Use our handy calculator to see how much annual leave and how many statutory holidays you are entitled to! Simply enter your contract start date with your current employer below, and let us know if you’ve taken any leave yet, and we’ll work out the rest!
You can also check out our handy Frequently Asked Questions section below for more information about your leave-related rights!
Frequently Asked Questions: Annual Leave
You are entitled to take annual leave after completing 12 months’ service with the same employer. Your annual leave entitlement starts at seven days, gradually increasing to a maximum of 14 days per year after 9 years’ service with the same employer, as shown in the below graph.
Why not check out our Leave & Holiday Calculator above to get a personalised view of your leave entitlement based on your current contract start date!
Under the law, your leave is earned during the first 12 months to be used in the second year. While your employer may allow you to take leave early, they are not legally required to do so until you have completed your first year of service.
You should consult with your employer to agree on dates. Legally, your employer has the final say but must give you at least 14 days’ notice in writing, unless you both agree to a shorter time.
When you finish or renew a 2-year contract, you are entitled to return to your home country for at least 7 days. Your employer must pay for your round-trip airfare.
If you are entitled to 10 days or less annual leave, you must take them all as rest part; your employer is not allowed to pay you to work those days instead.
However, once you are entitled to 11 or more days’ leave (i.e. at least 6 years’ continuous service), your employer is allowed to pay you for any days exceeding 10, rather than you taking them as rest days – provided that you are in agreement with the arrangement.
Frequently Asked Questions: Statutory Holidays
Currently, there are 17 “general” holidays in Hong Kong, though only 15 of them are classed as “statutory” holidays. Domestic workers are entitled to all statutory holidays only, meaning you are not currently entitled to leave on the other general holidays – Good Friday and Easter Saturday.
There is good new ahead though, as Hong Kong Government plans to increase the number of statutory holidays gradually to match the general holidays by 2030:
| Year | Number of Statutory Holidays |
|---|---|
| 2026 – 2027 | 15 days (Good Friday and Easter Saturday not statutory holidays) |
| 2028 – 2029 | 16 days (Good Friday added as statutory holiday) |
| 2030 onwards | 17 days (Easter Saturday added as statutory holiday) |
The below table shows all the general and statutory holidays for 2026:
| Date | Day | Type | Holiday Name | Leave day for domestic workers? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January | Thu | Statutory | The first day of January | Yes |
| 17 February | Tue | Statutory | Lunar New Year’s Day | Yes |
| 18 February | Wed | Statutory | The second day of Lunar New Year | Yes |
| 19 February | Thu | Statutory | The third day of Lunar New Year | Yes |
| 3 April | Fri | General | Good Friday | No (entitled from 2028 onwards) |
| 4 April | Sat | General | The day following Good Friday | No (entitled from 2030 onwards) |
| 6 April | Mon | Statutory | The day following Ching Ming Festival | Yes |
| 7 April | Tue | Statutory | The day following Easter Monday | Yes |
| 1 May | Fri | Statutory | Labour Day | Yes |
| 25 May | Mon | Statutory | The day following the Birthday of the Buddha | Yes |
| 19 June | Fri | Statutory | Tuen Ng Festival | Yes |
| 1 July | Wed | Statutory | HKSAR Establishment Day | Yes |
| 26 September | Sat | Statutory | The day following Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival | Yes |
| 1 October | Thu | Statutory | National Day | Yes |
| 19 October | Mon | Statutory | The day following Chung Yeung Festival | Yes |
| 25 December | Fri | Statutory | Christmas Day | Yes |
| 26 December | Sat | Statutory | The first weekday after Christmas Day | Yes |
You are entitled to the day off on statutory holidays from the day you start your employment. However, you only receive holiday pay (your normal daily wage) once you have worked for your employer for a period of 3 months.
Your employer must give you at least 48 hours’ notice if they wish you to work on a statutory holiday. They must also give you a substitute day off within 60 days of the holiday (before or after). Employers are not allowed to pay you extra as an alternative to giving you the day off.
If a Statutory Holiday falls on your rest day (commonly Sunday, but agreed between you and your employer), your employer must give you a substitute holiday on the very next working day.