Is today a public holiday in the United Arab Emirates?

UAE Labour Law, Lunar Moon-Sighting & Financial Rails

In the United Arab Emirates, official public holidays are regulated under Article 28 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 (The UAE Labour Law), administered by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). Under official Cabinet decisions, the UAE maintains an unified public holiday calendar, granting identical paid statutory holiday entitlements to both private-sector and public-sector employees across all seven emirates.

The Lunar Moon-Sighting Protocol & Gregorian Dates

The UAE holiday calendar combines fixed Gregorian dates with movable Islamic occasions governed by the Hijri lunar calendar:

• Fixed Gregorian Holidays: New Year's Day (1 January) and UAE National Day / Eid Al Etihad (2 and 3 December) fall on fixed solar dates each year.
• Islamic Lunar Holidays: Eid Al Fitr (29 Ramadan to 3 Shawwal), Arafat Day (9 Dhu al-Hijjah), Eid Al Adha (10–12 Dhu al-Hijjah), Islamic New Year (1 Muharram), and the Prophet Muhammad's Birthday (12 Rabi' al-Awwal) are determined by astronomical lunar calculations.

While government astronomical forecasts provide anticipated Gregorian target windows, statutory dates are officially confirmed by the UAE Moon-Sighting Committee (established by the Ministry of Justice). Official ministerial circulars from MOHRE and the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR) are issued 24 to 48 hours prior to the event, confirming the exact rest period for employees.

Article 28 Pay Rules: Compensatory Day Off vs. 50% Surcharge

Under Article 28(1) of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, employees are entitled to full basic wage compensation on official public holidays. If operational exigencies require an employee to work on an official holiday, Article 28(2) mandates that the employer provide one of two statutory remedies:

1. Grant an alternative compensatory day off (day in lieu) for each day worked, plus regular daily basic pay; or
2. Pay the employee their standard daily wage plus an overtime cash supplement of not less than 50% of their basic salary for that day.

The Monday–Friday Workweek & Holiday Rollover Discretion

Since the UAE modernized its national working week to a Monday through Friday schedule (with Saturday and Sunday forming the standard weekend), public holiday timing directly impacts operational rosters. Under Cabinet regulations, the UAE Cabinet holds statutory authority to transfer mid-week civic holidays (excluding Eid observances) to the beginning or end of the week to create extended long weekends.

However, when a fixed public holiday coincides with an employee's contracted weekend rest day (Saturday or Sunday), private-sector labor regulations do not grant an automatic statutory right to an alternate Monday off unless an explicit Cabinet decree is issued or company policy provides for a substitute rest day. Discover optimal UAE long-weekend planning scenarios using our 2026 PTO Maximizer.

Banking Clearing Rails: CBUAE, WPS & Aani 24/7

Financial settlement infrastructure across the Emirates is supervised by the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE):

• Wholesale Settlement (UAEFTS): The UAE Funds Transfer System halts interbank high-value Dirham settlements during official bank holidays. Similarly, the Image Cheque Clearing System (ICCS) pauses physical and digital cheque settlements until the next business day.
• Wages Protection System (WPS): Employers must account for bank clearing closures when transmitting monthly payroll files. If salary processing cutoffs coincide with an Eid or National Day break, payroll files (SIF) must be authorized in advance to ensure funds reach worker accounts within statutory MOHRE compliance deadlines. Calculate business processing windows with our Working Days Calculator.
• Instant Retail Payments (Aani): Managed by Al Etihad Payments (a CBUAE subsidiary), Aani operates 24/7/365. Real-time domestic account transfers via mobile numbers, email, or QR codes process in under five seconds, even on Eid Al Fitr, UAE National Day, or weekly bank closures.

Financial Markets (DFM & ADX Trading Hours)

The Dubai Financial Market (DFM) and Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) adhere to official public holiday circulars issued by the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA). Both exchanges halt daytime trading on all gazetted public holidays. When federal authorities declare an extended public holiday block (such as Eid Al Fitr or Eid Al Adha), trading halts across all equities, bonds, and derivatives, resuming on the first official business day.

United Arab Emirates Payment Rails, Exchange Cutoffs & Statutory Pay Matrix (2026–2027)

When a statutory public holiday or in-lieu bank holiday occurs in United Arab Emirates, commercial banking counters, central bank real-time gross settlement (RTGS) rails, and retail instant payment systems follow distinct operational rules:

Key 2026 vs. 2027 Holiday Date Shifts & Bridge-Day Planning in United Arab Emirates

Because fixed calendar holidays shift one weekday forward between 2026 and 2027 (and movable lunar or liturgical holidays shift by 10 to 15 days), HR teams, payroll processors, and employees in United Arab Emirates should account for the following 2026–2027 date comparisons and leave-bridge opportunities: