Labour Day Worldwide: Dates, History & Public Holiday Comparison
Labour Day 2027 falls on Saturday, May 1.
While over a hundred countries celebrate the social and economic achievements of workers, Labour Day presents the world’s most fragmented holiday schedule. While the vast majority of Europe, Asia, and Latin America commemorate the 1886 Chicago Haymarket affair on May 1 (International Workers’ Day), the United States and Canada celebrate on the first Monday in September, New Zealand on the fourth Monday in October, and Australian states disperse the observance across four separate months. This cross-country comparison explains the dates, statutory rights, and bridge-day mechanisms across participating countries.
Also known as: Labor Day (US/Canada) · International Workers' Day · May Day · Fiesta del Trabajo · Tag der Arbeit
The short answer
21 countries and regions in our calendar mark it. Dates and days off below cover 2025–2028.
- 2025
- Thursday, May 1
- 2026
- Friday, May 1
- 2027
- Saturday, May 1
- 2028
- Monday, May 1
Dates year by year
Dates by country and year
Compare the festival date across countries and every year we publish.
| Country / region | 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | September 1, 2025 | September 7, 2026 | September 6, 2027 | September 4, 2028 |
| Canada | September 1, 2025 | September 7, 2026 | September 6, 2027 | September 4, 2028 |
| United Kingdom | May 5, 2025 | May 4, 2026 | May 3, 2027 | May 1, 2028 |
| Australia | May 1, 2025Not a public holiday | May 1, 2026Not a public holiday | May 1, 2027Not a public holiday | May 1, 2028Not a public holiday |
| New Zealand | October 27, 2025 | October 26, 2026 | October 25, 2027 | October 23, 2028 |
| China | May 1 – 5 | May 1 – 5 | May 1 – 2Provisional | May 1 – 2Provisional |
| France | May 1, 2025 | May 1, 2026 | May 1, 2027 | May 1, 2028 |
| Germany | May 1, 2025 | May 1, 2026 | May 1, 2027 | May 1, 2028 |
| Spain | May 1, 2025 | May 1, 2026 | May 1, 2027Provisional | May 1, 2028Provisional |
| Italy | May 1, 2025 | May 1, 2026 | May 1, 2027 | May 1, 2028 |
| Japan | November 23, 2025Not a public holiday | November 23, 2026Not a public holiday | November 23, 2027Not a public holiday | November 23, 2028Not a public holiday |
| South Korea | May 1, 2025Not a public holiday | May 1, 2026 | May 1, 2027 | May 1, 2028Provisional |
| Taiwan | May 1, 2025Not a public holiday | May 1 – 3 | Apr 30 – May 2 | Apr 29 – May 1Provisional |
| Hong Kong | May 1, 2025 | May 1, 2026 | May 1, 2027 | May 1, 2028Provisional |
| Singapore | May 1, 2025 | May 1, 2026 | May 1, 2027 | May 1, 2028Provisional |
| Thailand | May 1, 2025 | May 1, 2026 | May 1, 2027Provisional | May 1, 2028Provisional |
| Vietnam | May 1, 2025 | May 1, 2026 | May 1, 2027Provisional | May 1, 2028Provisional |
| Mexico | May 1, 2025 | May 1, 2026 | May 1, 2027 | May 1, 2028 |
| Chile | May 1, 2025 | May 1, 2026 | May 1, 2027 | May 1, 2028 |
| Colombia | May 1, 2025 | May 1, 2026 | May 1, 2027 | May 1, 2028 |
| Turkey | May 1, 2025 | May 1, 2026 | May 1, 2027 | May 1, 2028 |
| Norway | May 1, 2025 | May 1, 2026 | May 1, 2027 | May 1, 2028 |
| Sweden | May 1, 2025 | May 1, 2026 | May 1, 2027 | May 1, 2028 |
| Netherlands | May 1, 2025Not a public holiday | May 1, 2026Not a public holiday | May 1, 2027Not a public holiday | May 1, 2028Not a public holiday |
Who gets the day off
Every row is derived from that country’s official calendar on this site, so the day counts include substitute days and government bridge days exactly as gazetted.
