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Free tools › Annual leave by country

Annual leave:
New Zealand vs Singapore

Statutory annual leave in New Zealand and Singapore, side by side, with the primary source for every figure.

How does annual leave compare between New Zealand and Singapore?

New Zealand: 4 weeks' paid annual holidays after 12 months, plus up to 12 public holidays including Matariki. Singapore: 7 days in year one, rising a day per year to 14 days from year eight, plus 11 paid public holidays. At five years' service that means 4 weeks in New Zealand and 11 days in Singapore.

New Zealand vs Singapore, side by side

New ZealandSingapore
The rule4 weeks' paid annual holidays after 12 months, plus up to 12 public holidays including Matariki.7 days in year one, rising a day per year to 14 days from year eight, plus 11 paid public holidays.
At 1 year4 weeks7 days
At 5 years4 weeks11 days
At 10 years4 weeks14 days
Key numbersEntitlement: 4 weeks after 12 months; Public holidays: Up to 12 (11 national + 1 regional); Pay-as-you-go: 8% of gross, narrow eligibilityYear one: 7 days; From year eight: 14 days; Public holidays: 11

New Zealand

Every employee reaches 4 weeks of paid annual holidays at each 12-month anniversary. Public holidays top out at 12: 11 national days including Matariki, plus one regional anniversary day. Pay-as-you-go at 8% of gross is allowed only for genuine fixed-term roles under 12 months or truly irregular work, and calling someone casual is not enough on its own.

  • Entitlement4 weeks after 12 months
  • Public holidaysUp to 12 (11 national + 1 regional)
  • Pay-as-you-go8% of gross, narrow eligibility
  • The Holidays Act replacement (the Employment Leave Bill) is at select committee; once passed it takes effect only 24 months after assent, so current rules hold until roughly 2028-29.

Source: Employment New Zealand (Holidays Act 2003). Checked July 2026.

Singapore

Singapore has the leanest statutory leave scale of the six markets: the Employment Act minimum starts at 7 days and adds one per year of service, capping at 14 from the eighth year. Contracts commonly provide more. All Employment Act employees are covered, managers and executives included, after 3 months' service. Public holidays add 11 paid days.

  • Year one7 days
  • From year eight14 days
  • Public holidays11
  • Qualifying service3 months
Length of serviceEntitlement
1st year7 days
2nd year8 days
3rd year9 days
4th year10 days
5th year11 days
6th year12 days
7th year13 days
8th year onwards14 days
  • Don't tie leave to the S$2,600 salary threshold; that gates hours-of-work protections, not leave.

Source: Ministry of Manpower (Employment Act s.88A). Checked July 2026.

Sources

Every figure on this page comes from the government source for its market.

MarketSourceRule / effectiveVerified
New ZealandEmployment New ZealandHolidays Act 2003Checked July 2026
SingaporeMinistry of ManpowerEmployment Act s.88AChecked July 2026

Next step

Calculator

True cost of an employee (New Zealand)

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True cost of an employee (Singapore)

The same loaded-cost maths for Singapore, on local rates.

Run the Singapore number →Compare markets

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The rules you can look up.
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Comparing entitlements is the easy half of hiring across markets. The hard half is whether the person you hire in Sydney, Singapore or Seattle will actually work out, and that risk looks the same in every jurisdiction. Compono matches candidates on how they work as well as what the CV claims, so the hires behind these numbers hold up wherever you make them.

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Common questions

What is the rule on annual leave in New Zealand?

4 weeks' paid annual holidays after 12 months, plus up to 12 public holidays including Matariki. Every employee reaches 4 weeks of paid annual holidays at each 12-month anniversary.

What is the rule on annual leave in Singapore?

7 days in year one, rising a day per year to 14 days from year eight, plus 11 paid public holidays. Singapore has the leanest statutory leave scale of the six markets: the Employment Act minimum starts at 7 days and adds one per year of service, capping at 14 from the eighth year.

Where can I check the source figures?

The sources section below links the New Zealand and Singapore government pages every figure on this page was verified against in July 2026.

This page is general information, not legal advice. We check figures annually and update them on a best-efforts basis, but employment rules change and we cannot promise everything here is current or complete. Before you act on it, confirm the detail with Employment New Zealand, the Ministry of Manpower or your own adviser. Last reviewed July 2026.