Statutory Holiday Pay (HK)
Updated November 2026 · Free · No sign-up
Calculate HK statutory holiday pay — the Employment Ordinance’s holidays (14 from 2024, stepping to 17 by 2030), paid at ADW after 3 months’ service, with the substitution and no-pay-in-lieu rules.
Quick answer: HK statutory holidays: 14 days currently, adding one every two years to 17 by 2030 (15 in 2026 — verify the schedule). Pay: 1 × ADW per holiday after 3 months’ service. Working it → a substituted holiday within 60 days — cash instead of the day is unlawful.
The Rules
| The days | 14 statutory holidays (2024+): the traditional set + the post-2021 additions; +1 every two years → 17 by 2030 (Christmas Day, Easter days joining the statutory list progressively) |
| Qualifier | 3 months’ continuous service → holiday PAY; the day off itself is universal |
| Rate | 1 × ADW (the 713 average) |
| Working it | A substituted holiday within 60 days (48-hour notice) — the day is compulsory; paying cash in lieu is an offence |
| "Bank holidays" | The GENERAL holidays list (17, incl. Sundays logic) binds banks/schools/government — private employment follows the STATUTORY list unless contracts adopt the general one |
Worked Examples
Example 1. $1,000 ADW, Lunar New Year’s three statutory days off: $3,000 of paid holidays.
Example 2 — working National Day. Normal pay for the shift + a substituted paid holiday within 60 days — NOT extra wages; HK’s scheme trades days, not premiums (contracts may add premiums).
Example 3 — the statutory-vs-general gap. An office on "general holidays" (17) gives more days than the statutory floor — until 2030 closes the gap entirely; check which list your contract names.
Compliance Notes
Underpaying or denying statutory holidays is criminally prosecutable (fines per offence); the 3-month qualifier only gates the PAY, not the day. The expansion schedule (one new statutory day every even year to 2030) means payroll calendars need annual updates — and so do rostering budgets in retail/F&B. Pay basis: the 713 ADW.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many statutory holidays in Hong Kong?
14 currently, adding one every two years to reach 17 by 2030 — aligning the statutory list with the general-holidays list.
What if I work a statutory holiday?
You must receive a substituted paid holiday within 60 days (with notice) — cash in lieu of the day is unlawful; premium rates are contractual extras.
Who qualifies for holiday pay?
Three months’ continuous service under a continuous contract — the day off applies regardless; only the pay has the qualifier.
What’s the difference between statutory and general holidays?
General holidays (banks/schools/government, 17 days) vs the statutory employment floor (14, converging to 17 by 2030) — your contract says which list you’re on.
What rate is holiday pay?
One day’s ADW per holiday — the 12-month 713 average, commissions included.
✓ Formula verified • Last updated: November 3, 2026