Hong Kong Public Holidays 2027

Public holidays play a crucial role in shaping a company’s culture. These designated days off represent more than just breaks from the regular work routine; they are important in fostering a balanced and inclusive workplace. 

Recognizing and appropriately managing public holidays is an essential part of HR functions, contributing to employee well-being, morale and legal compliance. As we welcome the new year, HR professionals need to keep track of the Hong Kong public holidays 2027, as they affect work schedules, payroll, leave management, and overall business productivity.

This comprehensive 2027 public holidays Hong Kong guide will provide you with important information on Hong Kong’s regular and special public holidays, employee entitlements and managing public holiday pay during these dates. 

How many Hong Kong public holidays 2027?

Understanding Hong Kong public holidays 2027 is essential to conducting business and ensuring proper workforce planning. It is worth noting that 2027 public holidays Hong Kong can vary by state, so do take note of regional variations. 

Here is the list of general 2027 public holidays Hong Kong:

• New Year's Day - 1 January 2027
• Lunar New Year's Day - 6 February 2027
• The third day of Lunar New Year - 8 February 2027
• The fourth day of Lunar New Year - 9 February 2027
• Good Friday - 26 March 2027
• The day following Good Friday (Holy Saturday) - 27 March 2027
• Easter Monday - 29 March 2027
• Ching Ming Festival (Tomb Sweeping Day) - 5 April 2027
• Labour Day - 1 May 2027
• The Birthday of the Buddha - 13 May 2027
• Tuen Ng Festival (Dragon Boat Festival) - 9 June 2027
• Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day - 1 July 2027
• The day following the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival - 16 September 2027
• National Day - 1 October 2027
• Chung Yeung Festival - 8 October 2027
• Christmas Day - 25 December 2027
• The first weekday after Christmas Day (Boxing Day) - 27 December 2027

Download your calendar now!

Navigating Hong Kong Public Holidays 2027 Pay

To ensure compliance with public holiday pay, it’s important to understand the provisions of the Employment Ordinance (Cap. 57). Here’s a breakdown of what you need to know: 

Understanding the difference between statutory holidays and general holidays

Statutory holidays‍

Statutory holidays are the paid holidays every employer must grant to all employees. Under the Employment Ordinance, there are 15 statutory holidays in 2027:

• The first day of January - 1 January
• Lunar New Year's Day - 6 February
• The third day of Lunar New Year - 8 February
• The fourth day of Lunar New Year - 9 February
• Easter Monday - 29 March
• Ching Ming Festival - 5 April
• Labour Day - 1 May
• The Birthday of the Buddha - 13 May
• Tuen Ng Festival - 9 June
• Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day - 1 July
• The day following the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival - 16 September
• National Day - 1 October
• Chung Yeung Festival - 8 October
• Chinese Winter Solstice Festival or Christmas Day (at the option of the employer) - 22 December or 25 December
• The first weekday after Christmas Day - 27 December

Because the second day of Lunar New Year falls on a Sunday in 2027, the fourth day of Lunar New Year (9 February) is a statutory holiday in its place.

All employees are entitled to statutory holidays. Employees who have worked under a continuous contract for at least 3 months also get holiday pay, equal to their average daily wage over the previous 12 months.

General public holidays

‍There are 17 general public holidays in Hong Kong in 2027. Employers are legally required to grant statutory holidays, but not necessarily all general public holidays (refer to the list above).

Eligibility for 2027 public holidays Hong Kong pay

Holiday pay

Employees are entitled to holiday pay for a statutory holiday if they have been employed under a continuous contract for not less than 3 months immediately preceding that holiday. 

Day off

When it comes to days off, employees are entitled to take the statutory holiday as a day off regardless of whether they meet the 3-month service requirement for holiday pay mentioned above.

Working on statutory Hong Kong public holidays 2027

Employers can request employees to work on a statutory holiday, as long as they: 

• Give the employee at least 48 hours’ advance notice.
• Provide the employee with an alternative holiday within 60 days before or after the original statutory holiday.

It’s important to note that for 2027 public holidays Hong Kong, there’s no ‘buying out’ of holidays. Employers generally cannot pay employees to work on a statutory holiday (unless upon termination of the employment contract) instead of giving them a day off. An alternative day off must be provided. 

Determining pay for statutory Hong Kong public holidays 2027

Every employee is entitled to statutory holidays, regardless of length of service. Employees who have worked under a continuous contract for at least 3 months immediately before a statutory holiday are also entitled to holiday pay. Holiday pay must be paid no later than the employee's next payday after the holiday.

The daily rate of holiday pay is the employee's average daily wage over the 12 months before the holiday. If the employee has worked for less than 12 months, the calculation uses the shorter period.

