Ethan
Like every country, New Zealand observes public holidays and school holidays. Everybody is also granted four weeks paid holiday per year.
Public holidays are paid time and half (x1.5). They are divided into two groups:
Christmas and New Year:
- Christmas Day (25 December)
- Boxing Day (26 December)
- New Year’s Day and the day after (1 and 2 January)
Other holidays:
- Waitangi Day (6 February)
- Good Friday and Easter, Monday (dates variable)
- ANZAC Day (25 April)
- Queen’s Birthday (first Monday in June)
- Labour Day (fourth Monday in October)
- Provincial Anniversary Day (date determined locally
The dates can change from year to year. Ask before planning your vacations.
If the public holiday falls on a weekend that you are not working, the public holiday is transferred to the following Monday or Tuesday when you are supposed to work.
If it falls on a weekend when you are supposed to work, you are entitled to a paid day off.
Students in New Zealand have four school holidays – one per term. Those are the times you should AVOID to travel. Use it to work and make some money, then travel while the crowd is back at work and the country is peaceful and quiet.
- to
- to
- to
- to
Official New Zealand public holiday dates
The general dates for the New Zealand school holidays are:
- to
- mid- to the beginning of
- Last half of
- Last week of to the first week of
One more time, avoid those dates for travelling. New Zealand is a small country not well equipped to welcome crowds of people, especially during the winter in ski resorts. New Zealand is best enjoyed far from the crowd.