IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? Offices in China, Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan will close for up to one week in early October to observe the Mid-Autumn Festival.

What does the change mean? Employers and applicants should plan around the holiday break and file all time-sensitive applications before the closures.  

• Implementation time frame: Sept. 29 through Oct. 10, depending on country.
• Visas/permits affected: All immigration and government services.
• Impact on processing times: Applicants should expect slower processing.
• Business impact: Employers should factor in the holiday period when planning business schedules and start dates.  

Background: The Mid-Autumn festival is a harvest celebration that falls on the full moon of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, which falls on Oct. 4 this year. China combines the holiday with National Day and closes for one week. The holiday dates for key countries are:

• China: Oct. 1 – 8.
• Hong Kong: Oct. 5.
• South Korea: Sept. 29 – Oct. 9.
• Taiwan: Oct. 4.

BAL Analysis: Employers should plan around the holidays and anticipate a backlog when offices reopen.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.

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