Behind a clear holiday list is a precise understanding of the regulations and the cornerstone of building harmonious labour relations. For Hong Kong employers, the 2026 calendar needs to be marked in advance with an important change.
With the gradual implementation of the Employment (Amendment) Ordinance 2021, the number of statutory holidays (commonly known as “labour holidays”) in Hong Kong is being increased in phases. For all enterprises, it is important to accurately understand and differentiate between the different types of holidays.statutory holidays與Public HolidaysIt is the first and foremost task of fulfilling the legal responsibilities and avoiding labour risks.
The year 2026 will see a key adjustment to statutory holidays:Total number of days increased from 14 to 15, with the new holiday being Easter Monday (6 April)。
This means that employers' leave management and payroll systems need to be updated accordingly.
Conceptual Clarification: Statutory Holidays and General Holidays
In Hong Kong, statutory holidays and general holidays are two concepts that are often confused but have completely different legal meanings, and the core difference lies in thatmandatory與Scope of Application。
statutory holidaysThe total number of statutory holidays has been increased to 15 since 1 January 2026, which is protected by the Employment Ordinance and is the minimum holiday entitlement for all employees, commonly known as “labour holidays”. With effect from 1 January 2026, the total number of statutory holidays will be increased to 15 days. Any clause in the employment contract which reduces this entitlement is void.
General holidays, commonly known as “bank holidays”, are provided for under the General Holidays Ordinance and consist of 17 days. This holiday arrangement mainly applies to banks, government organisations and some large corporations.
Employers in lawNo obligationAll general holidays are granted to employees unless expressly provided for in the contract of employment.
To put it simply.Statutory holidays are the bottom line of the law, and general holidays are a common benefit cap that is superior to the law。
2026 Holiday Panorama
To help employers grasp the difference at a glance, the table below compares the specific arrangements for general holidays and statutory holidays in 2026:
| dates | Sunday | Holiday Name | Public Holiday (17 days) | Official holidays (15 days) | Key Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-01 | 四 | 1 January | ✔ | ✔ | |
| 2026-02-17 | 二 | Lunar New Year's Day | ✔ | ✔ | |
| 2026-02-18 | 三 | The second day of the Lunar New Year | ✔ | ✔ | |
| 2026-02-19 | 四 | The third day of the Lunar New Year | ✔ | ✔ | |
| 2026-04-03 | 五 | Good Friday | ✔ | — | Public Holidays only |
| 2026-04-04 | 六 | The day following Good Friday | ✔ | — | Public Holidays only |
| 2026-04-05 | 日 | Qingming or Pure Brightness Festival or Tomb Sweeping Day (in early April) | — | ✔ | Sunday |
| 2026-04-06 | 一 | The day following Ching Ming Festival / Easter Monday | ✔ | ✔ (new) | Supplementary leave + new statutory holidays |
| 2026-04-07 | 二 | The day following Easter Monday | ✔ | — | Additional general holidays |
| 2026-05-01 | 五 | Labour Day | ✔ | ✔ | |
| 2026-05-24 | 日 | Buddha's Birthday | — | ✔ | Sunday |
| 2026-05-25 | 一 | The day following Buddha's Birthday | ✔ | — | Supplementary leave |
| 2026-06-19 | 五 | Dragon Boat Festival (5th day of the 5th lunar month) | ✔ | ✔ | |
| 2026-07-01 | 三 | Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day | ✔ | ✔ | |
| 2026-09-26 | 六 | The day following the Mid-Autumn Festival | ✔ | ✔ | |
| 2026-10-01 | 四 | National Day | ✔ | ✔ | |
| 2026-10-18 | 日 | Chung Yeung Festival | — | ✔ | Sunday |
| 2026-10-19 | 一 | The day following Chung Yeung Festival | ✔ | — | Supplementary leave |
| 2026-12-22 | 二 | winter holidays | — | ✔ (Choose one) | Employers can choose to give winter or Christmas holidays |
| 2026-12-25 | 五 | Christmas | ✔ | ✔ (Choose one) | |
| 2026-12-26 | 六 | First Sunday after Christmas | ✔ | ✔ |
Description of Special Replacement Leave for 2026:
A Government spokesman explained that as the Ching Ming, Buddha's Birthday and Chung Yeung Festivals will all fall on Sundays in 2026, the following day will be designated as a supplementary holiday. Of these, the day following the Ching Ming Festival (6 April) falls on Easter Monday (a public holiday), and therefore the following day will be designated as an additional holiday.Tuesday, 7 April It is designated as an “additional general holiday”. ThisNo effectArrangements for Statutory Holidays Easter Monday, which is a statutory holiday, falls on 6 April.
