UAE Public Holidays 2027: Dates and Employer Guide

August 27, 2026 • 21 min read •

By Kate Vodopian

Quick answer: Under the current UAE holiday calendar, employees receive 12 paid public holiday days in a standard year.

This increases to 13 days when Ramadan lasts 30 days.

The expected UAE public holidays for 2027 are:

• New Year’s Day — Friday, January 1;
• Eid Al Fitr — expected from Tuesday, March 9 to Thursday, March 11, with a possible fourth day on Friday, March 12;
• Arafat Day — expected on Saturday, May 15;
• Eid Al Adha — expected from Sunday, May 16 to Tuesday, May 18;
• Islamic New Year — expected on Sunday, June 6;
• Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday — expected on Saturday, August 14;
• Eid Al Etihad, also called UAE National Day — Thursday, December 2 and Friday, December 3.

The Islamic holiday dates are provisional. They can change following the official moon-sighting process.

Under the current rules, a holiday that falls on a weekend does not automatically move to another weekday.

Last reviewed: 27 August 2026.

Public holidays in the United Arab Emirates affect:

• employee schedules;
• payroll;
• annual leave;
• shift cover;
• customer opening hours;
• and project planning.

The UAE has one national public holiday framework for the public and private sectors.

This makes the basic calendar easier to manage.

However, employers still need to understand:

• which dates are fixed;
• which dates depend on the moon;
• when a holiday can be moved;
• what happens when it falls on a weekend;
• and how employees must be compensated if they work.

How Public Holidays Work in the UAE

UAE public holidays are set by Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024.

The resolution applies to both:

• the public sector;
• and the private sector.

It lists seven holiday occasions:

1. Gregorian New Year;
2. Eid Al Fitr;
3. Arafat Day;
4. Eid Al Adha;
5. Islamic New Year;
6. Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday;
7. National Day.

Some of these occasions last more than one day.

This creates 12 statutory holiday days in a normal year.

If Ramadan lasts 30 days, the 30th day of Ramadan is added to the Eid Al Fitr holiday. This increases the total to 13 days.

UAE Public Holidays in 2027

The table below brings the complete expected 2027 calendar into one place.

The fixed dates come from the current Cabinet resolution.

The Islamic dates are planning estimates. Current UAE forecasts place Eid Al Fitr around March 9, Arafat Day and Eid Al Adha from May 15 to 18, Islamic New Year on June 6, and the Prophet’s Birthday on August 14.

UAE Public Holidays 2027: Compact Calendar

How Many UAE Public Holiday Days Are There?

The current holiday resolution provides the following number of days.

This is the number of statutory holiday days.

It does not mean every employee will receive 12 or 13 extra weekdays away from work.

Several 2027 holidays fall on Saturday or Sunday.

The practical effect therefore depends on the employee’s normal work schedule.

Eid Al Fitr in 2027

Ramadan is currently expected to begin around Monday, February 8, 2027.

The Eid Al Fitr holiday is set in the law as:

• 1 Shawwal;
• 2 Shawwal;
• 3 Shawwal.

If Ramadan completes 30 days, the 30th day of Ramadan also becomes an official holiday.

This creates two possible outcomes.

The holiday begins on March 9 in both planning scenarios.

If Ramadan lasts 30 days, March 9 is the additional Ramadan holiday. The first day of Eid would then be March 10.

The final dates will depend on the official sighting of the Shawwal crescent. Astronomical calculations show that the Shawwal crescent observation will take place around March 8 and 9, 2027.

Possible Six-Day Break

If Ramadan lasts 30 days, the public holiday could run from:

• Tuesday, March 9;
• through Friday, March 12.

For employees who normally have Saturday and Sunday off, this would create a six-day break ending on Sunday, March 14.

If Ramadan lasts 29 days, the statutory holiday would finish on Thursday, March 11.

An employee taking annual leave on Friday, March 12 could still create the same six-day break.

