Employment Details
Cumulative service across employers, not just the current one
Defaults to the current year
Mid-year joiners get pro-rata leave in the joining year
Leavers accrue leave up to the last working day
Used for the unused leave payout estimate
Typically monthly salary ÷ 21.75 for the payout formula
Annual Leave Result
How China statutory annual leave works
Entitlement follows the Regulations on Paid Annual Leave for Employees: 5 days for cumulative service of 1–10 years, 10 days for 10–20 years, and 15 days for 20 years or more. Cumulative service includes prior employers, so the same rule generally applies to expats who switch jobs within China.
Pro-rata rule: in the year you join an employer, leave is prorated by remaining calendar days in the year ÷ 365 × annual days; in the year you leave, by elapsed calendar days ÷ 365 × annual days. Fractions below one full day are not counted.
Unused leave payout: where the employer fails to arrange statutory annual leave and the employee does not waive it in writing, untaken days are commonly settled at 300% of daily wage — this includes the normal 100% pay, so the extra premium is 200%. On termination, untaken statutory days are generally settled in the final payroll.
Exceptions: no statutory leave accrues before 1 year of cumulative service, and long paid sick leave or long paid personal leave in a year can reduce or cancel that year's entitlement.
Pro-rata rule: in the year you join an employer, leave is prorated by remaining calendar days in the year ÷ 365 × annual days; in the year you leave, by elapsed calendar days ÷ 365 × annual days. Fractions below one full day are not counted.
Unused leave payout: where the employer fails to arrange statutory annual leave and the employee does not waive it in writing, untaken days are commonly settled at 300% of daily wage — this includes the normal 100% pay, so the extra premium is 200%. On termination, untaken statutory days are generally settled in the final payroll.
Exceptions: no statutory leave accrues before 1 year of cumulative service, and long paid sick leave or long paid personal leave in a year can reduce or cancel that year's entitlement.
❓ FAQ
How many statutory annual leave days do I get in China?
By cumulative working years: 1–10 years gives 5 days, 10–20 years gives 10 days, and 20 years or more gives 15 days per year. Cumulative service includes time at previous employers.
How is leave prorated in the year I join or leave?
Multiply the annual days by remaining (joiners) or elapsed (leavers) calendar days in the year divided by 365. Fractions below one full day are dropped, not rounded up.
What is unused annual leave paid at?
Where the employer failed to arrange the leave and it was not waived in writing, untaken statutory days are commonly settled at 300% of daily wage. The normal 100% pay is included, so the extra premium is 200%.
When does China statutory annual leave not apply?
Below 1 year of cumulative service no statutory leave accrues. Long paid sick leave (2–4 months depending on total service) or long un-deducted personal leave can also remove that year's entitlement.