Employees with 12 months of service or more

Example:

• Sarah has been working for X Company for two years. The statutory holiday is Labour Day (1 May 2027).
• Her total earnings in the 12-month period from 1 May 2026 to 30 April 2027 were HKD 240,000 (excluding pay for rest days, holidays and leave).
• She worked a total of 300 days during this period (excluding rest days, holidays and leave).

Average daily wage = total earnings in the past 12 months / number of days worked in the past 12 months

• Sarah's average daily wage = HKD 240,000 / 300 days = HKD 800

Outcome: Sarah's holiday pay for Labour Day will be HKD 800.

Employees with 3 to 12 months of service‍

For employees with less than 12 months of service, the 2027 public holidays Hong Kong pay calculation is based on the shorter period of employment.

Example:

• John started working for X Company on 15 January 2027. The statutory holiday is the Birthday of the Buddha (13 May 2027). John has worked for more than 3 months, so he is entitled to holiday pay.
• His total earnings from 15 January 2027 to 12 May 2027 were HKD 60,000 (excluding pay for rest days, holidays and leave).
• He worked a total of 80 days during this period (excluding rest days, holidays and leave).

Average daily wage = total earnings since joining / number of days worked since joining

• John's average daily wage = HKD 60,000 / 80 days = HKD 750

Outcome: John's holiday pay for the Birthday of the Buddha will be HKD 750.

Omni tip: When calculating 2027 public holidays Hong Kong average daily wages, exclude any period where the employee was not paid their full wages, such as rest days, statutory holidays, annual leave, sick days, maternity or paternity leave, and approved leave. Exclude the pay for those periods from total earnings as well.

What happens when employees work on statutory Hong Kong public holidays 2027?

If you need an employee to work on a statutory holiday, you must arrange an alternative holiday instead:

• Alternative holiday before the statutory holiday: arrange it within 60 days before, and give at least 48 hours' notice before the alternative holiday.
• Alternative holiday after the statutory holiday: arrange it within 60 days after, and give at least 48 hours' notice before the statutory holiday.

If both sides agree, the employee can take a substituted holiday on any day within 30 days before or after the statutory or alternative holiday. Paying the employee instead of granting a holiday is not allowed.

What happens when statutory Hong Kong public holidays 2027 fall on a rest day?

If a statutory holiday falls on a rest day, the employee should be given a holiday on the next day that is not a statutory holiday, alternative holiday, substituted holiday or rest day.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Am I entitled to pay if Hong Kong public holidays 2027 fall on my normal working day?

For statutory holidays, you are entitled to holiday pay if you have worked for at least 3 months before the holiday. 

For general public holidays (not statutory holidays), there is no legal requirement for paid leave unless stipulated in the employment contract.

2. Do I still get a day off if I haven't worked for 3 months?

Yes. Regardless of whether you meet the 3-month service requirement for holiday pay, you are entitled to take a statutory holiday as a day off. The 3-month requirement is only applicable to the calculation of holiday pay for that day.

3. If Hong Kong public holidays 2027 fall on a Sunday, is the following Monday a holiday?

Not automatically. Whether a weekday is granted as a holiday depends on the specific holiday and government updates. For some holidays, a ‘substituted holiday’ on the next weekday is provided. You should refer to the official list of Hong Kong public holidays 2027 for updated information.

4. Are part-time employees entitled to public holiday pay?

Part-time employees who meet the 3-month requirement criteria are entitled to holiday pay for those statutory holidays. They are also entitled to take the statutory holiday as a day off, regardless of the 3-month requirement.

Managing Leave and Public Holiday Pay with Omni

Managing leave and Hong Kong public holidays 2027 is crucial at the workplace. Employers should communicate holiday schedules early, ensuring enough coverage during peak employee absence periods. Clear rules on holiday pay and time-off requests, especially during festive times, contribute to fair time-off management and payroll practices. 

Omni’s time-off management capabilities empower managers and HR teams to swiftly navigate employee leave applications. Our platform allows you to approve leave applications on the go and keep track of who’s in and out of the office with at-a-glance scheduling. 

Our employee self-service portal enables employees to submit their time-off requests, which automatically route to the appropriate manager thanks to customizable approval workflows. Automated calculations offer real-time leave balance visibility without the need for HR intervention.

Check out our employee time-off request form template!

For public holiday entitlements, Omni’s comprehensive payroll solution integrates seamlessly with leave management. Supporting HKD and offering automated public holiday pay, tax calculations, and managed contributions, Omni simplifies payroll processing while ensuring compliance.

Choose Omni to effortlessly manage your Hong Kong public holidays 2027 leave and entitlements, tailored to meet your evolving business needs. Book a demo with our team today to learn more.

Get a copy of your public holiday calendar now!