Arafat Day and Eid Al Adha in 2027

Arafat Day and Eid Al Adha create four statutory holiday days.

The current expected dates are:

These dates are based on the expected start of Dhu Al Hijjah.

The International Astronomical Centre currently places the beginning of Dhu Al Hijjah in the eastern region on Friday, May 7. This would place Arafat Day on May 15 and the first day of Eid Al Adha on May 16. The final UAE dates will still depend on the official crescent announcement.

No Extra Day for the Weekend

Arafat Day is expected to fall on Saturday.

The first day of Eid Al Adha is expected to fall on Sunday.

The current holiday rules do not automatically add another Monday or Wednesday because part of the holiday falls on the weekend.

For employees who normally work Monday to Friday, the four-day holiday period would run from Saturday to Tuesday.

Monday and Tuesday would be the two weekday public holidays.

Islamic New Year in 2027

Islamic New Year is expected to fall on:

Sunday, June 6, 2027

The holiday marks the first day of Muharram.

The final date will depend on the official moon sighting.

Because the date is expected to fall on a Sunday, it does not automatically move to Monday under the current Cabinet resolution.

A separate Cabinet decision should not be assumed.

Employers should wait for the official announcement before finalising payroll or closure arrangements.

Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday in 2027

Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday is expected to fall on:

Saturday, August 14, 2027

The statutory date is 12 Rabi Al Awwal.

The final Gregorian date depends on the Hijri calendar and moon sighting.

Because the expected date falls on Saturday, there is no automatic Friday or Monday substitute under the current holiday rules.

This is different from a holiday falling in the middle of the working week.

A non-Eid holiday that falls midweek may be moved to the start or end of the week by a separate Cabinet decision.

Eid Al Etihad and UAE National Day in 2027

Eid Al Etihad, also called UAE National Day, has two statutory holiday dates:

• Thursday, December 2, 2027;
• Friday, December 3, 2027.

For employees with a Saturday and Sunday weekend, this is expected to create a four-day break from Thursday to Sunday.

The current resolution calls this occasion National Day and assigns two days from December 2 to December 3. The UAE commonly uses the name Eid Al Etihad for the national celebration.

A final government circular should still be checked before employers publish their December closure arrangements.

Is Commemoration Day a Public Holiday?

Commemoration Day is observed annually on November 30.

It honours Emiratis who lost their lives while serving the country.

However, Commemoration Day is not listed as a separate paid public holiday in the current Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024.

Employers should therefore not automatically add November 30 or December 1 as an extra private-sector holiday.

A day off would apply only if:

• the Cabinet issues a special decision;
• a local government issues a decision for its own entities;
• the employment contract provides it;
• or the company grants it as an additional benefit.

Commemoration Day remains an important national occasion even though it is not a separate statutory holiday in the current national holiday list.

What Happens When a UAE Holiday Falls on a Weekend?

The current rules do not create an automatic substitute weekday.

Article 3 of Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024 states that a public holiday cannot be transferred when it:

• coincides with another public holiday;
• or falls on the weekend.

This means employers should not automatically create an observed Friday or Monday.

The following expected 2027 dates are affected.

An employer can still provide another day through:

• an employment contract;
• a collective agreement;
• company policy;
• or a discretionary benefit.

That additional day should be recorded as a company holiday rather than a statutory observed date.

When Can the UAE Move a Public Holiday?

The Cabinet can move some public holidays to the beginning or end of the week.

This requires a separate Cabinet decision.

The transfer rule does not apply automatically.

It also does not apply to Eid holidays.

The current resolution provides that:

• non-Eid holidays can be moved by a Cabinet decision;
• the new date should be at the beginning or end of the week;
• a holiday cannot be transferred when it falls on the weekend;
• a holiday cannot be transferred when it coincides with another public holiday.

Employers should therefore use the statutory date until an official transfer announcement is made.

Do Public and Private-Sector Employees Receive the Same Holidays?

The national holiday calendar applies to both the public and private sectors.