Labour Day 2025
| Country / region | Called | Date | Days off |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | Labour Day (May 1 Golden Week Block)Statutory holiday on May 1; official State Council notices routinely create a 5-day holiday bridge by shifting adjacent weekend days into make-up workdays. | May 1 – 5 | 5days |
| France | Labour Day (Fête du Travail)Article L3133-4 of the French Labour Code makes May 1 the only statutory public holiday where paid leave is legally mandatory across all private sector employees. | May 1, 2025 | 1days |
| Germany | Labour Day (Tag der Arbeit)Nationwide public holiday (gesetzlicher Feiertag) observed in all 16 federal states since 1933; non-substituting if falling on a weekend. | May 1, 2025 | 1days |
| Spain | Labour Day (Fiesta del Trabajo)Non-substitutable national statutory holiday under Royal Legislative Decree 2/2015; marked by national trade union demonstrations. | May 1, 2025 | 1days |
| Italy | Labour Day (Festa del Lavoro)National statutory public holiday recognized under Law 260/1949; famous for the massive Concerto del Primo Maggio in Rome’s Piazza San Giovanni. | May 1, 2025 | 1days |
| Hong Kong On the statutory list | Labour Day (勞動節)Both a statutory holiday under the Employment Ordinance and a general public holiday; fully observed by all financial and public institutions. | May 1, 2025 | 1days |
| Singapore | Labour DayGazetted national public holiday under the Employment Act; substitutes to Monday if May 1 falls on a Sunday. | May 1, 2025 | 1days |
| Thailand | National Labour Day (วันแรงงานแห่งชาติ)Statutory paid holiday for private sector employees and commercial banks governed by the Labour Protection Act; civil servants and government offices work normally. | May 1, 2025 | 1days |
| Vietnam | International Labour Day (Ngày Quốc tế Lao động)Consecutive with Reunification Day (April 30), creating a guaranteed nationwide long holiday under Article 112 of the Labour Code. | May 1, 2025 | 1days |
| Mexico | Labour Day (Día del Trabajo)Mandatory statutory rest day under Article 74, Section IV of the Federal Labour Law (LFT); fixed on May 1 with no Mondayised bridge. | May 1, 2025 | 1days |
| Chile | Labour Day (Feriado Irrenunciable)Under Law 19.973, May 1 is one of Chile’s 5 mandatory, non-waivable commercial closure days (feriado irrenunciable); malls and supermarkets must shut. | May 1, 2025 | 1days |
| Colombia | Labour Day (Día del Trabajo)Explicit exception to Colombia’s Emiliani Law (Law 51/1983); always observed on the exact calendar day of May 1 without moving to the following Monday. | May 1, 2025 | 1days |
| Turkey | Labour & Solidarity Day (Emek ve Dayanışma Günü)Re-established as an official national public holiday by Law 5892 in 2009; public offices, banks, and schools across Turkey close nationwide. | May 1, 2025 | 1days |
| Norway | Labour Day (Offentlig høytidsdag)Designated as a statutory public day of celebration under the Act of 26 April 1947; paid rest day for workers, lost if falling on a Sunday. | May 1, 2025 | 1days |
| Sweden | May Day (Första maj)Sweden’s first secular public holiday, celebrated since 1938; official red day (röd dag) marked by public parades and speeches. | May 1, 2025 | 1days |
| United Kingdom | Early May Bank Holiday (First Monday in May)Introduced in 1978 by the Labour government across the UK; combines traditional May Day customs with a trade union holiday on the nearest Monday rather than fixed May 1. | May 5, 2025Local date: May 5, 2025 | 1days |
| United States | Labor Day (First Monday in September)Federal statutory holiday since 1894; signed into law by President Grover Cleveland following the Pullman Strike, deliberately avoiding May 1. | September 1, 2025Local date: September 1, 2025 | 1days |
| Canada | Labour Day (Fête du Travail)Nationwide statutory holiday since 1894, rooted in the 1872 Toronto Printers’ Nine-Hour Movement and aligned with the US calendar. | September 1, 2025Local date: September 1, 2025 | 1days |
| New Zealand | Labour Day (Fourth Monday in October)Statutory public holiday commemorating the 1840 eight-hour working day campaign led by Samuel Parnell; fixed on October’s fourth Monday by the Holidays Act. | October 27, 2025Local date: October 27, 2025 | 1days |
