Hong Kong currently celebrates 17 holidays. Of these 17 dates, 12 are considered statutory holidays. The government of Hong Kong requires that employers provide employees with a paid day off for all statutory holidays; employers can require employees to work on the remaining five holidays as part of their employment contract.
Holidays are regulated under the General Holidays Ordinance, Chapter 149 – placed in the Gazette 1998. This law also provides citizens with the option of selecting Christmas as one of their12 paid holidays in lieu of a different holiday. This arrangement must be made with the employer at the time of signing an employment contract.
Many of the holidays that are celebrated in Hong Kong are based on the lunar cycle. These holidays will fall on different dates each year. The government of Hong Kong requires that all employers acknowledge these dates, regardless of when they occur. The government of Hong Kong will release official holiday dates at the end of each year for the following year.
Sunday is the only day in Hong Kong considered a rest day. Most holidays that occur on a Sunday are moved to the following Monday for celebration. However, Lunar New Year always remains on the date that it occurs.