This gives employees in both sectors the same national holiday occasions.

The daily working arrangements may still differ.

For example:

• federal government entities may issue their own return-to-work circular;
• local governments may add holidays for their own departments and corporations;
• private employers may have different weekly rest days;
• shift-based businesses may remain open.

Local governments can approve additional holidays for their own government departments and corporations.

An additional local government holiday does not automatically apply to every private employer in that emirate.

Public Holiday Pay in the UAE

Private-sector employees covered by the federal labour law are entitled to official public holidays with full pay.

If an employee does not work, the public holiday is paid.

If the business requires the employee to work, the employer must provide one of two forms of compensation.

The law uses or between the two compensation options.

This means the employee receives:

• a substitute rest day;
• or the statutory payment.

An employment contract or company policy can provide a more generous benefit.

Public Holiday Pay Example

Assume an employee is required to work on a public holiday.

The employer can choose one of the following options.

Option 1: Substitute Day

The employee receives:

• their normal holiday entitlement;
• and one alternative day off.

Option 2: Additional Payment

The employee receives:

• the wage payable for the normal working day;
• plus an increase of at least 50% of the basic wage for that day.

The calculation distinguishes between:

• the employee’s total wage;
• and the employee’s basic wage.

Payroll teams should not calculate the 50% supplement using the total wage unless the contract provides a more generous calculation.

Public Holidays During Annual Leave

This is an important point for UAE employers.

Under Article 29 of the federal labour law, holidays prescribed by law or agreement are included in the annual leave period when:

• they fall during the annual leave;
• and they form part of that leave period.

An employment contract or company policy can provide a more beneficial arrangement.

This means a public holiday does not always extend annual leave automatically.

For example, an employee may book a continuous period of annual leave that includes Eid Al Fitr.

Under the federal rule, the Eid days can form part of that annual leave period unless the employer’s policy gives the employee a better entitlement.

Employers should explain clearly whether their annual leave is managed as:

• calendar days;
• working days;
• or another agreed method.

The leave system should match the employment contract and company rules.

Ramadan Working Hours in 2027

Ramadan is not itself a public holiday.

However, it changes working hours.

Ramadan is currently expected to begin around Monday, February 8, 2027.

Under the UAE private-sector rules, normal working hours are reduced by two hours per day during Ramadan.

The reduction applies to Muslim and non-Muslim employees.

Employers should not deduct pay because of the statutory reduction in normal hours.

The exact start of Ramadan will be confirmed through the official moon-sighting process.

Part-Time Employees and Public Holidays

Part-time employees remain protected by the applicable public holiday rules.

The practical effect depends on:

• the employee’s contracted working days;
• the hours they would normally work;
• whether the holiday falls on one of those days;
• and whether they are required to work.

Employers should not simply give every part-time employee a full-day credit without checking the employee’s schedule.

They should also avoid removing a holiday entitlement only because the employee works fewer hours.

The correct treatment should reflect:

• the employment contract;
• the federal labour rules;
• and the employee’s actual working pattern.

Shift Workers and Public Holidays

A public holiday is not always a day when the business closes.

Employees may still work in sectors such as:

• healthcare;
• hospitality;
• aviation;
• retail;
• transport;
• logistics;
• security;
• utilities;
• and continuous manufacturing.

Employers should record:

• the official holiday date;
• the employee’s scheduled shift;
• the hours worked;
• the employee’s weekly rest day;
• the substitute day provided;
• or the additional payment made.

This is especially important for the May holiday period.

Arafat Day and the first day of Eid Al Adha are expected to fall on Saturday and Sunday.

A standard office calendar will not be enough for a seven-day operation.

Weekly Rest Days Are Not the Same for Every Employee

Many UAE employers use Saturday and Sunday as the weekend.

However, private-sector employees are legally entitled to at least one paid weekly rest day, and the actual day is set by the employment contract or workplace rules.

This means long-weekend examples do not apply identically to every employee.

