As is traditional, the holiday schedule features two major week-long holidays: the Spring Festival (also known as Chinese New Year) and National Day. In 2019, the Spring Festival falls between February 4 and 10, and the National Day holiday between October 1 and 7.
Foreign human resource managers should note that Saturdays and Sundays are often marked as additional official work days in China to compensate for long holiday breaks.
For example, in 2019, Saturday, February 2 and Sunday, February 3 are designated as official work days to partially offset the seven days off for the Spring Festival.
Private companies in China, however, have the right to determine their own schedules – that is allow for additional days off – so long as the official holiday calendar is maintained.
China’s official public holiday schedule for 2019
New Year
- December 30, 2018 – January 1, 2019 (3 days in total; Sunday to Tuesday)
- Adjusted Working Day: December 29, 2018 (Saturday)
Spring Festival
- February 4 – 10, 2019 (7 days in total; Monday to Sunday)
- Adjusted Working Days: February 2 and 3, 2019 (Saturday and Sunday)
Tomb Sweeping Day
- April 5 – 7, 2019 (3 days in total; Friday to Sunday)
Labor Day
- May 1, 2019 (Wednesday)
Dragon Boat Festival
- June 7 – 9, 2019 (3 days in total; Friday to Sunday)
Mid-Autumn Festival
- September 13 – 15, 2019 (3 days in total; Friday to Sunday)
National Day
- October 1 – 7, 2019 (7 days in total; Tuesday to Monday)
- Adjusted Working Days: Sunday, September 29 and Saturday, October 12, 2019
