New Year’s holidays fall on a Sunday, so you don’t have an extra day off before starting work on Monday, January 2.
Eid Al Fitr marks the end of Ramadan. Dates according to the Islamic Hijri calendar range from 29 Ramadan to 3 Shawwal 1443.
Based on these calculations, the corresponding dates on the Gregorian calendar range from 1 Shawwal which falls on Friday April 21 to Monday April 24, 2023.
This could mean a long weekend off for residents (4 days). Official dates will be confirmed by the government closer to Eid.
Taking place approximately 70 days after the end of Ramadan, Arafat Day marks the second day of the Haj, or pilgrimage. According to the Islamic calendar, this day would fall on a Wednesday. 9 Dhu Al Hijjah 1443 is expected to fall on June 28, 2023. Along with the Eid holiday, this could mark the start of a long weekend.
Eid Al Adha is observed the day after Arafat Day, marking the conclusion of the pilgrimage to Mecca. The Hijri calendar dates for this holiday are 10 to 12 Dhu Al Hijjah 1443, which corresponds to June 29 to July 11, 2023 (Thursday to Saturday). With the weekly Sunday holiday, that would mean a total of five days off, starting with Arafat Day.
Marking the start of the Islamic New Year 1444, the UAE’s official public holiday calendar lists the day as Friday, July 21, 2023. If you have a Saturday off, that could give you a three-day long weekend. .
Prophet Mohammad’s (PBUH) birthday is celebrated on the 12th day of Rabi Al Awwal. In Arabic, the holiday is called Eid Al Mawlid Al Nabawi. The official public holiday calendar of the United Arab Emirates lists this day as September 29, 2023, which is a Friday – this would mean a long weekend off for those who also appreciate Saturdays off.
The UAE observes Memorial Day on December 1 and it is usually marked as a day off for employees in the country. This is followed by National Day celebrations on December 2 and 3. The official calendar lists December 2 and 3 as paid public holidays for UAE residents.
* All Islamic holidays are subject to confirmation by the UAE government after the moon sighting.