| Australia | Labour Day (Varies across 4 different months by State)Australia has no single federal Labour Day: WA observes 1st Monday in March, VIC/TAS 2nd Monday in March, QLD/NT 1st Monday in May, and NSW/ACT/SA 1st Monday in October. | May 1, 2025 | Working day |
| South Korea | Workers’ Day (근로자의 날)Observed under the Workers’ Day Designation Act; banks and stock markets close, while government offices and schools remain open. | May 1, 2025 | Working day |
| Taiwan | Labour Day (全台一致公休)Historically for private labor only; following legislative reforms in May 2025, May 1 became a universal statutory holiday for government offices and schools from 2026. | May 1, 2025 | Working day |
| Netherlands | Normal Workday (Dag van de Arbeid)May 1 is celebrated culturally as Dag van de Arbeid but is NOT an official statutory public holiday; almost all businesses and schools open normally. | May 1, 2025 | Working day |
| Japan Same date, local festival | May 1 Normal Workday · Labor Thanksgiving Day Nov 23May 1 is not a national holiday in Japan (businesses during Golden Week may grant corporate leave); Japan’s official labor day is Labor Thanksgiving Day on Nov 23. | November 23, 2025Local date: November 23, 2025 | Working day |
Labour Day 2026
| Country / region | Called | Date | Days off |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | Labour Day (May 1 Golden Week Block)Statutory holiday on May 1; official State Council notices routinely create a 5-day holiday bridge by shifting adjacent weekend days into make-up workdays. | May 1 – 5 | 5days |
| Taiwan | Labour Day (全台一致公休)Historically for private labor only; following legislative reforms in May 2025, May 1 became a universal statutory holiday for government offices and schools from 2026. | May 1 – 3 | 3days |
| France | Labour Day (Fête du Travail)Article L3133-4 of the French Labour Code makes May 1 the only statutory public holiday where paid leave is legally mandatory across all private sector employees. | May 1, 2026 | 1days |
| Germany | Labour Day (Tag der Arbeit)Nationwide public holiday (gesetzlicher Feiertag) observed in all 16 federal states since 1933; non-substituting if falling on a weekend. | May 1, 2026 | 1days |
| Spain | Labour Day (Fiesta del Trabajo)Non-substitutable national statutory holiday under Royal Legislative Decree 2/2015; marked by national trade union demonstrations. | May 1, 2026 | 1days |
| Italy | Labour Day (Festa del Lavoro)National statutory public holiday recognized under Law 260/1949; famous for the massive Concerto del Primo Maggio in Rome’s Piazza San Giovanni. | May 1, 2026 | 1days |
| South Korea | Workers’ Day (근로자의 날)Observed under the Workers’ Day Designation Act; banks and stock markets close, while government offices and schools remain open. | May 1, 2026 | 1days |
| Hong Kong On the statutory list | Labour Day (勞動節)Both a statutory holiday under the Employment Ordinance and a general public holiday; fully observed by all financial and public institutions. | May 1, 2026 | 1days |
| Singapore | Labour DayGazetted national public holiday under the Employment Act; substitutes to Monday if May 1 falls on a Sunday. | May 1, 2026 | 1days |
| Thailand | National Labour Day (วันแรงงานแห่งชาติ)Statutory paid holiday for private sector employees and commercial banks governed by the Labour Protection Act; civil servants and government offices work normally. | May 1, 2026 | 1days |
| Vietnam | International Labour Day (Ngày Quốc tế Lao động)Consecutive with Reunification Day (April 30), creating a guaranteed nationwide long holiday under Article 112 of the Labour Code. | May 1, 2026 | 1days |
| Mexico | Labour Day (Día del Trabajo)Mandatory statutory rest day under Article 74, Section IV of the Federal Labour Law (LFT); fixed on May 1 with no Mondayised bridge. | May 1, 2026 | 1days |
| Chile | Labour Day (Feriado Irrenunciable)Under Law 19.973, May 1 is one of Chile’s 5 mandatory, non-waivable commercial closure days (feriado irrenunciable); malls and supermarkets must shut. | May 1, 2026 | 1days |
| Colombia | Labour Day (Día del Trabajo)Explicit exception to Colombia’s Emiliani Law (Law 51/1983); always observed on the exact calendar day of May 1 without moving to the following Monday. | May 1, 2026 | 1days |
