{"id":27861,"date":"2026-05-07T21:56:39","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T13:56:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/?p=27861"},"modified":"2026-05-07T21:56:42","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T13:56:42","slug":"china-makeup-workday-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/china-makeup-workday-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"China Makeup Workday System Complete Guide for Expats"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Picture this. A <a target=\"_blank\" class=\"inside_link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/tag\/foreign\/\" title=\"View all posts in foreign\" >foreign<\/a> employee in China gets a message from HR on a Tuesday afternoon. The subject line: \u201cNotice \u2013 Mandatory Work This Saturday.\u201d No explanation. No apology. Just a calendar change. The employee\u2019s first thought: \u201cWhy would anyone work on a weekend?\u201d A <a target=\"_blank\" class=\"inside_link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/tag\/chinese\/\" title=\"View all posts in Chinese\" >Chinese<\/a> colleague later explains: \u201cIt\u2019s for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/holiday-in-china\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/holiday-in-china\/\">holiday<\/a>. The government moved that Saturday to make a longer break.\u201d Welcome to tiaoxiu \u2013 China\u2019s makeup workday system. This guide explains how the system works, the 2026 holiday schedule, legal pay rules, why China does this, and practical tips for expats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"612\" height=\"408\" src=\"https:\/\/media.hiredchina.com\/2026\/05\/20260507134222488.png?imageView2\/0\/format\/webp\/q\/75\" alt=\"china makeup workday\" class=\"wp-image-27863\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.hiredchina.com\/2026\/05\/20260507134222488.png 612w, https:\/\/media.hiredchina.com\/2026\/05\/20260507134222488-440x293.png 440w, https:\/\/media.hiredchina.com\/2026\/05\/20260507134222488-220x147.png 220w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 612px) 100vw, 612px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_73 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/china-makeup-workday-guide\/#What_Is_Tiaoxiu_%E2%80%93_The_China_Makeup_Workday_System\" title=\"What Is Tiaoxiu \u2013 The China Makeup Workday System\">What Is Tiaoxiu \u2013 The China Makeup Workday System<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/china-makeup-workday-guide\/#2026_China_Public_Holiday_Schedule_and_Makeup_Days\" title=\"2026 China Public Holiday Schedule and Makeup Days\">2026 China Public Holiday Schedule and Makeup Days<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/china-makeup-workday-guide\/#Holiday_Pay_Rules_%E2%80%93_Statutory_vs_Adjusted_Rest_Days\" title=\"Holiday Pay Rules \u2013 Statutory vs Adjusted Rest Days\">Holiday Pay Rules \u2013 Statutory vs Adjusted Rest Days<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/china-makeup-workday-guide\/#Makeup_Days_Are_Regular_Workdays_for_Payroll\" title=\"Makeup Days Are Regular Workdays for Payroll\">Makeup Days Are Regular Workdays for Payroll<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/china-makeup-workday-guide\/#Three_Salary_Tiers_to_Remember\" title=\"Three Salary Tiers to Remember\">Three Salary Tiers to Remember<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/china-makeup-workday-guide\/#Why_Does_China_Use_Makeup_Workdays\" title=\"Why Does China Use Makeup Workdays\">Why Does China Use Makeup Workdays<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/china-makeup-workday-guide\/#Practical_Tips_for_Expats_Navigating_Makeup_Days\" title=\"Practical Tips for Expats Navigating Makeup Days\">Practical Tips for Expats Navigating Makeup Days<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/china-makeup-workday-guide\/#Recent_2026_Makeup_Workday_Trends\" title=\"Recent 2026 Makeup Workday Trends\">Recent 2026 Makeup Workday Trends<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/china-makeup-workday-guide\/#Conclusion\" title=\"Conclusion\">Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_Tiaoxiu_%E2%80%93_The_China_Makeup_Workday_System\"><\/span>What Is Tiaoxiu \u2013 The China Makeup Workday System<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Tiaoxiu literally means \u201cadjust rest.\u201d The government moves weekend days into the workweek. The goal? Connect a public holiday with nearby weekends. The result? A longer break \u2013 three days, five days, sometimes even seven or nine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The system started in 1999, right after the Asian financial crisis. The economy needed a push. Domestic <a target=\"_blank\" class=\"inside_link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/tag\/travel\/\" title=\"View all posts in travel\" >travel<\/a> and spending were weak. So the State Council cooked up a plan: borrow a Saturday here, lend a Thursday there, and boom \u2013 a \u201cGolden Week\u201d appears. Total days off stay the same. The calendar just gets rearranged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s how it works in practice. Suppose a statutory holiday falls on a Tuesday. The government declares the previous Saturday a regular workday. That borrowed Saturday turns a one\u2011day holiday into a four\u2011day weekend. No extra time off is created. But the rest is packed together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Example: <\/strong><a target=\"_blank\" class=\"inside_link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/tag\/spring-festival\/\" title=\"View all posts in Spring Festival\" >Spring Festival<\/a> 2026 runs from February 15 to February 23 \u2013 nine days. To make that happen, Saturday, February 14, and Saturday, February 28, become workdays. Employees work two Saturdays. In return, they get a long, continuous holiday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The logic is simple. No free days. Just reshuffling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2026_China_Public_Holiday_Schedule_and_Makeup_Days\"><\/span>2026 China Public Holiday Schedule and Makeup Days<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The State Council usually announces next year\u2019s calendar in late November or early December. For 2026, the announcement came on November 4, 2025. Here is the breakdown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Sunday, September 20, Saturday, October 10<\/th><th>Holiday Dates<\/th><th>Days Off<\/th><th>Makeup Workdays<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>New Year&#8217;s Day<\/td><td>January 1 (Thu) to January 3 (Sat)<\/td><td>3<\/td><td>Sunday January 4<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Spring Festival (Lunar New Year)<\/td><td>February 15 (Sun) to February 23 (Mon)<\/td><td>9<\/td><td>Saturday February 14, Saturday February 28<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Qingming Festival (Tomb Sweeping Day)<\/td><td>April 4 (Sat) to April 6 (Mon)<\/td><td>3<\/td><td>None<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Labor Day<\/td><td>May 1 (Fri) to May 5 (Tue)<\/td><td>5<\/td><td>Saturday May 9<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a target=\"_blank\" class=\"inside_link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/tag\/dragon-boat-festival\/\" title=\"View all posts in Dragon Boat Festival\" >Dragon Boat Festival<\/a><\/td><td>June 19 (Fri) to June 21 (Sun)<\/td><td>3<\/td><td>None<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Mid-Autumn Festival<\/td><td>September 25 (Fri) to September 27 (Sun)<\/td><td>3<\/td><td>None<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>National Day<\/td><td>October 1 (Thu) to October 7 (Wed)<\/td><td>7<\/td><td>Sunday September 20, Saturday October 10<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>A few things stand out. Qingming, Dragon Boat, and Mid-Autumn all fall on weekends in 2026. That means no makeup days for those holidays \u2013 a small win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"612\" height=\"419\" src=\"https:\/\/media.hiredchina.com\/2026\/05\/20260507134803220.png?imageView2\/0\/format\/webp\/q\/75\" alt=\"work day after festival\" class=\"wp-image-27864\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.hiredchina.com\/2026\/05\/20260507134803220.png 612w, https:\/\/media.hiredchina.com\/2026\/05\/20260507134803220-438x300.png 438w, https:\/\/media.hiredchina.com\/2026\/05\/20260507134803220-220x150.png 220w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 612px) 100vw, 612px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Spring Festival needs two makeup Saturdays. One before, one after. Labor Day needs one Saturday after the break. National Day needs two makeup days \u2013 a Sunday before and a Saturday after.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Notice something else. Mid-Autumn and National Day are close in 2026, but the government kept them separate. No combined break. This has confused a lot of expats. But at least the total number of makeup days is not extreme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For official announcements, check&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gov.cn\/\">http:\/\/www.gov.cn<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Holiday_Pay_Rules_%E2%80%93_Statutory_vs_Adjusted_Rest_Days\"><\/span>Holiday Pay Rules \u2013 Statutory vs Adjusted Rest Days<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Here is where money enters the conversation. The rules are different for real public holidays versus borrowed weekend workdays. The legal basis is Article 44 of China\u2019s Labor Law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Statutory holidays<\/strong>\u00a0are fixed by law. In 2026, these include the first three days of Spring Festival (February 15\u201317), Labor Day (May 1), and National Day (October 1\u20133). If an employer asks someone to work on these days, the employee must receive\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" class=\"inside_link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/tag\/30\/\" title=\"View all posts in 30\">30<\/a>0% of their normal pay. No exceptions. No, \u201cwe\u2019ll give you another day off instead.\u201d The premium is mandatory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Makeup workdays<\/strong>&nbsp;are different. Take February 14, 2026 \u2013 a Saturday that has been converted into a regular workday. Showing up that day does not trigger overtime pay. It is treated like any normal Tuesday. However, if the employee works more than eight hours on that day, the extra hours qualify for overtime at 150% (for extra hours on a weekday) or 200% (if the extra hours fall on an actual weekend day that has not been borrowed).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many expats think: \u201cSaturday work = double pay.