China Publishes Full List of Public Holidays Workers Must Be Given Rest

• China's Labour Law formally sets out five categories of official public holidays that all employers across the country are legally obligated to observe
• Article 40 of the Labour Law places the obligation directly on employing units to grant leave during designated festivals
• The fifth holiday category allows the government to expand the list further through additional legislation or administrative rules

China has published the full list of official public holidays under which employers are legally required to give workers time off, with the country's Labour Law placing the obligation firmly on businesses rather than individual employees.

Article 40 of China's Labour Law establishes the framework, using mandatory language that leaves no room for discretion. Employing units "shall" arrange leave during the prescribed holidays, meaning compliance applies universally across industries and business sizes.

China's five official holiday categories

The law identifies five categories of public holidays that must be observed:

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1. New Year's Day 2. The Spring Festival 3. International Labour Day 4. National Day 5. Other holidays provided by laws, rules and regulations

The fifth category is notably open-ended. It allows the government to add further rest periods through supplementary legislation or administrative rules, meaning the published list can be extended over time and is not considered final.

What each Chinese holiday represents

The Spring Festival, which marks the Lunar New Year, is widely regarded as the most culturally significant of the five and typically carries the longest associated break.

National Day, observed in October, marks the founding of the People's Republic of China and falls within an extended rest period commonly referred to as Golden Week.

International Labour Day, held on 1 May, is a public holiday shared by numerous countries and carries historical significance tied to workers' rights globally. New Year's Day, observed on 1 January, aligns with the international calendar.

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Duration determined separately

While the law establishes which holidays must be observed, the precise number of days attached to each festival is not fixed within Article 40 itself.

The specific duration of each holiday is determined separately by State Council regulations and may be adjusted from year to year, meaning both employers and workers should monitor annual announcements for any changes to the total number of rest days allocated to each occasion.

The legal structure reflects China's broader approach to labour protections, with statutory obligations set at the national level and administrative bodies retaining flexibility to refine implementation details as circumstances require.

China opens 20 jobs categories to foreigners

Earlier, YEN.com.gh wrote about China’s decision to open more than 20 job categories to foreign workers and Chinese nationals, spanning technical, professional and service sectors.

The policy could create new opportunities for qualified African professionals as China seeks global talent amid skills shortages and demographic pressures.

Source: YEN.com.gh