| Turkey | Labour & Solidarity Day (Emek ve Dayanışma Günü)Re-established as an official national public holiday by Law 5892 in 2009; public offices, banks, and schools across Turkey close nationwide. | May 1, 2026 | 1days |
| Norway | Labour Day (Offentlig høytidsdag)Designated as a statutory public day of celebration under the Act of 26 April 1947; paid rest day for workers, lost if falling on a Sunday. | May 1, 2026 | 1days |
| Sweden | May Day (Första maj)Sweden’s first secular public holiday, celebrated since 1938; official red day (röd dag) marked by public parades and speeches. | May 1, 2026 | 1days |
| United Kingdom | Early May Bank Holiday (First Monday in May)Introduced in 1978 by the Labour government across the UK; combines traditional May Day customs with a trade union holiday on the nearest Monday rather than fixed May 1. | May 4, 2026Local date: May 4, 2026 | 1days |
| United States | Labor Day (First Monday in September)Federal statutory holiday since 1894; signed into law by President Grover Cleveland following the Pullman Strike, deliberately avoiding May 1. | September 7, 2026Local date: September 7, 2026 | 1days |
| Canada | Labour Day (Fête du Travail)Nationwide statutory holiday since 1894, rooted in the 1872 Toronto Printers’ Nine-Hour Movement and aligned with the US calendar. | September 7, 2026Local date: September 7, 2026 | 1days |
| New Zealand | Labour Day (Fourth Monday in October)Statutory public holiday commemorating the 1840 eight-hour working day campaign led by Samuel Parnell; fixed on October’s fourth Monday by the Holidays Act. | October 26, 2026Local date: October 26, 2026 | 1days |
| Australia | Labour Day (Varies across 4 different months by State)Australia has no single federal Labour Day: WA observes 1st Monday in March, VIC/TAS 2nd Monday in March, QLD/NT 1st Monday in May, and NSW/ACT/SA 1st Monday in October. | May 1, 2026 | Working day |
| Netherlands | Normal Workday (Dag van de Arbeid)May 1 is celebrated culturally as Dag van de Arbeid but is NOT an official statutory public holiday; almost all businesses and schools open normally. | May 1, 2026 | Working day |
| Japan Same date, local festival | May 1 Normal Workday · Labor Thanksgiving Day Nov 23May 1 is not a national holiday in Japan (businesses during Golden Week may grant corporate leave); Japan’s official labor day is Labor Thanksgiving Day on Nov 23. | November 23, 2026Local date: November 23, 2026 | Working day |
Labour Day 2027
| Country / region | Called | Date | Days off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taiwan | Labour Day (全台一致公休)Historically for private labor only; following legislative reforms in May 2025, May 1 became a universal statutory holiday for government offices and schools from 2026. | Apr 30 – May 2 | 3days |
| China Provisional | Labour Day (May 1 Golden Week Block)Statutory holiday on May 1; official State Council notices routinely create a 5-day holiday bridge by shifting adjacent weekend days into make-up workdays. | May 1 – 2 | 2days |
| France | Labour Day (Fête du Travail)Article L3133-4 of the French Labour Code makes May 1 the only statutory public holiday where paid leave is legally mandatory across all private sector employees. | May 1, 2027 | 1days |
| Germany | Labour Day (Tag der Arbeit)Nationwide public holiday (gesetzlicher Feiertag) observed in all 16 federal states since 1933; non-substituting if falling on a weekend. | May 1, 2027 | 1days |
| Spain Provisional | Labour Day (Fiesta del Trabajo)Non-substitutable national statutory holiday under Royal Legislative Decree 2/2015; marked by national trade union demonstrations. | May 1, 2027 | 1days |
| Italy | Labour Day (Festa del Lavoro)National statutory public holiday recognized under Law 260/1949; famous for the massive Concerto del Primo Maggio in Rome’s Piazza San Giovanni. | May 1, 2027 | 1days |
| South Korea | Workers’ Day (근로자의 날)Observed under the Workers’ Day Designation Act; banks and stock markets close, while government offices and schools remain open. | May 1, 2027 | 1days |
