If you're weighing up New Zealand vs USA time off, here's the short version: in America, paid time off is a perk your employer decides to give you. In New Zealand, it's the law. Every job. Every worker.

I moved my family of six from the United States to New Zealand in 2013 for what was supposed to be two years. Here's the comparison I wish someone had put in front of me before we went, with the numbers side by side and a source for every one of them.

Annual leave: 0 days vs 4 weeks

United States: There is no federal minimum for paid vacation. None. The Fair Labor Standards Act, which sets the rules on wages and hours, does not require employers to pay for any time not worked, and that includes vacations. Whatever paid time off you get is a matter of agreement between you and your employer.

In practice, most American workers do get some. After one year of service, the most common allowances are 5 to 9 days or 10 to 14 days, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But the key word is "most." In leisure and hospitality, fewer than half of workers have access to paid vacation at all.

New Zealand: After 12 months of continuous employment, every employee is entitled to four weeks of paid annual leave. It's not negotiable downward. It's the floor.

Sick leave: 0 days vs 10 days

United States: Again, no federal requirement. Some states and cities have passed their own paid sick leave laws, but at the national level, nothing. In 2025, 80% of private-sector workers had access to paid sick leave, which means one in five did not.

New Zealand: Ten days of paid sick leave a year, for yourself, your partner, or anyone who depends on you. Required by law.

Public holidays: 0 guaranteed vs 11 national

United States: Federal holidays exist, but there is no federal requirement that private employers give you the day off or pay you for it. Around 81% of private-sector workers get paid holidays, averaging about eight days a year. If you work retail or hospitality, you know how that goes.

New Zealand: Eleven national public holidays, including Waitangi Day, ANZAC Day, and Matariki, plus a regional anniversary day for wherever you live.

A new baby: 12 weeks unpaid vs 26 weeks paid

This is the one that makes American parents go quiet.

United States: The Family and Medical Leave Act gives eligible workers up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave. Unpaid. And you only qualify if you've worked for your employer for 12 months, clocked at least 1,250 hours, and your employer has 50 or more employees within 75 miles. A lot of people don't clear all three.

New Zealand: Eligible parents get 26 weeks of paid parental leave, funded by the government through Inland Revenue. Six months. Paid.

Now the part nobody posts

You're moving to an island. Plenty of things cost a bit more, and some things take longer.

But for most of the people I've helped make this move, the work-life balance is priceless. Four weeks off that your boss actually expects you to take. A sick day that doesn't come with guilt. Six months at home with a newborn.

I've never had a client tell me they regretted the trade.

One thing to know about these numbers

New Zealand passed a new Employment Leave Act in August 2026 that will eventually replace the current Holidays Act. It changes how leave is calculated, moving to an hours-based system. But it doesn't take effect until 6 August 2028, and the entitlements above are unchanged until then. Everything in this post is current as of September 2026.

But none of this matters until you can actually get here

Here's the bit most people get backwards. You don't get the visa and then find a job. You get the job, and the job gets you the visa. Get that order wrong and you can lose a year to it.

So before you spend another evening comparing annual leave, ask the question that decides everything: is there actually a pathway for someone with your job, your age, and your family?

It takes two minutes and it's free.

Take my free eligibility quiz

Sources

• Employment New Zealand: Leave and holidays (four weeks annual leave, ten days sick leave)
• Employment New Zealand: Public holidays and anniversary dates
• Inland Revenue: Paid parental leave overview (26 weeks)
• MBIE: Holidays Act reform, Employment Leave Act (in force 6 August 2028)
• US Department of Labor: Vacation leave (FLSA does not require paid time off)
• US Department of Labor: Family and Medical Leave Act (12 weeks unpaid, eligibility)
• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Paid sick leave available to 80% of private industry workers in 2025
• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Paid vacations fact sheet, March 2025

Tara Hulbert is the founder of KiwiAmericans. She is not a licensed immigration adviser; KiwiAmericans partners with licensed experts for immigration advice.