Last updated: 16 October 2026. Next check: mid-November 2026, then whenever the Cabinet or moon-sighting committees announce a date.
This guide shows where a UAE public holiday joins a weekend. Holiday dates come from the rules on the UAE government public holidays page and, for 2027, the expected dates reported by Gulf News. The day counts and leave suggestions are our own calculation, assuming a Saturday and Sunday weekend and a normal Friday working day. Employers vary, so check your own contract, and note that Islamic dates are expected until the moon is sighted.
Rest of 2026
| Holiday | Holiday days | Break with no leave | Break with leave (our calculation) |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Day | Wed 2 and Thu 3 December 2026 | 2 days, mid-week | Take Fri 4 December: Wed 2 to Sun 6 December, 5 days. Take Mon 30 November, Tue 1 and Fri 4 December: Sat 28 November to Sun 6 December, 9 days |
The Cabinet can transfer some mid-week holidays, and no transfer has been announced as of 16 October 2026. If it moves National Day to Friday 4 December, the break becomes Fri 4 to Sun 6 December.
2027 (expected dates)
| Holiday | Expected holiday days | Break with no leave | Break with leave (our calculation) |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | Fri 1 January | 3 days, Fri 1 to Sun 3 January | Take Thu 31 December: 4 days |
| Eid Al Fitr | Tue 9 to Thu 11 March (to Fri 12 if Ramadan has 30 days) | 3 days (Tue 9 to Thu 11) if Ramadan has 29 days; 6 days (Tue 9 to Sun 14 March) if it has 30 | 29-day Ramadan: take Fri 12 for Tue 9 to Sun 14, 6 days. 30-day Ramadan: take Mon 8 for Sat 6 to Sun 14, 9 days |
| Arafah Day and Eid Al Adha | Sat 15 to Tue 18 May | 4 days, Sat 15 to Tue 18 May | Take Wed 19: 5 days. Take Wed 19 to Fri 21: Sat 15 to Sun 23 May, 9 days |
| Hijri New Year | Sun 6 June | Falls on a weekend, no extra break | None |
| Prophet’s Birthday | Sat 14 August | Falls on a weekend, no extra break | None |
| National Day | Thu 2 and Fri 3 December | 4 days, Thu 2 to Sun 5 December | Take Wed 1 December: 5 days |
The UAE government page says a public holiday that falls on a weekend cannot be transferred to another day, which is why the two weekend holidays above add no break.
Five-day or longer breaks at a glance
- National Day 2026: 5 days with one day of leave (Fri 4 December)
- Eid Al Adha 2027: 5 days with one day of leave (Wed 19 May)
- National Day 2027: 5 days with one day of leave (Wed 1 December)
- Eid Al Fitr 2027: 6 days with no leave if Ramadan has 30 days
Friday arrangements differ between employers. We have not confirmed federal Friday hours outside Ramadan from an official source, so this guide treats Friday as a normal working day.