| Hong Kong On the statutory list | Labour Day (勞動節)Both a statutory holiday under the Employment Ordinance and a general public holiday; fully observed by all financial and public institutions. | May 1, 2027 | 1days |
| Singapore | Labour DayGazetted national public holiday under the Employment Act; substitutes to Monday if May 1 falls on a Sunday. | May 1, 2027 | 1days |
| Thailand Provisional | National Labour Day (วันแรงงานแห่งชาติ)Statutory paid holiday for private sector employees and commercial banks governed by the Labour Protection Act; civil servants and government offices work normally. | May 1, 2027 | 1days |
| Vietnam Provisional | International Labour Day (Ngày Quốc tế Lao động)Consecutive with Reunification Day (April 30), creating a guaranteed nationwide long holiday under Article 112 of the Labour Code. | May 1, 2027 | 1days |
| Mexico | Labour Day (Día del Trabajo)Mandatory statutory rest day under Article 74, Section IV of the Federal Labour Law (LFT); fixed on May 1 with no Mondayised bridge. | May 1, 2027 | 1days |
| Chile | Labour Day (Feriado Irrenunciable)Under Law 19.973, May 1 is one of Chile’s 5 mandatory, non-waivable commercial closure days (feriado irrenunciable); malls and supermarkets must shut. | May 1, 2027 | 1days |
| Colombia | Labour Day (Día del Trabajo)Explicit exception to Colombia’s Emiliani Law (Law 51/1983); always observed on the exact calendar day of May 1 without moving to the following Monday. | May 1, 2027 | 1days |
| Turkey | Labour & Solidarity Day (Emek ve Dayanışma Günü)Re-established as an official national public holiday by Law 5892 in 2009; public offices, banks, and schools across Turkey close nationwide. | May 1, 2027 | 1days |
| Norway | Labour Day (Offentlig høytidsdag)Designated as a statutory public day of celebration under the Act of 26 April 1947; paid rest day for workers, lost if falling on a Sunday. | May 1, 2027 | 1days |
| Sweden | May Day (Första maj)Sweden’s first secular public holiday, celebrated since 1938; official red day (röd dag) marked by public parades and speeches. | May 1, 2027 | 1days |
| United Kingdom | Early May Bank Holiday (First Monday in May)Introduced in 1978 by the Labour government across the UK; combines traditional May Day customs with a trade union holiday on the nearest Monday rather than fixed May 1. | May 3, 2027Local date: May 3, 2027 | 1days |
| United States | Labor Day (First Monday in September)Federal statutory holiday since 1894; signed into law by President Grover Cleveland following the Pullman Strike, deliberately avoiding May 1. | September 6, 2027Local date: September 6, 2027 | 1days |
| Canada | Labour Day (Fête du Travail)Nationwide statutory holiday since 1894, rooted in the 1872 Toronto Printers’ Nine-Hour Movement and aligned with the US calendar. | September 6, 2027Local date: September 6, 2027 | 1days |
| New Zealand | Labour Day (Fourth Monday in October)Statutory public holiday commemorating the 1840 eight-hour working day campaign led by Samuel Parnell; fixed on October’s fourth Monday by the Holidays Act. | October 25, 2027Local date: October 25, 2027 | 1days |
| Australia | Labour Day (Varies across 4 different months by State)Australia has no single federal Labour Day: WA observes 1st Monday in March, VIC/TAS 2nd Monday in March, QLD/NT 1st Monday in May, and NSW/ACT/SA 1st Monday in October. | May 1, 2027 | Working day |
| Netherlands | Normal Workday (Dag van de Arbeid)May 1 is celebrated culturally as Dag van de Arbeid but is NOT an official statutory public holiday; almost all businesses and schools open normally. | May 1, 2027 | Working day |
| Japan Same date, local festival | May 1 Normal Workday · Labor Thanksgiving Day Nov 23May 1 is not a national holiday in Japan (businesses during Golden Week may grant corporate leave); Japan’s official labor day is Labor Thanksgiving Day on Nov 23. | November 23, 2027Local date: November 23, 2027 | Working day |
Rows marked provisional show only the dates already fixed. Where a government sets the length of the break by annual decree — mainland China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Indonesia — the full arrangement has not been published for that year yet, so treat those day counts as a floor and any blank as "not announced", not as a working day.
