China Extends Public Holidays Starting 2025
China’s State Council has announced an extension of public holidays starting January 1, 2025, adding one extra day each to Spring Festival and Labor Day holidays, reflecting the country’s shift toward balancing work and leisure.
In a significant policy shift, China is expanding its public holiday system by adding two additional days to national holidays starting 2025. This change represents an important step in China’s evolution from a production-focused society to one that better balances work and consumption.
The new holiday schedule introduces several key changes. The Spring Festival holiday will now officially include Chinese New Year’s Eve (除夕), extending to 4 days of statutory leave. The Labor Day holiday will be increased to 2 days (May 1-2). When combined with weekend adjustments, these holidays can create longer break periods - up to 8 days for Spring Festival and 5 days for Labor Day.
This reform addresses multiple economic and social objectives. The extended holidays are expected to stimulate domestic consumption, particularly in tourism and entertainment sectors. During recent holiday periods in 2023-2024, shorter vacation periods have already demonstrated significant positive impacts on local economies through increased travel and leisure spending.
The policy also introduces more rational scheduling of work arrangements. A new provision limits consecutive workdays during holiday adjustments to no more than 6 days, addressing previous concerns about extended work periods. For example, in 2025, New Year’s Day falling on a Wednesday will not require weekend adjustments, allowing for a more natural work rhythm.
The reform has important implications for worker rights and compensation. According to Chinese labor law, employees working during official holidays are entitled to triple pay plus regular wages. This provides both better protection for workers and increased income potential when holiday work is necessary.
For employers and businesses, the changes require careful planning of staffing and operations during holiday periods. The policy emphasizes maintaining essential services while ensuring adequate coverage for security, healthcare, and emergency response during extended breaks.
These holiday extensions reflect China’s broader economic transformation. As the country moves toward a more consumption-driven economy, providing additional leisure time helps stimulate domestic spending while improving work-life balance for its citizens. This measured approach to expanding public holidays aligns with both economic development goals and growing public demand for more balanced lifestyles.
Looking ahead, companies and individuals can now begin planning for these longer breaks, particularly for the extended Spring Festival and Labor Day holidays. The clear scheduling of holidays throughout 2025 provides a framework for both business operations and personal travel planning.