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May Day Holiday notice &a short break

For foreign-invested enterprises investing or setting up factories in China, statutory holidays are not just about time off—they directly impact production scheduling, logistics and customs clearance, capital flow, labor compliance, and wage costs. The May Day holiday, as a key long break in the first half of the year, sees government departments, banks, ports, and factories all adjusting their service hours. Any oversight could lead to delays, contract breaches, or even labor-related risks.

Based on the State Council's official 2026 holiday schedule and China's labor laws and regulations, GOMAX has clearly outlined the holiday dates, overtime pay rules, and key business planning considerations for you.

May Day Holiday Schedule

According to the 2026 holiday schedule issued by the General Office of the State Council, the dates for the Labor Day holiday and the associated make‑up work days are as follows:

Date	Day	Status
May 1	Friday	Make-up Working Day– Closed
May 2	Saturday	Make-up Working Day – Closed
May 3	Sunday	Public Holiday – Closed
May 4	Monday	Public Holiday – Closed
May 5	Tuesday	Public Holiday – Closed

Total days off: May 1 – May 5 (5 days)

May 9 (Sunday) is a regular workday

Overtime pay during holidays

Many foreign-invested enterprises tend to confuse "statutory public holidays" with "make-up working days"—the overtime pay standards for the two are completely different.

Statutory public holiday:
only May 1st (one day), legally protected, with the highest wage standard.
If an employee is required to work on a statutory public holiday, the employer must pay no less than 300% of their daily wage, and this cannot be replaced by compensatory time off.
Make-up rest days:
May 2nd – May 5th (four days), shifted from regular weekends, classified as rest days.
If an employee is scheduled to work on a rest day, compensatory time off should be given as a priority. If such time off cannot be arranged, the employer must pay no less than twice the employee's daily wage.
Make-up workday:
May 9th (Saturday), treated as a normal working day, with no overtime pay.
For normal attendance on a regular working day, wages are paid at the usual daily rate, with no additional subsidy.

Important Notes For Companies

-Production and Logistics Planning in Advance

During the holiday period, domestic logistics, courier services, ports, and customs will see significant slowdowns or complete suspensions.

- Banking and Fund Transactions to Be Handled in Advance

Corporate transfers, cross-border remittances, foreign exchange transactions, and tax payments will be suspended during the holiday.

- Employment and Overtime Compliance

Employees cannot be forced to work on statutory public holidays. If overtime is truly necessary, advance written notice must be given, and records must be kept. Any agreement where employees "voluntarily waive overtime pay" is legally invalid.

-Advance Client Communication

Notify overseas clients and domestic partners in advance of the holiday schedule, including response times and order processing rhythms, to reduce communication misunderstandings.

Best wishes from Expertinchina

Whether you‘re traveling, spending time with family, or taking a quiet moment for yourself —

we wish you a safe, restful, and joyful holiday. May your hard work always be valued. And may spring bring you fresh energy and new opportunities.

Gomax｜Happy May Day

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