Offices to close for Mid-Autumn Festival Share this article LinkedIn Facebook X (Twitter) August 25, 2017 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. Copyright © 2017 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries please contact copyright@bal.com.