China’s long-awaited Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day “Golden Week” holiday is just around the corner, running from October 1 to October 8. And for many employees, there’s more good news: wages will be paid in advance before the holiday begins.

According to China’s Interim Regulations on Wage Payment, if a company’s scheduled payday falls on a public holiday, the employer must pay salaries on the last working day beforehand. This year, that means many employees whose payday normally falls between October 1 and October 8 can expect their wages to arrive by the end of September.

Who Benefits?

Workers whose companies usually pay between the 1st and 8th of the month.

In practice, many firms pay salaries by the 5th, meaning payments will likely be moved forward to the final working days of September.

Overtime Pay During the Holiday

• Employees who work during the holiday are entitled to:
• 150% of hourly wage for overtime on regular workdays.
• 200% of daily/hourly wage if working on rest days without compensatory time off.
• 300% of daily/hourly wage if working on official public holidays.

These rules also apply to those on piece-rate or alternative working-hour systems.

Why It Matters

Legal experts stress that early wage payment before holidays is not optional—it is a legal obligation for employers. This ensures that employees can enjoy the long holiday without financial stress.

On Chinese social media, workers have welcomed the news:

“Perfect timing — now I’ve got my travel budget ready!”

“Finally, no more worrying about holiday pay delays.”

Some jokingly added: “I hope my boss doesn’t make us work extra early just because we’re getting paid early.”

With the “Golden Week” fast approaching, the question for many workers is no longer if they’ll get paid on time, but how they’ll spend it.