These are the official dates of public holidays for the UAE for the coming year, as well as notable dates, so you can make a note in your diary now and plan ahead. Actual days of holiday for both the public and private sector should be the same and these are the dates announced by the UAE Government.
This article will be updated throughout the year as any changes are announced so you can bookmark it in the knowledge that it will always be correct
As usual, dates of Islamic holidays will be subject to slight variation, dependent on moon sighting, and others may also change.
| Occasion | Date | Day of the week | No. of Days |
| New Year’s Day | January 1st | Friday | 1 |
| Beginning of Ramadan* | April 12th | Monday | 0 |
| Eid Al Fitr* | May 11th | Tuesday | 4 |
| Arafat (Haj) Day* | July 19th | Monday | 1 |
| Eid Al Adha* | July 20th | Tuesday | 3 |
| Islamic New Year’s Day* | August 12th | Thursday | 1 |
| Prophet’s Birthday | October 21st | Thursday | 1 |
| Commemoration Day | December 1st | Wednesday | 1 |
| UAE National Day | December 2nd & 3rd | Thursday & Friday | 2 |
| *Islamic holiday dates are dependent on moon sighting and all are subject to confirmation and may change | |||
Some public holidays will fall on the weekend but unless you are contracted to work on that day, you are not entitled to time off in lieu or additional pay.
I write articles such as this one as part of the holistic personal financial planning service and that I provide to expats, and the general consumer, financial and legal information that I provide in The National newspaper, on radio, and on the Facebook group British Expats Dubai.
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Source: UAE Government Communications Office
