Public Holidays in Taiwan for 2019
Offices and embassies usually are closed during the religious and public holidays. It is worth noting that in the Chinese New Year, Taiwan and other parts of Asia celebrate it. A lot of restaurants are closed, and you can expect that.
Taiwan follows the Western and Lunar Calendar, which means some holidays will be the same while some can change each year. Commonly, they change the holiday’s day so it coincides with a Saturday. It is done to make sure that employees stay productive holidays do not ruin work schedules. It can be an issue with language schools.
There are nine holidays in Taiwan, and some of them extend to three days. Hence, there are seven holidays with at least three days, which includes four exceeding three days and nine days for the Lunar New Year.
Businesses Operating During the Public Holiday
Employees are entitled to statutory holidays, and when it falls on a weekend, the next weekday will be substituted to be the rest day.
There are 84 hours of work every week, and a flexible schedule can be arranged with the employee. The arrangement must be a work period of up to 48 hours per week in eight weeks, working at 10 hours each day.
Employees must have one day of rest every seven days. Overtime can be taken if a union or employee allows it. The highest overtime hours each month is 46 hours for men and 32 hours for women. Employees are allowed not to work over three hours of overtime pay each day for men and only two hours for women. There is no consent required if the overtime is needed during an unexpected event. However, the employer should inform the union in not more than 24 hours.
Dates of the Taiwan Public Holiday 2019
| Date | Which Day/s | Holiday | Type |
| 1 January | Tuesday | Republic Day | National |
| 2 – 10 February | Saturday | Chinese New Year Holiday | National |
| 19 February | Tuesday | Lantern Festival | Observance |
| 28 February | Thursday | Peace Memorial Day | National |
| 8 March | Friday | International Women’s Day | Observance |
| 4 April | Thursday | Children’s Day | National |
| 5 April | Friday | Tomb-Sweeping Day | National |
| 1 May | Wednesday | Labor Day | Private Sector |
| 7 June | Friday | Dragon Boat Festival | National |
| 15 June | Saturday | Kuan Kung’s Birthday | Observance |
| 21 June | Friday | June Solstice | Season |
| 13 September | Friday | Mid-Autumn Festival | National |
| 23 September | Monday | September Equinox | Season |
| 7 October | Monday | Double Ninth Day | Observance |
| 10 October | Thursday | National Day | National |
| 25 October | Friday | Taiwan’s Retrocession | Observance |
| 31 October | Thursday | Halloween | National |
| 12 November | Tuesday | Sun Yat-Sen’s Birthday | Observance |
| 22 December | Sunday | December Solstice | Season |
| 25 December | Wednesday | Constitution Day | Observance |
| 25 December | Wednesday | Christmas Day | Observance |
Employee Benefits if You Are Working on a Holiday
Women are given up to eight weeks of statutory maternity leave, and about $3,846. It is low compared to a lot of Asian countries, and it is common for women to take a break from their career, and resume work later.
Employees can have up to 30 days of paid sick leave even if it is non-hospitalization. If they are hospitalized, they can have one year of paid sick leave for two straight years.
Taiwan public holidays are taken seriously and each holiday is unique in its customs and celebrations. Employers must compensate the employee 200% of their salary if they are asked to work on a holiday. If they are unable to give the employee their entitled leave, they must be compensated by 300%.
Doing Business in Taiwan
Taiwan ranks 15 out of 190 countries in the survey for ease of doing business. They score well in construction permits, enforcing contracts, and getting electricity.
Here are some business ideas to do in Taiwan:
Car Business
Auto business is good in Taiwan because of its powerful economy. You can set up an assembling organization, and then turn into wholesale. You will need a lot of capital, but it is a rewarding business to have.
Bike Products
You can start a bike business because there are plenty of openings for this in Taiwan.
These are the reasons why setting up a business in Taiwan is beneficial to investors.