For example, an employee whose weekly rest day is Friday may be affected differently by:

• New Year’s Day on Friday;
• or the second National Day holiday on Friday.

Employers should use the employee’s real schedule rather than assuming everyone works Monday to Friday.

Free-Zone Employees

Most UAE free zones use employment rules that are broadly aligned with federal labour law.

However, some financial free zones have their own employment legislation.

These include:

• Dubai International Financial Centre, or DIFC;
• Abu Dhabi Global Market, or ADGM.

The national holiday dates still matter.

However, the rules covering:

• pay;
• days in lieu;
• annual leave;
• and holidays falling on non-working days

may differ.

Employers in these jurisdictions should check the applicable free-zone employment law rather than relying only on the federal private-sector rules.

Long Weekends in the UAE in 2027

The expected 2027 calendar creates several useful planning periods.

These examples assume the employee normally works Monday to Friday and has Saturday and Sunday off.

The Islamic dates can still move.

Employers should therefore avoid confirming non-refundable travel or fixed business closures solely from an estimated calendar.

Dates That Are Not Automatic UAE Public Holidays

Several important dates are widely recognised but are not separate statutory public holidays under the current national resolution.

A company can still provide any of these dates as an additional paid holiday.

The company should label it clearly as:

• a contractual holiday;
• a company holiday;
• or discretionary paid leave.

School Holidays Are Separate

The UAE school calendar includes:

• term breaks;
• half-term breaks;
• spring holidays;
• winter holidays;
• and public holidays.

School closures do not automatically create paid leave for parents.

Employers should keep:

• employee public holidays;
• school holidays;
• and annual leave requests

as separate calendar categories.

This makes it easier to understand why several employees may ask for leave at the same time.

A Simple Way to Manage UAE Public Holidays

Keep one clear record of:

• fixed public holidays;
• expected Islamic dates;
• confirmed moon-sighting dates;
• any transferred holidays;
• each employee’s working schedule;
• holidays worked;
• substitute days;
• and company-specific holidays.

TimeOff.Management lets businesses create different public holiday calendars and assign them to the right employees.

You can keep:

• UAE statutory holidays;
• expected dates;
• confirmed dates;
• company holidays;
• and free-zone calendars

separate.

Managers can then see public holidays alongside annual leave, sickness and other absences in one shared calendar.

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Practical Checklist for Employers

• Add the fixed dates now. Enter January 1 and December 2–3 into the 2027 calendar.
• Mark Islamic dates as provisional. Do not present estimated dates as final entitlement.
• Review Eid Al Fitr carefully. The holiday will last three or four days.
• Do not create automatic weekend substitutes. The current resolution does not move holidays that fall on the weekend.
• Wait for official circulars. Update the system when MoHRE or the relevant authority confirms each holiday.
• Keep Commemoration Day separate. It is not a standalone statutory holiday under the current national list.
• Reduce Ramadan working hours. Private-sector normal hours fall by two hours per day.
• Record holiday work. Track whether the employee receives a substitute day or additional payment.
• Use basic wage correctly. The minimum 50% holiday-work increase is calculated using basic wage.
• Check annual leave overlap. Public holidays can form part of an annual leave period under federal law.
• Use the employee’s real schedule. Do not assume every private employee has Saturday and Sunday off.
• Check free-zone rules. DIFC and ADGM have separate employment frameworks.
• Keep local government holidays limited to the correct employees.
• Review the calendar again before every Islamic holiday.

Key Points for Employers

• The UAE has one national holiday calendar for the public and private sectors.
• The current calendar provides 12 statutory holiday days.
• A 30-day Ramadan increases the total to 13.
• Eid Al Fitr is expected from March 9 to March 11 or 12.
• Arafat Day and Eid Al Adha are expected from May 15 to May 18.
• Islamic New Year is expected on Sunday, June 6.
• Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday is expected on Saturday, August 14.
• Eid Al Etihad falls on Thursday and Friday, December 2–3.
• Islamic dates remain subject to official moon sightings.
• Weekend holidays do not automatically move to another weekday.
• Non-Eid holidays can be moved only through a separate Cabinet decision.
• Commemoration Day is not a separate statutory holiday under the current resolution.
• Employees receive full pay for official holidays.
• Holiday work requires a substitute day or the statutory additional payment.
• Public holidays can be included within an annual leave period.
• Normal private-sector working hours are reduced by two hours during Ramadan.