Labour Day 2028
| Country / region | Called | Date | Days off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taiwan Provisional | Labour Day (全台一致公休)Historically for private labor only; following legislative reforms in May 2025, May 1 became a universal statutory holiday for government offices and schools from 2026. | Apr 29 – May 1 | 3days |
| China Provisional | Labour Day (May 1 Golden Week Block)Statutory holiday on May 1; official State Council notices routinely create a 5-day holiday bridge by shifting adjacent weekend days into make-up workdays. | May 1 – 2 | 2days |
| United Kingdom | Early May Bank Holiday (First Monday in May)Introduced in 1978 by the Labour government across the UK; combines traditional May Day customs with a trade union holiday on the nearest Monday rather than fixed May 1. | May 1, 2028 | 1days |
| France | Labour Day (Fête du Travail)Article L3133-4 of the French Labour Code makes May 1 the only statutory public holiday where paid leave is legally mandatory across all private sector employees. | May 1, 2028 | 1days |
| Germany | Labour Day (Tag der Arbeit)Nationwide public holiday (gesetzlicher Feiertag) observed in all 16 federal states since 1933; non-substituting if falling on a weekend. | May 1, 2028 | 1days |
| Spain Provisional | Labour Day (Fiesta del Trabajo)Non-substitutable national statutory holiday under Royal Legislative Decree 2/2015; marked by national trade union demonstrations. | May 1, 2028 | 1days |
| Italy | Labour Day (Festa del Lavoro)National statutory public holiday recognized under Law 260/1949; famous for the massive Concerto del Primo Maggio in Rome’s Piazza San Giovanni. | May 1, 2028 | 1days |
| South Korea Provisional | Workers’ Day (근로자의 날)Observed under the Workers’ Day Designation Act; banks and stock markets close, while government offices and schools remain open. | May 1, 2028 | 1days |
| Hong Kong ProvisionalOn the statutory list | Labour Day (勞動節)Both a statutory holiday under the Employment Ordinance and a general public holiday; fully observed by all financial and public institutions. | May 1, 2028 | 1days |
| Singapore Provisional | Labour DayGazetted national public holiday under the Employment Act; substitutes to Monday if May 1 falls on a Sunday. | May 1, 2028 | 1days |
| Thailand Provisional | National Labour Day (วันแรงงานแห่งชาติ)Statutory paid holiday for private sector employees and commercial banks governed by the Labour Protection Act; civil servants and government offices work normally. | May 1, 2028 | 1days |
| Vietnam Provisional | International Labour Day (Ngày Quốc tế Lao động)Consecutive with Reunification Day (April 30), creating a guaranteed nationwide long holiday under Article 112 of the Labour Code. | May 1, 2028 | 1days |
| Mexico | Labour Day (Día del Trabajo)Mandatory statutory rest day under Article 74, Section IV of the Federal Labour Law (LFT); fixed on May 1 with no Mondayised bridge. | May 1, 2028 | 1days |
| Chile | Labour Day (Feriado Irrenunciable)Under Law 19.973, May 1 is one of Chile’s 5 mandatory, non-waivable commercial closure days (feriado irrenunciable); malls and supermarkets must shut. | May 1, 2028 | 1days |
| Colombia | Labour Day (Día del Trabajo)Explicit exception to Colombia’s Emiliani Law (Law 51/1983); always observed on the exact calendar day of May 1 without moving to the following Monday. | May 1, 2028 | 1days |
| Turkey | Labour & Solidarity Day (Emek ve Dayanışma Günü)Re-established as an official national public holiday by Law 5892 in 2009; public offices, banks, and schools across Turkey close nationwide. | May 1, 2028 | 1days |
| Norway | Labour Day (Offentlig høytidsdag)Designated as a statutory public day of celebration under the Act of 26 April 1947; paid rest day for workers, lost if falling on a Sunday. | May 1, 2028 | 1days |
| Sweden | May Day (Första maj)Sweden’s first secular public holiday, celebrated since 1938; official red day (röd dag) marked by public parades and speeches. | May 1, 2028 | 1days |
| United States | Labor Day (First Monday in September)Federal statutory holiday since 1894; signed into law by President Grover Cleveland following the Pullman Strike, deliberately avoiding May 1. | September 4, 2028Local date: September 4, 2028 | 1days |
| Canada | Labour Day (Fête du Travail)Nationwide statutory holiday since 1894, rooted in the 1872 Toronto Printers’ Nine-Hour Movement and aligned with the US calendar. | September 4, 2028Local date: September 4, 2028 | 1days |
| New Zealand | Labour Day (Fourth Monday in October)Statutory public holiday commemorating the 1840 eight-hour working day campaign led by Samuel Parnell; fixed on October’s fourth Monday by the Holidays Act. | October 23, 2028Local date: October 23, 2028 | 1days |
| Australia Provisional | Labour Day (Varies across 4 different months by State)Australia has no single federal Labour Day: WA observes 1st Monday in March, VIC/TAS 2nd Monday in March, QLD/NT 1st Monday in May, and NSW/ACT/SA 1st Monday in October. | May 1, 2028 | Working day |
| Netherlands | Normal Workday (Dag van de Arbeid)May 1 is celebrated culturally as Dag van de Arbeid but is NOT an official statutory public holiday; almost all businesses and schools open normally. | May 1, 2028 | Working day |
| Japan Same date, local festival | May 1 Normal Workday · Labor Thanksgiving Day Nov 23May 1 is not a national holiday in Japan (businesses during Golden Week may grant corporate leave); Japan’s official labor day is Labor Thanksgiving Day on Nov 23. | November 23, 2028Local date: November 23, 2028 | Working day |
Rows marked provisional show only the dates already fixed. Where a government sets the length of the break by annual decree — mainland China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Indonesia — the full arrangement has not been published for that year yet, so treat those day counts as a floor and any blank as "not announced", not as a working day.
