Public Holidays in United Arab Emirates 2026
Public holidays in the United Arab Emirates are governed by a national framework that applies to both the public and private sectors. For 2026, several Islamic holiday dates have already been confirmed through official announcements, while National Day remains scheduled under the dates established by UAE Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024. The live holiday schedule below is maintained through the VisaBoards public-holiday database, followed by the rules that determine how UAE holidays are announced, transferred and applied.
Next Public Holiday in United Arab Emirates
| Date | Day | Holiday | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 28, 2026 | Friday | Prophet Mohammad’s Birthday | Confirmed |
Public Holidays in United Arab Emirates 2026
| Date | Day | Holiday | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2026 | Thursday | Gregorian New Year | Confirmed |
| February 12, 2026 | Thursday | National Day | Officially Scheduled |
| March 12, 2026 | Thursday | National Day | Officially Scheduled |
| March 19, 2026 | Thursday | Eid Al Fitr Holiday | Confirmed |
| March 20, 2026 | Friday | Eid Al Fitr Holiday | Confirmed |
| March 21, 2026 | Saturday | Eid Al Fitr Holiday | Confirmed |
| March 22, 2026 | Sunday | Eid Al Fitr Holiday | Confirmed |
| May 26, 2026 | Tuesday | Arafat Day | Confirmed |
| May 27, 2026 | Wednesday | Eid Al Adha | Confirmed |
| May 28, 2026 | Thursday | Eid Al Adha | Confirmed |
| May 29, 2026 | Friday | Eid Al Adha | Confirmed |
| June 15, 2026 | Monday | Hijri New Year | Confirmed |
| August 28, 2026 | Friday | Prophet Mohammad’s Birthday | Confirmed |
How Are Public Holidays Set in the UAE?
UAE Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024 establishes the country’s official public-holiday framework for both the public and private sectors. It covers Gregorian New Year, Eid Al Fitr, Arafat Day, Eid Al Adha, Hijri New Year, the Prophet Mohammad’s Birthday and National Day.
The resolution also sets an important rule for Eid Al Fitr. The standard holiday covers 1 to 3 Shawwal, but if Ramadan completes 30 days, the 30th day of Ramadan becomes an additional official holiday.
For holidays other than the Eid holidays, the Cabinet may issue a separate resolution moving an official holiday to the beginning or end of the week. Local governments may also declare additional holidays for their own government departments and corporations. These local or sector-specific days should not automatically be treated as nationwide public holidays.
How Are Islamic Public Holiday Dates Confirmed in the UAE?
Islamic holidays follow the Hijri calendar, so their Gregorian dates require particular care. The Official Platform of the UAE Government states that Islamic holidays are determined according to moon sighting.
Eid Al Fitr 2026 demonstrates why estimated holiday calendars can change. The private-sector announcement initially provided for a holiday from 19 to 21 March, with 22 March added if Ramadan completed 30 days. The Presidential Court subsequently confirmed through Emirates News Agency that the Shawwal crescent had not been sighted on 18 March. As a result, 19 March completed Ramadan and 20 March became the first day of Eid Al Fitr.
For this reason, predicted Gregorian dates from calendars published months in advance should not be treated as final when a later government announcement, moon-sighting decision or official circular is available.
Do Public and Private Sector Holiday Dates Always Match?
The UAE’s national holiday framework applies to both public and private sectors, but the implementation of a particular break can sometimes differ between federal-government employees and private-sector employees.
A clear example occurred around Arafat Day and Eid Al Adha in 2026. The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources announced a 25 to 29 May holiday for ministries and federal entities. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, however, announced 26 to 29 May as the paid holiday for private-sector employees.
The additional 25 May federal-government day is therefore not treated as a general nationwide public-holiday date in the VisaBoards primary holiday database.
Long Weekends in the UAE in 2026
The length of a holiday break depends on an employee’s normal working and weekly-rest schedule. Employees whose regular weekend is Saturday and Sunday had several opportunities for extended breaks in 2026:
- Eid Al Fitr: the confirmed holiday period ran from Thursday 19 March through Sunday 22 March, creating a four-day break.
- Arafat Day and Eid Al Adha: the private-sector holiday ran from Tuesday 26 May through Friday 29 May. For employees who also had Saturday and Sunday off, this produced six consecutive days away from work. Federal-government employees received an earlier official start on Monday 25 May.
- Hijri New Year: the holiday was observed on Monday 15 June, which created a three-day break for employees whose normal rest days were Saturday and Sunday.
- Prophet Mohammad’s Birthday: the 2026 holiday was officially observed on Friday 28 August. Employees who normally have Saturday and Sunday off could therefore have a three-day weekend.
National Day is currently scheduled for Wednesday 2 December and Thursday 3 December. A longer National Day break should not be treated as official unless a subsequent Cabinet decision or relevant government announcement changes the schedule.
Are Public Holidays Paid in the UAE?
Yes. Private-sector workers are entitled to official public holidays with full pay under Article 28 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 Regulating Labour Relations.