\u201d Wrong. Only when that Saturday is a genuine rest day, not a designated makeup day. English <a target=\"_blank\" class=\"inside_link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/tag\/translation\/\" title=\"View all posts in translation\">translation<\/a>s of the Labor Law can be found at&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ilo.org\/\">https:\/\/www.ilo.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Makeup_Days_Are_Regular_Workdays_for_Payroll\"><\/span>Makeup Days Are Regular Workdays for Payroll<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s say it again. A makeup workday is&nbsp;<strong>not<\/strong>&nbsp;a rest day for payroll. It is a normal workday that happens to fall on a weekend. The company owes no extra money just because the calendar says \u201cSaturday.\u201d Overtime rules only kick in after eight hours of work on that day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Three_Salary_Tiers_to_Remember\"><\/span>Three Salary Tiers to Remember<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Think of it as three buckets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Bucket one \u2013 statutory holidays.<\/strong>&nbsp;300% pay. No <a target=\"_blank\" class=\"inside_link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/tag\/trade\/\" title=\"View all posts in trade\">trade<\/a>\u2011off for time off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Bucket two \u2013 actual rest day overtime.<\/strong>&nbsp;If an employee works on a real Saturday or Sunday that has not been turned into a workday, and the employer does not give compensatory leave later, the rate is 200%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Bucket three \u2013 regular workdays (including makeup days).<\/strong>&nbsp;Normal pay. Only excess hours beyond the standard eight count as overtime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Does_China_Use_Makeup_Workdays\"><\/span>Why Does China Use Makeup Workdays<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Three reasons. They actually make sense once you step back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Reason one: distance.<\/strong>&nbsp;China has a huge internal migrant workforce. Millions of people work in coastal cities while their families live far inland. For many, a one\u2011day holiday is useless. Travel time alone can eat up a whole day. The only way to go home, see family, and come back is to have a continuous break of at least five to seven days. The makeup workday system creates those long breaks without adding extra days off to the calendar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Reason two: spending.<\/strong>&nbsp;The system was born in 1999 after the Asian financial crisis. The government wanted people to travel and spend money. \u201cGolden Weeks\u201d \u2013 seven\u2011day holidays made by borrowing weekends \u2013 turned into huge consumption events. Hotels, restaurants, trains, planes, tourist sites \u2013 all got a boost. And the cost to employers? Zero extra paid days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Reason three: limited total vacation.<\/strong>&nbsp;China\u2019s public holidays add up to 11 days per year. That is similar to the US (10 days) and many European countries (9\u201312 days). But annual leave is much smaller. Employees with less than one year of service get zero. Those with one to ten years get only five days. That puts China near the bottom for total days off. The makeup system is a way to give longer breaks within a very tight time\u2011off budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Does everyone love it? No. Complaints explode online every time the schedule comes out. But most people accept it as a fixed rule. A 2025 policy change added two new public holidays (now 13 total) and introduced a limit: consecutive workdays before or after a holiday should not exceed six days. It is a small improvement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"612\" height=\"349\" src=\"https:\/\/media.hiredchina.com\/2026\/05\/20260507134950502.png?imageView2\/0\/format\/webp\/q\/75\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-27865\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.hiredchina.com\/2026\/05\/20260507134950502.png 612w, https:\/\/media.hiredchina.com\/2026\/05\/20260507134950502-440x251.png 440w, https:\/\/media.hiredchina.com\/2026\/05\/20260507134950502-220x125.png 220w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 612px) 100vw, 612px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Practical_Tips_for_Expats_Navigating_Makeup_Days\"><\/span>Practical Tips for Expats Navigating Makeup Days<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A few simple habits make the system much less painful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>First, put the official holiday calendar into your phone.<\/strong>&nbsp;Do it at the beginning of the year. Mark every makeup workday with an alert one week in advance. This prevents the classic \u201cshowing up late on a Saturday when everyone else is already at their desks.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Second, plan travel carefully.<\/strong>&nbsp;The first and last days of long holidays are chaos. Train tickets vanish in minutes. Flight prices triple. Avoid those days if possible. If travel is unavoidable, book as early as the system allows \u2013 15 days ahead for trains, 30 days for flights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Third, use annual leave to extend breaks.