The May 1 Standard: From Haymarket to Modern Statutory Leave
May 1 was chosen by the Second International in 1889 to commemorate Chicago’s 1886 general strike for an eight-hour working day and the subsequent Haymarket affair. Today, it is an official statutory holiday across most of Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. In France, Article L3133-4 makes May 1 unique as the only day where employers must provide fully paid leave by law. In Chile, it is one of five "feriados irrenunciables" where shopping malls, retail chains, and supermarkets are legally compelled to shut down.
Why North America Celebrates in September
In the United States and Canada, Labor Day falls on the first Monday in September. US President Grover Cleveland signed the federal holiday act in June 1894 shortly after the violent Pullman Strike, deliberately promoting the September date already celebrated by the Central Labor Union of New York rather than May 1 to prevent May Day from becoming an annual rally for socialist movements. Today, American and Canadian Labor Day marks the unofficial conclusion of the summer season and school reopening.
Australia’s Four-Month Division & New Zealand’s Eight-Hour Day
Australia exhibits the world’s most fragmented internal calendar. Because public holidays are governed by state and territory legislation rather than federal decree, Western Australia marks Labour Day on March’s first Monday; Victoria and Tasmania on the second Monday in March; Queensland and Northern Territory on May’s first Monday; and New South Wales, the ACT, and South Australia on October’s first Monday. In neighboring New Zealand, Samuel Parnell’s 1840 stand established the eight-hour day, now celebrated nationwide on October’s fourth Monday.
The Non-Observing Economies: Netherlands, Japan & UK Practice
Contrary to widespread assumption, several major economies do not observe May 1 as a statutory day off. In the Netherlands, Dag van de Arbeid is not a public holiday and commercial activity proceeds as normal. In Japan, May 1 falls right in the middle of Golden Week but is a standard working day; Japan instead observes Labor Thanksgiving Day on November 23. In the United Kingdom, May 1 is not a holiday—the public receives the Early May Bank Holiday on the first Monday of May.
Go deeper
Frequently asked questions
Why is US Labor Day in September instead of May 1?
In June 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed legislation designating the first Monday in September as a national holiday. Cleveland chose the September date—already celebrated by New York unions—specifically to avoid May 1, which was closely associated with socialist and communist labor movements following the violent 1886 Chicago Haymarket affair.
Is May 1 a public holiday in the UK and Australia?
No. Neither the United Kingdom nor Australia observes May 1 as a fixed public holiday. The UK observes the Early May Bank Holiday on the first Monday of May. Australia has no national federal Labour Day: Queensland and the Northern Territory take the first Monday in May, Western Australia takes March’s first Monday, Victoria and Tasmania take March’s second Monday, and NSW, ACT, and South Australia take October’s first Monday.
Does Japan celebrate May 1 as a public holiday?
No. May 1 is an ordinary working day under Japanese national law. Although it falls inside Golden Week (between Showa Day on April 29 and Constitution Memorial Day on May 3), government offices, schools, and banks remain open unless a company grants custom corporate leave. Japan’s statutory labor holiday is Labor Thanksgiving Day (勤労感謝の日) on November 23.
Which countries mandate commercial business closures on May 1?
Chile and France enforce the strictest closure rules. In Chile, May 1 is a statutory "feriado irrenunciable" under Law 19.973, requiring shopping malls and supermarkets to completely shut down under heavy fines. In France, Article L3133-4 makes paid leave compulsory with virtually no private sector exceptions other than hospitals and public transport.
How does China’s 5-day Labour Day break work with make-up workdays?
Under Chinese statutory regulations, May 1 is officially granted two statutory holiday days. The State Council issues an annual circular that links May 1 with adjacent weekends and swaps two surrounding weekend days into mandatory working days (调休 / make-up workdays), assembling a continuous 5-day holiday break for nationwide travel and consumption.