If work circumstances require an employee to work during an official holiday, the employer must compensate the employee with another rest day for each public holiday worked or pay the wage due for that day together with an increase of at least 50% of the employee’s basic wage for that day.
Individual work schedules can vary, particularly for shift workers and businesses that operate throughout the week, so the practical days off may differ from one workplace to another.
What Happens When a UAE Public Holiday Falls on a Weekend?
A public holiday falling on a normal rest day does not automatically create an extra substitute holiday. UAE Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024 allows the Cabinet to transfer non-Eid holidays to the beginning or end of a week through a specific resolution, but this is a government decision rather than an automatic replacement-day rule.
The official UAE holiday guidance also states that a holiday cannot be transferred merely because it coincides with another public holiday or falls on the weekend. For private-sector employees who are actually required to work on an official holiday, the separate compensation provisions under Article 28 of the UAE Labour Law apply.
Is Commemoration Day a Public Holiday in the UAE?
Commemoration Day is an important national observance in the UAE, but it is not listed as a separate nationwide public holiday in Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024. The resolution lists National Day on 2 and 3 December as the two official national-holiday dates.
Commemoration Day should therefore not be added to a general UAE public-holiday calendar as an additional nationwide day off unless a separate official government decision specifically grants a holiday.
Who Announces Public Holidays in the UAE?
The UAE Cabinet establishes the national legal framework for public holidays. Different authorities then issue implementing announcements for their respective sectors or for individual occasions.
- UAE Cabinet: establishes the national public-holiday framework and can approve permitted transfers of non-Eid holidays.
- Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE): announces public-holiday arrangements affecting private-sector employees.
- Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR): issues circulars and announcements for federal ministries and entities.
- Presidential Court and relevant moon-sighting authorities: provide authoritative confirmation of lunar-calendar dates where required.
- Local governments: may determine additional holidays for their own government departments and corporations under the Cabinet resolution.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the next public holiday in the United Arab Emirates?
The next holiday changes as the year progresses. Use the “Next Public Holiday in United Arab Emirates” section near the top of this page for the current holiday, date and countdown.
Are UAE public holidays the same for the public and private sectors?
The national holiday framework applies to both sectors. However, specific implementing announcements can produce differences in the length or start of a holiday period, as occurred with the federal-government and private-sector Eid Al Adha breaks in May 2026.
Are Islamic public holiday dates fixed in advance in the UAE?
Not always. Islamic holidays follow the Hijri calendar, and official UAE guidance states that Islamic dates are determined according to moon sighting. Later official announcements should therefore take priority over earlier estimates.
Why was there an extra Eid Al Fitr holiday on 19 March 2026?
Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024 provides an additional official holiday when Ramadan completes 30 days. The UAE Presidential Court confirmed that 19 March 2026 was the final day of Ramadan and that Eid Al Fitr began on 20 March.
Can the UAE Government move a public holiday to another day?
Yes, but only under the rules in Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024. With the exception of the Eid holidays, the Cabinet may transfer a public holiday to the beginning or end of the week through a specific resolution.
Do employees get another day off if a public holiday falls on their weekly rest day?
There is no automatic nationwide substitute-day entitlement simply because a public holiday overlaps with a weekly rest day. For private-sector employees, a replacement rest day or additional pay is specifically required when the employee is required to work during the official holiday.
Can an emirate announce an additional public holiday?
Yes. Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024 allows local governments to determine additional public holidays for their own government departments and corporations. Such a holiday should not automatically be classified as a nationwide UAE public holiday.
Is Commemoration Day a separate public holiday in the UAE?
No separate nationwide public holiday for Commemoration Day appears in the current Cabinet Resolution governing UAE public holidays. National Day is officially listed for 2 and 3 December.
Where are official UAE public holiday announcements published?
Authoritative information is published through the Official Platform of the UAE Government, UAE Legislation, MoHRE, FAHR, the UAE Government Media Office and official announcements carried by Emirates News Agency. For date-sensitive Islamic holidays, the latest applicable government announcement should be used instead of an earlier predicted calendar.
Official Sources for Public Holidays in United Arab Emirates
- UAE Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024 Concerning the Public Holidays in the State – establishes the official holiday list and rules for holiday transfers and additional local-government holidays.
- Official Platform of the UAE Government – Public Holidays – explains the holidays applicable to public and private sectors and the treatment of Islamic holiday dates.
- Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation – Eid Al Fitr 2026 – provides the private-sector Eid Al Fitr holiday arrangement.
- Emirates News Agency – Eid Al Fitr Moon-Sighting Confirmation – records the Presidential Court confirmation of the end of Ramadan and first day of Eid Al Fitr in 2026.
- Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation – Arafat Day and Eid Al Adha 2026 – confirms the private-sector holiday from 26 to 29 May.
- Federal Authority for Government Human Resources – Eid Al Adha 2026 – confirms the separate 25 to 29 May federal-government holiday period.
- FAHR Circular No. 11 of 2026 – confirms Friday 28 August 2026 for the Prophet Mohammad’s Birthday holiday in federal entities.
- Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 Regulating Labour Relations – sets private-sector entitlement and compensation rules for official public holidays.
