Foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong are entitled to 15 statutory holidays in 2027. Below is every date, the weekday it falls on, and the two things employers most often get wrong: holidays that collide with the weekly rest day, and the gap between statutory holidays and the 17 gazetted general holidays.
The 15 statutory holiday dates in 2027
| Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Jan | Fri | New Year’s Day |
| 6 Feb | Sat | Lunar New Year Day 1 |
| 8 Feb | Mon | Lunar New Year Day 3 |
| 9 Feb | Tue | Lunar New Year Day 4 |
| 29 Mar | Mon | Easter Monday |
| 5 Apr | Mon | Ching Ming Festival |
| 1 May | Sat | Labour Day |
| 13 May | Thu | Buddha’s Birthday |
| 9 Jun | Wed | Tuen Ng Festival |
| 1 Jul | Thu | HKSAR Establishment Day |
| 16 Sep | Thu | Day after Mid-Autumn Festival |
| 1 Oct | Fri | National Day |
| 8 Oct | Fri | Chung Yeung Festival |
| 25 Dec | Sat | Winter Solstice or Christmas Day (employer choice) |
| 27 Dec | Mon | First weekday after Christmas Day |
Holidays that fall on a Sunday in 2027
No statutory holiday falls on a Sunday in 2027, so none of them collide with a helper whose rest day is Sunday. That is unusual, and it means no make-up days are triggered by rest-day overlap this year.
Statutory holidays vs general holidays in 2027
Hong Kong gazettes 17 general holidays — the days banks, schools and government offices close. Employees, including helpers, are entitled to 15 statutory holidays. The lists overlap but are not identical, and granting the wrong one leaves the obligation unmet.
Where the two lists differ in 2027
| Date | Day | Holiday | Statutory (helper) | General (banks etc.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Mar | Fri | Good Friday | — | ✓ |
| 27 Mar | Sat | Day after Good Friday | — | ✓ |
In 2027 the general list includes 2 days your helper is not automatically entitled to. A day off on a general holiday is a courtesy, not a substitute for the statutory day.
Rules that apply to these days
Holiday pay depends on 3 months of continuous employment, working on a holiday requires 48 hours' notice and an alternative day within 60 days, and payment in lieu of a statutory holiday is not permitted. Those rules are the same every year and are set out in Statutory holiday rules for foreign domestic helpers.
This article is for general reference only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. Salary calculations may be inaccurate. Please verify all information against your employment contract, the Employment Ordinance (Cap. 57), and professional advice. See our full Disclaimer.