For domestic helpers and employers
- A foreign domestic helper is entitled to rest days and all statutory holidays under the Employment Ordinance and the Standard Employment Contract (FDH FAQ, Q4).
- An employee under a continuous contract gets at least one rest day in every period of 7 days (Concise Guide, Chapter 4). With a Sunday rest day, no 2027 statutory holiday clashes, so the 15 days are extra days off.
- Working on a statutory holiday needs at least 48 hours' notice and an alternative holiday within 60 days before or after it. Three days worked over Lunar New Year mean three alternative holidays, together or separately (FDH FAQ, Q33).
- Paying extra instead of giving the holiday is not allowed (FDH FAQ, Q33).
General holidays and statutory holidays
Hong Kong has 17 general holidays and 15 statutory holidays in 2027. Good Friday (26 March) and the day following Good Friday (27 March) are general holidays but not statutory holidays; the employer chooses either Chinese Winter Solstice Festival (22 December) or Christmas Day (25 December) as the statutory holiday. For the whole year on a calendar with both kinds of holiday, see the Hong Kong Calendar 2027.
When a statutory holiday falls on a rest day
The employer must give the holiday on the day after the rest day; if that day is a statutory holiday, an alternative holiday, a substituted holiday or a rest day, the holiday moves on to the first day that is none of these (Concise Guide, Chapter 4). The Labour Department's own example: for an employee whose rest day is Sunday, Chung Yeung Festival 2026 (18 October, a Sunday) is taken on 19 October.
Working on a statutory holiday
- Alternative holiday: within 60 days before or after the statutory holiday, with at least 48 hours' notice.
- Substituted holiday: if employer and employee agree, any day within 30 days before or after the statutory or alternative holiday.
- No payment in lieu: an employer who fails to grant a statutory holiday or holiday pay without reasonable excuse is liable to a fine of $50,000 (Concise Guide, Chapter 4).
Holiday pay
An employee employed under a continuous contract for 3 months immediately before a statutory holiday is paid for it: the average daily wage earned in the 12 months before the holiday (or the shorter period employed). It is paid no later than the first pay day after the holiday (Concise Guide, Chapter 4).
From 15 to 17 statutory holidays
Paid annual leave
After every 12 months under a continuous contract an employee gets paid annual leave: 7 days for each of the first 2 years, then one more day a year up to 14 days from the ninth year. The employer sets the dates after consulting the employee and gives at least 14 days' written notice (Concise Guide, Chapter 4).
Frequently asked questions
How many statutory holidays are there in Hong Kong in 2027?
15. The Labour Department lists: 1 January, Lunar New Year's Day, the third and fourth days of Lunar New Year, Easter Monday, Ching Ming Festival, Labour Day, the Birthday of the Buddha, Tuen Ng Festival, HKSAR Establishment Day, the day following Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival, National Day, Chung Yeung Festival, Chinese Winter Solstice Festival or Christmas Day (at the employer's option) and the first weekday after Christmas Day.
Do domestic helpers get statutory holidays?
Yes. Under the Employment Ordinance and the Standard Employment Contract, a foreign domestic helper is entitled to rest days and statutory holidays like any other employee (Labour Department FDH FAQ, Q4).
My rest day is Sunday. Does any 2027 statutory holiday fall on it?
No. None of the 15 statutory holidays of 2027 falls on a Sunday: the second day of Lunar New Year (7 February) is a Sunday, so the fourth day (9 February) is the statutory holiday instead. A helper whose rest day is Sunday gets all 15 days on top of the weekly rest days.
What happens if a statutory holiday falls on my rest day?
The holiday moves to the next day that is not a statutory holiday, an alternative or substituted holiday or a rest day (Concise Guide to the Employment Ordinance, Chapter 4). The calculator above lists that day for each holiday.
Can my employer pay me instead of giving me a statutory holiday?
No. The Employment Ordinance prohibits payment in lieu of a statutory holiday (the so-called "buy-out of holidays"). An employer who needs a helper to work on a statutory holiday must give at least 48 hours' notice and arrange an alternative holiday within 60 days before or after it (FDH FAQ, Q33); failing to grant a holiday without reasonable excuse can lead to a fine of up to $50,000.
Is a statutory holiday paid?
Yes, once the employee has been employed under a continuous contract for 3 months immediately before the holiday. Holiday pay is the average daily wage of the 12 months before the holiday, paid no later than the next pay day.
What is the difference between general holidays and statutory holidays?
General holidays (17 days in 2027, often called bank holidays) are the days banks, schools and government offices close. Statutory holidays (15 days) are the days every employee is entitled to under the Employment Ordinance. In 2027 Good Friday and the day following Good Friday are general holidays but not statutory holidays, and the employer chooses either Winter Solstice or Christmas Day.
Sources
- Labour Department: Statutory Holidays for 2027
- Labour Department: Concise Guide to the Employment Ordinance, Chapter 4 (rest days, holidays and annual leave)
- Labour Department: Foreign Domestic Helpers, Frequently Asked Questions
- Hong Kong e-Legislation: Employment Ordinance (Cap. 57)
中文版：2027 勞工假期（法定假日）