Annual leave in New Zealand

New Zealand employers are required by law to offer a minimum of four weeks annual leave a year, on top of the 11 public holiday days recognised by the country.

You can negotiate more holidays as part of your package, or it can increase in relation to how long you have worked for a company on a discretionary basis between you and your employer.

Many offices close for one to two weeks over the Christmas and New Year period, and many employers request you use some of your annual leave at this point. This will likely be negotiated into your employment contract.

The public holidays from year to year are spread from January to December and observe the following:

• New Years Day
• The day after New Years Day
• Waitangi Day
• Good Friday (Easter)
• Easter Monday (Easter)
• Anzac Day
• Queen’s Birthday
• Labour Day
• Christmas Day
• Boxing Day
• Individual province anniversary days