UAE Public Holidays 2026 — Federal Calendar

The UAE follows a federal public holiday calendar set by Cabinet and administered by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). Holidays apply equally to the public sector and to private-sector employees regulated under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021. Islamic holidays sit on the Hijri calendar and shift each year — their Gregorian dates are confirmed by MOHRE close to the event after the UAE Moon-Sighting Committee's announcement.

The full 2026 calendar (MOHRE-verified)

Confirmed by official announcement

• Thursday, 1 January 2026 — Gregorian New Year. Confirmed by MOHRE on 12 December 2025.
• Thursday 19 – Saturday 21 March 2026 — Eid al-Fitr (1, 2, 3 Shawwal 1447 AH). Sunday 22 March 2026 added as a fourth day if Ramadan completes a full 30-day month. Confirmed by MOHRE in February 2026.
• Tuesday 26 – Friday 29 May 2026 — Arafat Day + Eid al-Adha (9, 10, 11, 12 Dhu al-Hijjah 1447 AH). Confirmed by MOHRE in May 2026.
• Monday, 15 June 2026 — Islamic New Year / Hijri New Year (1 Muharram 1448 AH). Observed Monday in the UAE; 1 Muharram itself is Tuesday 16 June 2026 under Umm al-Qura.

Expected, subject to confirmation

These are the federal holidays remaining in 2026. Final dates are confirmed by MOHRE close to the event. The Hijri-derived dates depend on the Moon-Sighting Committee's announcement; the Gregorian-fixed national holidays are stable.

• Late August 2026 (1 day) — Mawlid al-Nabi (Birth of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, 12 Rabi al-Awwal 1448 AH). Expected around Tuesday 25 or Wednesday 26 August 2026; MOHRE confirms closer to the date.
• Tuesday, 1 December 2026 — Commemoration Day (Martyrs' Day). Fixed Gregorian date.
• Wednesday 2 – Thursday 3 December 2026 — UAE National Day (55th). Fixed Gregorian dates.

Why Islamic dates shift

Islamic holidays follow the Hijri (lunar) calendar, which is about 354 days long versus the Gregorian 365. Each year the Hijri dates fall roughly 10–11 days earlier in the Gregorian calendar. Beyond that, individual months can vary by one day based on whether the new crescent moon is sighted on its expected evening. The UAE Moon-Sighting Committee under the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments makes the official call.

For day-by-day Hijri ↔ Gregorian conversion, use the Hijri Converter on Liphyr — it returns the Umm al-Qura date used officially by the UAE.

What "public holiday" means for your pay

Under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, public-sector and private-sector employees are entitled to paid leave on federal public holidays. If business operations require working on a public holiday:

• The employee gets either a substitute day off, or pay for the day plus a 50% supplement on the basic wage for that day.
• Workers paid on a daily or hourly rate receive the equivalent of their full daily/hourly rate as their public holiday payment.
• Annual leave that falls during a public holiday is not counted against the employee — the public holiday day is added back to the annual leave balance.

Long-weekend timing tips

Public sector vs private sector

Federal public holidays are the same for both sectors under MOHRE's coordination. Where they differ:

• Free zone authorities (DIFC, ADGM, DMCC, etc.) generally observe the federal MOHRE schedule for their tenants' employees.
• Some private companies grant additional discretionary holidays (Diwali, Christmas, Lunar New Year) for cultural reasons — these are private benefits, not federal entitlements.
• Embassy and diplomatic mission staff follow their home-country calendars; UAE-resident dependents and contractors still observe the UAE federal calendar.

Bookmark this page — Liphyr updates the calendar as MOHRE confirms each Islamic date through the year. For the next holiday at any moment, the headline KeyStat at the top of this page is updated each time we re-verify.