Labour Day is held on the fourth Monday in October. It commemorates the struggle for an eight-hour working day, which New Zealand was one of the first places in the world to adopt, and it is the last national long weekend before the summer holidays.
Labour Day dates
| Holiday | Actual date | Observed weekday date | Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labour Day 2026 | Mon, 26 Oct 2026 | Mon, 26 Oct 2026 | Monday |
| Labour Day 2027 | Mon, 25 Oct 2027 | Mon, 25 Oct 2027 | Monday |
The eight-hour day
In 1840, carpenter Samuel Parnell famously refused to work more than eight hours a day in the new settlement of Wellington, and the idea spread through the young colony. Labour Day was first celebrated in 1890 and became a public holiday in 1900. It was later moved to the fourth Monday in October.
Spring planning
By late October, daylight saving is in place and evenings are longer. It is a popular weekend for gardening, the first camping trips of the season and, in many places, spring events and markets. Weather can still be changeable, so pack layers for alpine and coastal trips.
Regional holidays nearby
Hawke's Bay's anniversary day is usually the Friday before Labour Day, creating a four-day weekend there. Marlborough's anniversary falls on the Monday after Labour Day, and Canterbury's show day follows in mid-November. Check the regional table below for your area.
Shops, pay and school
Labour Day is a normal trading day for shops. If you work, you are entitled to time and a half and an alternative holiday if it would otherwise be a working day for you. It falls in term 4, shortly after the spring school holidays.
Make the most of your leave
These plans count national public holidays and weekends for someone who usually works Monday to Friday. They are worked out from the dates above; regional anniversaries and your own roster can make them better or worse.
Labour Day 2026
- No leave → 3 days off: Sat, 24 Oct 2026 to Mon, 26 Oct 2026.
- 1 day of leave → 4 days off: Sat, 24 Oct 2026 to Tue, 27 Oct 2026. Leave on Tue, 27 Oct 2026.
- 2 days of leave → 5 days off: Sat, 24 Oct 2026 to Wed, 28 Oct 2026. Leave on Tue, 27 Oct 2026, Wed, 28 Oct 2026.
- 3 days of leave → 6 days off: Sat, 24 Oct 2026 to Thu, 29 Oct 2026. Leave on Tue, 27 Oct 2026, Wed, 28 Oct 2026, Thu, 29 Oct 2026.
- 4 days of leave → 9 days off: Sat, 24 Oct 2026 to Sun, 1 Nov 2026. Leave on Tue, 27 Oct 2026, Wed, 28 Oct 2026, Thu, 29 Oct 2026, Fri, 30 Oct 2026.
- 5 days of leave → 10 days off: Sat, 24 Oct 2026 to Mon, 2 Nov 2026. Leave on Tue, 27 Oct 2026, Wed, 28 Oct 2026, Thu, 29 Oct 2026, Fri, 30 Oct 2026, Mon, 2 Nov 2026.
In 2026 this falls during the school term for state and state-integrated schools. Nearby regional days: Hawke’s Bay anniversary (Fri, 23 Oct 2026); Marlborough anniversary (Mon, 2 Nov 2026); Canterbury anniversary (Fri, 13 Nov 2026).
Labour Day 2027
- No leave → 3 days off: Sat, 23 Oct 2027 to Mon, 25 Oct 2027.
- 1 day of leave → 4 days off: Sat, 23 Oct 2027 to Tue, 26 Oct 2027. Leave on Tue, 26 Oct 2027.
- 2 days of leave → 5 days off: Sat, 23 Oct 2027 to Wed, 27 Oct 2027. Leave on Tue, 26 Oct 2027, Wed, 27 Oct 2027.
- 3 days of leave → 6 days off: Sat, 23 Oct 2027 to Thu, 28 Oct 2027. Leave on Tue, 26 Oct 2027, Wed, 27 Oct 2027, Thu, 28 Oct 2027.
- 4 days of leave → 9 days off: Sat, 23 Oct 2027 to Sun, 31 Oct 2027. Leave on Tue, 26 Oct 2027, Wed, 27 Oct 2027, Thu, 28 Oct 2027, Fri, 29 Oct 2027.
- 5 days of leave → 10 days off: Sat, 23 Oct 2027 to Mon, 1 Nov 2027. Leave on Tue, 26 Oct 2027, Wed, 27 Oct 2027, Thu, 28 Oct 2027, Fri, 29 Oct 2027, Mon, 1 Nov 2027.
In 2027 this falls during the school term for state and state-integrated schools. Nearby regional days: Hawke’s Bay anniversary (Fri, 22 Oct 2027); Marlborough anniversary (Mon, 1 Nov 2027); Canterbury anniversary (Fri, 12 Nov 2027).
Try your own dates in the leave planner →
If you work on the day
If a public holiday falls on a day you would otherwise work and you do work, the Holidays Act 2003 entitles you to be paid at least time and a half, and to an alternative holiday (a paid day off in lieu). If you would otherwise work but have the day off, you are paid as usual. Rosters, shift patterns and employment agreements affect the details, so check Employment New Zealand's guidance or talk to your employer.
Questions people ask
When is Labour Day in New Zealand?
Labour Day is always the fourth Monday in October.
Why is New Zealand's Labour Day different from other countries?
Many countries mark labour in May or September. New Zealand's date reflects its own history of the eight-hour day.
Ideas for the long weekend
Spring is lambing and blossom season. Wellington, Rotorua and Christchurch are easy city breaks, and longer evenings make a road trip more relaxed. Start with: Wellington, Christchurch, Auckland to Wellington road trip.
Plan a trip
Looking for somewhere else? Browse getaway ideas and road trips, or see every long weekend in 2027.
Other holiday guides: New Year · Waitangi Day · Easter · Anzac Day · King's Birthday · Matariki · Christmas