UAE Public Holidays 2026 and 2027: Dates and Long Weekends

Every UAE public holiday for 2026 and 2027 in one place: confirmed dates, expected Eid dates, long weekends and what private sector staff are entitled to. Updated every month.

Last updated: 3 October 2026

Next UAE public holiday: National Day (Eid Al Etihad), Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 December 2026. Both days are paid holidays for the public and private sectors. With the Saturday and Sunday weekend, taking Friday 4 December as annual leave gives you 5 days off in a row, from 2 to 6 December.

UAE public holidays 2026

The UAE has 7 official holidays a year, set by Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024. The same list applies to government and private sector employees.

Holiday	Date observed in 2026	Days	Status
New Year's Day	Thursday 1 January	1	Passed
Eid Al Fitr (with Ramadan 30)	Thursday 19 to Sunday 22 March	4	Passed
Arafat Day	Tuesday 26 May	1	Passed
Eid Al Adha	Wednesday 27 to Friday 29 May	3	Passed
Hijri New Year	Monday 15 June	1	Passed
Prophet Mohammed's Birthday	Friday 28 August	1	Passed
National Day (Eid Al Etihad)	Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 December	2	Next

That adds up to 13 paid days off in 2026 for private sector staff. Eid Al Fitr ran to 4 days because Ramadan lasted 30 days: Eid fell on Friday 20 March, and the 30th of Ramadan was added as a holiday. Our Eid Al Fitr 2026 holiday guide has the full story.

For Eid Al Adha, the federal government gave its staff 5 days, from Monday 25 to Friday 29 May, which became a 9-day break with the weekends. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) set 4 days for the private sector, from Tuesday 26 to Friday 29 May, a 6-day break for most workers.

UAE public holidays 2027 (expected)

The Cabinet has not yet confirmed the 2027 dates. New Year's Day and National Day follow the Gregorian calendar, so they are fixed. The Islamic holidays below are expected, subject to moon sighting, based on astronomical calculations by the UAE's Astronomy Centre and the International Astronomical Center, as reported by Khaleej Times and Gulf News in August and September 2026.

Holiday	Expected date in 2027	Days
New Year's Day	Friday 1 January (fixed)	1
Eid Al Fitr	Tuesday 9 to Thursday 11 March, or to Friday 12 March if Ramadan lasts 30 days	3 or 4
Arafat Day	Saturday 15 May	1
Eid Al Adha	Sunday 16 to Tuesday 18 May	3
Hijri New Year	Sunday 6 June	1
Prophet Mohammed's Birthday	Saturday 14 August	1
National Day (Eid Al Etihad)	Thursday 2 and Friday 3 December (fixed)	2

Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin on Monday 8 February. Each Islamic date can move by a day once the UAE Moon Sighting Committee reports, and Khaleej Times notes that Arafat Day and Eid Al Adha could each fall a day later than shown. We update this table as soon as official dates are announced.

Long weekends in 2027

On the expected dates, 2027 looks like this for staff with a Saturday and Sunday weekend:

New Year: Friday 1 January gives a 3-day weekend.
Eid Al Fitr: if the holiday runs from Tuesday 9 to Friday 12 March, you get 6 days off with the weekend. Adding Monday 8 March as leave makes 9 days, from Saturday 6 to Sunday 14 March. If Ramadan lasts 29 days, the holiday ends on Thursday 11 March.
Eid Al Adha: Saturday 15 to Tuesday 18 May is 4 days off. Taking Wednesday 19 to Friday 21 May as leave stretches it to 9 days.
Hijri New Year and Prophet's Birthday: both are expected on a weekend day, so they may not add a day off. According to u.ae, a public holiday that falls on the weekend is not moved to another day.
National Day: Thursday 2 and Friday 3 December give a 4-day weekend.

How UAE public holidays work

The 7 occasions are listed in Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024 and published on the government portal, u.ae. Islamic holidays follow the Hijri calendar, so their Gregorian dates shift about 11 days earlier each year and are confirmed only after the crescent moon is sighted.

Each holiday is usually announced a few days to a few weeks before it falls:

Federal government staff: the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR) announces the dates.
Private sector staff: MoHRE announces the dates.
Emirate governments: Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman and the other emirates confirm holidays for their own departments. Sharjah government staff already work a 4-day week, so their breaks can be longer.

Private sector rights

Public holidays are paid and are separate from your annual leave. If your employer needs you to work on a public holiday, UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021) says you must get another day off in return, or your normal pay for that day plus at least 50% of your basic wage. Our guide to working on UAE public holidays explains how to claim it.

Some employers give extra days around Eid, but the minimum for every private sector worker is the official list above.

Planning a move before the next long weekend? You can browse live UAE jobs and apply between holidays.

FAQ

What is the next public holiday in the UAE?

The next holiday is UAE National Day, also called Eid Al Etihad, on Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 December 2026. It is the last public holiday of 2026 and applies to both the public and private sectors.

How many public holidays does the UAE have in 2026?

There are 7 holiday occasions, which added up to 13 paid days off for private sector staff in 2026. Federal government staff had 1 extra day for Eid Al Adha.

Do private sector employees get the same holidays as government staff?

Under Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024, both sectors share the same official holiday list. The government can give its own staff extra days, as it did for Eid Al Adha 2026, but private employers must give at least the official days, paid.

When is Eid Al Fitr 2027 in the UAE?

Astronomers expect Eid Al Fitr to fall on Tuesday 9 or Wednesday 10 March 2027, after Ramadan starts on about 8 February. The holiday is expected to run from 9 to 11 or 12 March, subject to moon sighting.

What happens if a UAE public holiday falls on a weekend?

According to the UAE government portal, a public holiday that falls on the weekend is not moved to another day. In 2027, Hijri New Year and the Prophet's Birthday are both expected on weekend days.

Do I get paid extra for working on a public holiday in the UAE?

Yes. Your employer must give you a replacement day off, or pay your normal wage for the day plus at least 50% of your basic wage, under the UAE Labour Law.

UAE Public Holidays 2026 and 2027: Full List and Long Weekends