Key holiday rules employers must know
Not all employees are entitled to be paid for time off on statutory holidays. To be entitled to holiday pay, employees must fulfil the requirements:
- Continuous contract: Employment under the “418” requirement, i.e. working for the same employer for four consecutive weeks or more and for at least 18 hours per week.
- 3 months of employment: 3 months of employment under a continuous contract before the statutory holidays.
The formula for calculating the pay is: Holiday pay = Employee's salary inAverage daily wages for the 12 months before the holidayThe calculation should exclude periods of unpaid wages (e.g. unpaid leave) and the corresponding amounts. Periods of unpaid wages (e.g. unpaid leave) and the corresponding amounts should be excluded from the calculation.
Requirement for employees to work on statutory holidays
Employers may require their employees to work on statutory holidays if operational needs so require.MustArrangements for compensatory leave are made and subject to strict procedures:
- Advance notice: at least48 hours before holidayNotify employees.
- Arranging compensatory time off (no “bought time off” is allowed): This must be done at the end of the day.Within 60 days before or after the scheduled holidayArranging “alternative holidays”.
- Legal red lines:Absolutely not.It is an offence punishable by a fine of up to HK$50,000 to pay additional wages (i.e. “buying leave”) in lieu of granting compensatory leave.
Statutory holidays overlap with rest days
When a statutory holiday (e.g. the Chung Yeung Festival on 18 October in 2026) falls on an employee's rest day (usually a Sunday), employers are required toArranging compensatory leave on the day following a rest day。
The compensatory time off must be a “Non-holiday” working days In other words, it cannot be another statutory holiday, another designated holiday, a substitute holiday or a rest day. This is precisely the reason why “the day following Chung Yeung Festival” (19 October) is included as a substitute holiday in the 2026 list of general holidays published by the Government.
Corporate Compliance Checklist
To ensure a smooth transition to the new holiday arrangements in 2026 and to avoid inadvertent breaches, employers should take the following actions immediately:
- Updating of internal systems: to beEaster Monday (6 April) Formally incorporated into the company's list of official holidays and updated the attendance, payroll calculation and annual calendar systems.
- Review the contract of employment: check the terms of the contract regarding holidays and make it clear that what is provided isOfficial holidays (15 days) orPublic holidays (17 days)The Government's policy is that the Government should not be allowed to use any of the above as a means of reducing the number of employees.
- Training managers: to ensure that department heads and HR colleagues have a clear understanding of48 hours advance notice, 60 days of replacement leaverules, andStrictly prohibit “buying of counterfeits”The legal bottom line.
- Establishment of compliance records: Improvement of leave arrangement records, in particular, when employees work on statutory holidays, their corresponding dates of compensatory leave must be confirmed in writing and properly kept for at least 7 years.
Holiday management is an important part of a company's compliance, and small oversights can lead to serious labour disputes and legal risks. 2026 is the perfect time to review and improve your company's HR system with the increase in statutory holidays.
If you have any questions about leave arrangements, salary calculations or employment contracts, WeCorp's team of professionals is ready to provide you with clear and accurate compliance advice and solutions that will help you focus on growing your business and building strong relationships.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are part-time or temporary workers entitled to statutory holidays?
Yes. As long as an employee meets the definition of "continuous contract" (i.e. being employed by the same employer for 4 consecutive weeks or more and working 18 hours or more per week), he/she is equally entitled to statutory holidays, irrespective of whether he/she is a full-time, part-time or casual employee. Employees who do not meet the "418" requirement are not entitled to paid statutory holidays, but both parties can still reach an agreement on the work arrangement for that day.
Do I need to pay extra wages to my staff if my shop is open for business as usual on a statutory holiday?
It is neither necessary nor permissible. The core principle of Hong Kong's Employment Ordinance is that "compensatory leave is not compensatory". The only compliant way for an employer to arrange for an employee to work on a statutory holiday is to arrange for a "further holiday" to be taken as compensatory leave within the 60-day period as mentioned above. It is unlawful to pay double or additional wages directly in lieu of holiday.