Whether you are scheduling work projects, planning leave for your workforce, or simply looking forward to a long weekend, public holidays play an important role for employers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Back in April 2024, the UAE issued a Cabinet Decision (Cabinet Decision No. 27/2024 on Official Holidays in the State), which came into force on January 1, 2025 and sets out the applicable public holidays in the UAE.
According to the Cabinet Decision, employees will enjoy the following public holidays in 2026:
- New Year: The New Year holiday has already taken place on January 1, 2026
- Eid al Fitr: The Eid al Fitr holiday marks the end of Ramadan and will provide a public holiday for three calendar days from 1–3 Shawwal. The occurrence of Eid al Fitr will depend on the sighting of the moon, and the current dates as per the Gregorian Calendar are therefore not yet announced
- Day of Arafah: This holiday will take place on 9 Dhi al-Hijjah—the Gregorian date remains to be confirmed
- Eid al Adha: Employees will enjoy three days off from 10–12 Dhi al-Hijjah (pending confirmation of the Gregorian dates); together with the Day of Arafah public holiday, UAE employees will enjoy four consecutive days off work
- Islamic New Year: Islamic New Year will be celebrated on 1 Muharram
- Prophet Mohammad’s Birthday (PBUH): Employees will enjoy one day off on 12 Rabi’ Al-Awwal to celebrate PBUH
- National Day: The National Day holiday will be celebrated on December 2, 2026 and December 3, 2026
Under the Cabinet Decision, the UAE Cabinet has the power to transfer any official holidays that are not considered festive holidays to the beginning or end of a week.
Employees are entitled to their salary during public holidays.
Under the UAE Labour Law, if an employee is required to work on a public holiday, they are entitled to a day off in lieu or to an uplift of 50% basic salary in addition to their usual remuneration for the time worked.
Under the Abu Dhabi Global Market Employment Regulations and Dubai International Financial Centre Employment Law, an employee who agrees to work on a public holiday is entitled to their daily wage in addition to either
- a day of leave in lieu of each day worked on a public holiday; or
- a payment equal to the employee’s daily wage for each day worked on a public holiday (so effectively double the salary for the public holidays worked) or, in cases where the employee did not work for the entire public holiday, a pro-rated payment.