{"id":6370,"date":"2025-12-26T15:55:21","date_gmt":"2025-12-26T07:55:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wecorphk.com\/?p=6370"},"modified":"2025-12-26T16:25:01","modified_gmt":"2025-12-26T08:25:01","slug":"2026-labour-holidays-hk-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wecorphk.com\/en\/2026-labour-holidays-hk-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"[2026 Employers' Must-Have] Latest Statutory Holiday Schedule! Labour Holidays and General Holidays in one article!"},"content":{"rendered":"
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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.<\/p>

With the gradual implementation of the Employment (Amendment) Ordinance 2021, the number of statutory holidays (commonly known as \u201clabour holidays\u201d) 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<\/strong>\u8207Public Holidays<\/strong>It is the first and foremost task of fulfilling the legal responsibilities and avoiding labour risks.<\/p>

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)<\/strong>\u3002<\/p>

This means that employers' leave management and payroll systems need to be updated accordingly.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Conceptual Clarification: Statutory Holidays and General Holidays<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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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<\/strong>\u8207Scope of Application<\/strong>\u3002<\/p>

statutory holidays<\/strong>The 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 \u201clabour holidays\u201d. 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.<\/p>

General holidays, commonly known as \u201cbank holidays\u201d, 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.<\/p>

Employers in lawNo obligation<\/strong>All general holidays are granted to employees unless expressly provided for in the contract of employment.<\/p>

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<\/strong>\u3002<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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2026 Holiday Panorama\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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To help employers grasp the difference at a glance, the table below compares the specific arrangements for general holidays and statutory holidays in 2026:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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dates<\/th>\nSunday<\/th>\nHoliday Name<\/th>\nPublic Holiday (17 days)<\/th>\nOfficial holidays (15 days)<\/th>\nKey Notes<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
2026-01-01<\/strong><\/td>\n\u56db<\/td>\n1 January<\/td>\n\u2714<\/td>\n\u2714<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2026-02-17<\/strong><\/td>\n\u4e8c<\/td>\nLunar New Year's Day<\/td>\n\u2714<\/td>\n\u2714<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2026-02-18<\/strong><\/td>\n\u4e09<\/td>\nThe second day of the Lunar New Year<\/td>\n\u2714<\/td>\n\u2714<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2026-02-19<\/strong><\/td>\n\u56db<\/td>\nThe third day of the Lunar New Year<\/td>\n\u2714<\/td>\n\u2714<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2026-04-03<\/strong><\/td>\n\u4e94<\/td>\nGood Friday<\/td>\n\u2714<\/td>\n\u2014<\/td>\nPublic Holidays only<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2026-04-04<\/strong><\/td>\n\u516d<\/td>\nThe day following Good Friday<\/td>\n\u2714<\/td>\n\u2014<\/td>\nPublic Holidays only<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2026-04-05<\/strong><\/td>\n\u65e5<\/td>\nQingming or Pure Brightness Festival or Tomb Sweeping Day (in early April)<\/strong><\/td>\n\u2014<\/td>\n\u2714<\/td>\nSunday<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2026-04-06<\/strong><\/td>\n\u4e00<\/td>\nThe day following Ching Ming Festival \/ Easter Monday<\/strong><\/td>\n\u2714<\/td>\n\u2714\u00a0(new)<\/strong><\/td>\nSupplementary leave + new statutory holidays<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2026-04-07<\/strong><\/td>\n\u4e8c<\/td>\nThe day following Easter Monday<\/td>\n\u2714<\/td>\n\u2014<\/td>\nAdditional general holidays<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2026-05-01<\/strong><\/td>\n\u4e94<\/td>\nLabour Day<\/td>\n\u2714<\/td>\n\u2714<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2026-05-24<\/strong><\/td>\n\u65e5<\/td>\nBuddha's Birthday<\/strong><\/td>\n\u2014<\/td>\n\u2714<\/td>\nSunday<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2026-05-25<\/strong><\/td>\n\u4e00<\/td>\nThe day following Buddha's Birthday<\/td>\n\u2714<\/td>\n\u2014<\/td>\nSupplementary leave<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2026-06-19<\/strong><\/td>\n\u4e94<\/td>\nDragon Boat Festival (5th day of the 5th lunar month)<\/td>\n\u2714<\/td>\n\u2714<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2026-07-01<\/strong><\/td>\n\u4e09<\/td>\nHong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day<\/td>\n\u2714<\/td>\n\u2714<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2026-09-26<\/strong><\/td>\n\u516d<\/td>\nThe day following the Mid-Autumn Festival<\/td>\n\u2714<\/td>\n\u2714<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2026-10-01<\/strong><\/td>\n\u56db<\/td>\nNational Day<\/td>\n\u2714<\/td>\n\u2714<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2026-10-18<\/strong><\/td>\n\u65e5<\/td>\nChung Yeung Festival<\/strong><\/td>\n\u2014<\/td>\n\u2714<\/td>\nSunday<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2026-10-19<\/strong><\/td>\n\u4e00<\/td>\nThe day following Chung Yeung Festival<\/td>\n\u2714<\/td>\n\u2014<\/td>\nSupplementary leave<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2026-12-22<\/strong><\/td>\n\u4e8c<\/td>\nwinter holidays<\/td>\n\u2014<\/td>\n\u2714 (Choose one)<\/td>\nEmployers can choose to give winter or Christmas holidays<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2026-12-25<\/strong><\/td>\n\u4e94<\/td>\nChristmas<\/td>\n\u2714<\/td>\n\u2714 (Choose one)<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2026-12-26<\/strong><\/td>\n\u516d<\/td>\nFirst Sunday after Christmas<\/td>\n\u2714<\/td>\n\u2714<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Description of Special Replacement Leave for 2026:<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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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<\/strong> It is designated as an \u201cadditional general holiday\u201d. ThisNo effect<\/strong>Arrangements for Statutory Holidays Easter Monday, which is a statutory holiday, falls on 6 April.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Key holiday rules employers must know<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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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:<\/p>