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Need your product to be manufactured on holidays? It’s possible! But do you know overtime pay rules in China? Workers on duty during legal holidays in China receive double-triple wages if no compensatory leave is provided.
For example: In 2025, China's National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday spans from October 1st to October 8th, totaling 8 days. Workers on duty during legal holidays (October 1st–3rd, 6th) receive triple wages; those on rest days (October 4th–5th, 7th–8th) get double wages if no compensatory leave is provided.
We are experienced sourcing agent in China with deep knowledge of Chinese business culture and will share our knowledge in this article. Let's look at the main points:
Do factory workers in China work fewer hours before holidays?
It’s common to wonder whether factory workers In China finish work early before public holidays. While some offices or government institutions may have a shortened pre-holiday schedule, most factories in China do not reduce working hours the day before a holiday or long weekend. In normal factory operations, production continues as usual to meet delivery deadlines. Pre-holiday, early departure, or a reduced workday is not popular in China.
If a worker wants to leave early, they must typically request personal leave or take a day off. Understanding these labor practices in China helps foreign buyers and supply chain managers plan production schedules and shipping more accurately. If you have any doubt o questions about labor practices in China – we are here to help you.
What holidays last the longest in China? Longest holiday break on China factories.
The Spring Festival holiday usually lasts the longest. It falls between January 21 and February 20. It starts from the Lunar New Year's Eve and lasts for about 7 days, but considering the pre - holiday preparations and post - holiday relaxation, the overall period can extend to around 15 days or even longer in some cases. Many factories in China extend the break to 2–4 weeks (or even longer) because many workers travel back to their hometowns.
What holidays are workers least willing to work on? Three biggest holidays in China
Workers of factories in China are generally least willing to work on major traditional holidays like:
1) Spring Festival (Chinese New Year, January - February),
2) Mid - Autumn Festival (September - October),
3) National Day on October 1st (extended to 7-day public holiday, known as the “Golden Week”, October 1–7).
These holidays hold deep cultural and family - reunion significance, so employees highly value spending time with their families during these periods.
Do some factory employees in China work while others are on vacation, or does the whole factory close?
In most cases, factories in China either fully operate or completely close during public holidays — there are rarely “partial operations.” This means that entire production lines may pause for several days, especially during major holidays like the Spring Festival or National Day Golden Week.
Only a few essential staff (such as maintenance or security workers) might remain on site.
PCB Manufacturing: Some PCB factories adopt staggered holidays. For example, a factory may close from October 1st–4th and 6th (no production), resume operations on the 7th, and handle orders without shipping delays. Another factory might close from October 1st–6th, resuming production and shipping on the 7th.
Do factory workers in China return to work immediately after the holidays, or do some take extra days off?
After major holidays like the Spring Festival or National Day, most factory workers in China are expected to return to work immediately once the official holiday period ends. However, in practice, some employees take additional days off — especially those who travel long distances back to their hometowns.
Factories often face temporary labor shortages during the first few days after holidays, which can slightly delay production restarts! For buyers and supplier management teams, it’s important to account for this when planning production schedules, inspections, and shipping timelines.
How do Chinese customs operate during holidays — are ports like Shanghai Customs open?
Chinese Customs, including major offices such as Shanghai Customs, usually follow a “5+2” work schedule, meaning they provide customs clearance services five weekdays plus limited weekend operations.
Key ports of entry like Pudong Airport and Hongqiao Airport continue to process import and export declarations and inspections every day, even during weekends or holidays.
Additionally, special regulatory zones and bonded logistics areas in China often operate 24/7 to ensure continuous international trade flow and supply chain efficiency.
Understanding this China’sfactory holiday schedule is crucial for buyers and supplier management teams to plan production timelines, quality inspections, and shipping schedules effectively. As your trusted sourcing and supplier management partner in China, we support you every step of the way — from on-site factory audit to logistics coordination and shipment arrangements.
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