<\/strong>\u00a0Example: 2026 National Day is October 1\u20137. Makeup days are September 20 (Sunday) and October 10 (Saturday). By taking three days of annual leave before or after, an expat could turn a seven\u2011day break into a much longer vacation. Just check the company policy first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Fourth, talk to your <a target=\"_blank\" class=\"inside_link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/tag\/manager\/\" title=\"View all posts in manager\">manager<\/a> before a long break.<\/strong>&nbsp;In 2026, before Spring Festival, there is a workday on February 14 \u2013 a Saturday. After the nine\u2011day holiday, there is another workday on February 28. Confirm with suppliers and clients what needs to be done before the break starts and what can wait.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Fifth, reset your mindset.<\/strong>&nbsp;The first time a foreigner sees \u201cSaturday work\u201d on the calendar, the reaction is often shock, then anger, then a feeling of unfairness. Recognizing that the system is not personal helps. It is a structural feature of Chinese labor policy. Some expats find it helpful to treat borrowed weekend days as simply \u201canother Monday\u201d and plan personal activities accordingly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Recent_2026_Makeup_Workday_Trends\"><\/span>Recent 2026 Makeup Workday Trends<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Some good <a target=\"_blank\" class=\"inside_link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/tag\/news\/\" title=\"View all posts in news\">news<\/a>. 2026 has fewer makeup workdays than previous years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 2025 policy reforms raised statutory holidays from 11 to 13 days. Spring Festival got an extra day. Qingming got a dedicated day. More importantly, a new rule says consecutive workdays before or after a holiday should not exceed six days. That directly attacks the worst part of earlier schedules \u2013 those brutal seven\u2011, eight\u2011, or even nine\u2011day work stretches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the 2026 calendar, three holidays (Qingming, Dragon Boat, and Mid\u2011Autumn) require zero makeup days. They naturally land on weekends. Spring Festival still needs two makeup Saturdays \u2013 unchanged. Labor Day needs one. National Day needs two (one before, one after). Total makeup workdays for 2026: five.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Looking ahead to 2027 and beyond, the makeup system is not going away. It solves real problems \u2013 family reunions, consumer spending, and limited total vacation days. But as statutory holidays slowly increase, the reliance on borrowed weekends may decrease. And the six\u2011day consecutive work limit is a genuine improvement. Check the State Council announcement every November for the next year\u2019s schedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span>Conclusion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>China\u2019s makeup workday system is unusual. But it is not crazy. It exists because of real needs: huge travel distances, economic stimulation, and a small total vacation budget. For expats, understanding the rules beats complaining. In 2026, there are five makeup workdays \u2013 two for Spring Festival, one for Labor Day, and two for National Day. Statutory holidays pay 300%. Makeup days pay normal rates. The system is slowly becoming more humane. Import the calendar. Plan travel. Use annual leave wisely. Tiaoxiu becomes manageable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For official schedules, visit the State Council at&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gov.cn\/\">http:\/\/www.gov.cn<\/a>.<br>For labor law details, check the Ministry of Human Resources at&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/www.mohrss.gov.cn\/\">http:\/\/www.mohrss.gov.cn<\/a>.<br>For travel bookings during holidays,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/trip.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Trip.com<\/a>&nbsp;offers English services at&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.trip.com\/\">https:\/\/www.trip.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Picture this. A foreign employee in China gets a message from HR on a Tuesday afternoon. The subject line: \u201cNotice \u2013 Mandatory Work This Saturday.\u201d No explanation. No apology. Just &#8230;","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":27863,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[3643,3662,60,3753,303,1972,306,3283,27,3427,1894,1319,214],"class_list":["post-27861","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-3643","tag-3662","tag-china","tag-chinese","tag-dragon-boat-festival","tag-foreign","tag-hiredchina","tag-manager","tag-news","tag-spring-festival","tag-trade","tag-translation","tag-travel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27861","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27861"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27861\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27866,"href":"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27861\/revisions\/27866"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27863"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27861"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27861"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27861"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}