Hong Kong Public Holiday 2019

Public Holidays in Hong Kong for 2019

The Hong Kong public holidays are a mixture of the usual Chinese festivals, Western holidays, and local festivities.

The most extended holiday in Hong Kong is the Chinese New Year, while workers can enjoy at least three straight days off during early February. It is combined with the usual weekends off, and a lot of workers also receive four consecutive days off at Easter Weekend. The months that do not have public holidays are August, November, and December.

During official holidays, Hong Kong private companies can determine their schedules and give extra holidays.

There are about 17 public holidays in Hong Kong every year. That is why when you are going to Hong Kong or plan to set up a business, you must know when the holidays are. These holidays are legal, which is why schools, banks, libraries, and government offices will be closed.

 

Businesses Operating in Hong Kong During Holidays

Based on the Hong Kong laws, if a public holiday happens to be a Sunday, the following weekday will be the public holiday. In case any day of the Chinese New Year is a Sunday, the fourth day of the Lunar New Year will be designated as the statutory and substitution for the general holiday.

If the employee works under a contract for three months non-stop, the employee is entitled to holiday pay. It is the daily wage they earn during the 12 months before the holiday.

Employers may give a day off to their employees on the Chinese Winter Solstice rather than Christmas day, which is allowed.

 

Dates of the Hong Kong Public Holiday 2019

Date	Which Day/s	Holiday	Type
1 January	Tuesday	New Year’s Day	National
5 – 7 February	Tuesday	Chinese New Year	Observance
21 March	Tuesday	March Equinox	Season
5 April	Friday	Tomb Sweeping Day	National
19 April	Friday	Good Friday	National
21 April	Sunday	Easter	Observance
1 May	Wednesday	Labor Day	Bank Holiday
9 May	Thursday	Royal Ploughing Ceremony Day	National
13 May	Monday	The Day After Buddha’s Birthday	National
7 June	Friday	Dragon Boat Festival	National
21 June	Friday	June Solstice	Season
1 July	Monday	Hong Kong SAR Establishment Day	Season
13 September	Friday	Mid-Autumn Festival	Observance
14 September	Saturday	The Day After the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival	National
23 September	Monday	September Equinox	Season
1 October	Tuesday	National Day	National
7 October	Monday	Chung Yeung Festival	National
22 December	Sunday	December Solstice	Season
25 December	Sunday	Christmas Day	Season
26 December	Thursday	Boxing Day	National
31 December	Tuesday	New Year’s Eve	Observance

 

Employee Benefits During Holidays

Employees are entitled to holiday pay for the statutory holiday, and it is calculated based on their average daily wage that earned over the 12 months before the holiday.

A female employee is entitled to 10-week maternity leave with pay, and the male employees can have five days paid paternity leave if they meet the criteria.

There is also a continuous employee accrue, which is a “sickness allowance” for up to 120 days.

 

Doing Business in Hong Kong

Hong Kong is autonomous from China, and it is quick for foreign companies to discover that they have their own rules when it comes to doing business here. Hong Kong has a very healthy economy, and it is an excellent place for doing business. Here are some business ideas for you:

Online Tutoring

In Hong Kong, there are a lot of students who would pay for video-recorded classes by tutorial schools. Education does not necessarily have to be done in person anymore. You can teach any subject online now.

Fitness Boot Camp

Everyone wants to live healthily, and the fitness industry is a booming industry in Hong Kong. Even if it seems dull to get a gym membership, many people will pay money for their wellbeing. Therefore, you must think of opening a business like this.

You now know why setting up a business in Hong Kong is an excellent idea.