays reduce the number of working days in that month, which can affect prorated salary calculations for workers on monthly pay, holiday entitlement accrual, and the distribution of the 13th month payment across the calendar year.
Cross-border workers should also note that Italian public holidays do not automatically apply in Switzerland: if you are working in Ticino, Swiss holidays govern your schedule. However, Swiss law allows workers to take Italian national holidays as vacation days if agreed with the employer in writing.
This page is part of Frontaliere Ticino, the reference platform for cross-border workers between Switzerland (Canton Ticino) and Italy. Find practical tools, updated data, and verified information.
Content is designed to help cross-border workers make informed decisions about taxation, pensions, transportation, cost of living, and administrative procedures.
Frequently asked questions
- How many public holidays are there in Canton Ticino in 2026?
- Canton Ticino has 15 official public holidays in 2026, including federal holidays (New Year, 1st August) and cantonal ones (St Joseph, Corpus Christi, Saints Peter and Paul, Assumption, All Saints, Immaculate Conception).
- Do Italian public holidays also apply to those working in Switzerland?
- No, cross-border workers follow the Swiss/Ticino holiday calendar. Italian holidays (April 25th, June 2nd, patron saint's day) are not recognised in Switzerland. Cross-border workers must take annual leave for those days.
- How many vacation days does a cross-border worker have in Switzerland?
- By Swiss law, the minimum is 4 weeks (20 working days) per year for adults and 5 weeks for workers under 20. Many collective labour agreements (CCL) provide 5 weeks after a certain seniority.
- What are the best long weekends for cross-border workers in 2026?
- The most convenient long weekends in 2026 are Easter (Good Friday + Easter Monday), Ascension (Thursday, one bridge day needed), and Corpus Christi (Thursday, one bridge day needed). Check our interactive calendar.