How to almost TRIPLE your annual leave in 2022 and have 54 days off by taking just 23 days

After two years of domestic and overseas travel restrictions courtesy of the Covid-19 pandemic, Aussies are craving a much-needed holiday more than ever. 

And with state and international borders on track to reopen by December, 2022 shaping up to be an ideal time to put banked-up annual leave to use, with a new study by Instant Offices revealing eight in 10 Australians are dealing with burnout. 

But with some strategic planning around public holidays, Australians can maximise their break to take 54 days off while only using 23 days of leave. 

Christmas Day this year and New Year’s Day both fall on weekends, meaning there will be a number of ‘substitute’ public holidays in December and January. 

With many public holidays falling on weekends in 2022, there will be several ‘substitute’ public holidays during the week

Monday December 27 will become a public holiday in place of Christmas, while Monday January 3 will substitute for New Years Day. 

By planning a break from Saturday December 25  until Monday January 3, you can take ten days off using just four days of leave. 

The next opportunity for extended leave will come in April when there are several Easter and national holidays in a row. 

Workers can take an 11 day break in exchange for four days of leave by booking time off from Friday April 15 (Good Friday) through till Monday April 25 (Anzac Day). 

Alternatively, the break can be extended to Friday April 29 for a total of 17 days off using eight days of leave for a longer mid-year holiday. 

With Monday May 30 marking Reconciliation day, holiday-makers can nab a nine-day break for just four days of leave by taking off Saturday May 28 to Monday June 6. 

Those who plan their breaks around all of the public holidays could score 54 days off work while using just 23 days of annual leave (stock)

The same break-to-leave ratio is available the following week by booking time off from Saturday June 11  (with the Queen’s birthday public holiday falling on Monday 13) until Monday June 20th.  

While public holidays will be sparse over winter, Aussies will be able to enjoy a nine day break for four days of leave as the weather begins to warm in spring.

Labour Day will fall on Monday October 3, offering the chance for a holiday from Saturday October 1 to Monday October 10 – at more than double the amount of days to leave. 

Christmas and New Years Day will again fall over the weekend in 2022 and 2023, giving Aussies additional public holidays on December 27 and January 2.