What statutory holidays are domestic helpers entitled to in Hong Kong?

Domestic helpers are entitled to all 15 statutory holidays in 2026 and 2027, starting from day one of employment. One of them is the employer’s choice: the Chinese Winter Solstice Festival or Christmas Day. Holiday pay is only required after three months of continuous employment; before that, the day off is still compulsory but may be unpaid.

What statutory holidays are domestic…

Overview

Statutory holidays are the days off the Employment Ordinance entitles every employee to, your helper included. Unlike annual leave (which accrues over time), statutory holidays apply from day one, but there is an important nuance around pay during the first three months of employment.

The statutory holidays in 2026 and 2027

Hong Kong has 15 statutory holidays in each of 2026 and 2027. The Labour Department publishes the exact dates every year; these are the current lists:

Holiday	2026	2027
The first day of January	1 January	1 January
Lunar New Year's Day	17 February	6 February
The second day of Lunar New Year	18 February	n/a (see note)
The third day of Lunar New Year	19 February	8 February
The fourth day of Lunar New Year	n/a	9 February
Easter Monday	6 April	29 March
Ching Ming Festival	5 April	5 April
Labour Day	1 May	1 May
The Birthday of the Buddha	24 May	13 May
Tuen Ng Festival	19 June	9 June
Hong Kong SAR Establishment Day	1 July	1 July
The day following the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival	26 September	16 September
National Day	1 October	1 October
Chung Yeung Festival	18 October	8 October
Chinese Winter Solstice Festival or Christmas Day (at the option of the employer)	22 December or 25 December	22 December or 25 December
The first weekday after Christmas Day	26 December	27 December

In 2027 the second day of Lunar New Year falls on a Sunday, so the fourth day of Lunar New Year (9 February 2027) is designated as the statutory holiday instead. Easter Monday is the newest addition: it became a statutory holiday from 2026 under the Employment (Amendment) Ordinance 2021.

The December choice: Winter Solstice or Christmas Day

One line of the list is an election, and the choice belongs to you as the employer: your helper gets either the Chinese Winter Solstice Festival (22 December in both years) or Christmas Day (25 December) off, not both. The total stays at 15 days; the choice only decides which date one of them falls on. Either way, the first weekday after Christmas Day (26 December 2026, 27 December 2027) is a separate statutory holiday on top of the one you chose.

Decide early and tell her early. If the household has no strong preference, ask her which day she would rather have before locking in December plans. Whichever day is chosen, it works exactly like any other statutory holiday, including the pay rules below.

When a statutory holiday falls on her rest day

A statutory holiday and a rest day are two separate entitlements, and they cannot be combined into a single day off. If a statutory holiday falls on your helper's designated rest day, you must grant the holiday on the next day that is not itself a statutory holiday, an alternative holiday, a substituted holiday, or a rest day. In practice that means she gets both: her rest day as usual, and the statutory holiday on the following day.

This comes up most often for households whose helper takes Sunday as her rest day, which is the most common arrangement in Hong Kong. Some years the law builds the fix in for Sunday rest days: in 2027 the second day of Lunar New Year falls on a Sunday, so the fourth day (9 February 2027) is designated as the statutory holiday instead, and the same built-in substitution applies if the day following the Mid-Autumn Festival falls on a Sunday. But the rule covers every statutory holiday that lands on her rest day, whatever weekday that is. Not every household uses Sunday, so check the year's list against your own helper's actual rest day rather than assuming the published substitutions cover you.

Are Statutory Holidays Paid?

After the first 3 months: Yes, statutory holidays are fully paid. The helper receives their normal day's wage for each statutory holiday.

During the first 3 months: The employer must still grant the day off, but is not required to pay for it. The employer may deduct that day's wages from the monthly salary. The day off itself cannot be refused or converted to a working day.

In short: the entitlement to take the day off exists from day one. The entitlement to be paid for it begins after 3 months of continuous employment.

What If a Helper Works on a Statutory Holiday?

If the employer needs the helper to work on a statutory holiday, the employer must:

Give the helper at least 48 hours' notice in advance
Grant an alternative day off within 60 days (before or after the original date)

Cash payment in lieu of granting the day off is not permitted, even if the helper agrees. An actual day off (either the original holiday or a substitute) is always required by law.

Important Notes

Statutory holidays are separate from annual leave and weekly rest days: they stack, not substitute
The Employment Ordinance sets 15 statutory holidays for 2026 and 2027; helpers are not entitled to general holidays (of which there are more) unless the contract specifically says so
A statutory holiday that falls on the helper's rest day cannot be combined with it: the holiday moves to the next eligible day (see the section above)