FAQ

How Many Public Holidays Are There in the UAE in 2027?

The current law provides 12 public holiday days in a normal year.

The total becomes 13 if Ramadan lasts 30 days.

The number of weekday days off will depend on the final Islamic dates and the employee’s normal schedule.

Are the UAE Public Holiday Dates for 2027 Confirmed?

The Gregorian dates are fixed:

• January 1;
• December 2;
• December 3.

The Islamic dates are estimates.

They will be confirmed through official UAE announcements and moon sightings.

When Is Eid Al Fitr in the UAE in 2027?

The holiday is currently expected to begin on Tuesday, March 9.

It will last:

• three days if Ramadan lasts 29 days;
• or four days if Ramadan lasts 30 days.

The possible end date is Friday, March 12.

Why Could Eid Al Fitr Last Four Days?

The law provides three days from 1 to 3 Shawwal.

If Ramadan lasts 30 days, the 30th day of Ramadan is added as an official holiday.

When Is Eid Al Adha in the UAE in 2027?

Arafat Day is expected on Saturday, May 15.

Eid Al Adha is expected from Sunday, May 16 to Tuesday, May 18.

The dates remain subject to the official Dhu Al Hijjah crescent announcement.

Is Monday, June 7 a Public Holiday?

Not automatically.

Islamic New Year is expected on Sunday, June 6.

Under the current rules, a holiday falling on the weekend does not automatically transfer to Monday.

Will the Prophet’s Birthday Move to Friday or Monday?

Not automatically.

The holiday is expected to fall on Saturday, August 14.

A weekend holiday cannot be transferred under the current resolution.

When Is UAE National Day in 2027?

The two statutory dates are:

• Thursday, December 2;
• Friday, December 3.

The occasion is now commonly called Eid Al Etihad.

Is Commemoration Day a Paid Holiday?

Not as a separate holiday under the current national holiday resolution.

Commemoration Day is observed on November 30.

An employer should add a day off only if another official decision, contract or company policy provides it.

Are Public Holidays Paid in the UAE?

Yes.

Private-sector employees covered by the federal labour law receive official public holidays with full pay.

What Happens If an Employee Works on a Public Holiday?

The employer must provide:

• another day off for each holiday day worked;
• or the normal wage for that day plus at least 50% of the employee’s basic wage.

Do Employees Receive Another Day When a Holiday Falls on Their Weekend?

Not automatically under the current national holiday resolution.

A contract or company policy can provide a more generous arrangement.

Do Public Holidays Extend Annual Leave?

Not necessarily.

Under federal law, public holidays can be included in the annual leave period when they fall within it.

A contract or company policy can provide a more beneficial rule.

Are Working Hours Reduced During Ramadan?

Yes.

Normal private-sector working hours are reduced by two hours per day during Ramadan.

This applies to Muslim and non-Muslim employees.

Do DIFC and ADGM Employees Follow the Same Rules?

The UAE national holiday announcements remain relevant.

However, DIFC and ADGM have separate employment laws.

Employers should check the rules that apply in the relevant financial free zone.

Can an Emirate Add Another Public Holiday?

A local government can approve additional holidays for its own government departments and corporations.

That does not automatically create a holiday for every private-sector business in the emirate.

Further Reading

• UAE Government — Public Holidays.
• Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024 — Public Holidays in the State.
• Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 — Public holiday pay and annual leave.
• Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022 — Ramadan working hours.
• International Astronomical Centre — 2027 crescent projections.