The UAE has 12 public holiday days in 2027, or 13 if Ramadan lasts 30 days. The same calendar applies to private-sector and government employees under Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024. The expected dates are New Year's Day (1 January), Eid al-Fitr (8–11 March), Arafat Day and Eid al-Adha (15–18 May), Islamic New Year (6 June), Prophet Muhammad's Birthday (14 August) and Eid Al Etihad (2–3 December).
Three of those dates fall on a Saturday or Sunday in 2027, so the number of weekdays off is lower than in 2026. The Cabinet can move some of them to create long weekends, as it did twice in 2026.
UAE Public Holidays 2027
| Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Jan | Fri | New Year's Day |
| 8 Mar | Mon | Eid al-Fitr Holiday |
| 9 Mar | Tue | Eid al-Fitr |
| 10 Mar | Wed | Eid al-Fitr Holiday |
| 11 Mar | Thu | Eid al-Fitr Holiday |
| 15 May | Sat | Arafat Day |
| 16 May | Sun | Eid al-Adha |
| 17 May | Mon | Eid al-Adha Holiday |
| 18 May | Tue | Eid al-Adha Holiday |
| 6 Jun | Sun | Islamic New Year |
| 14 Aug | Sat | Prophet Muhammad's Birthday |
| 2 Dec | Thu | Eid Al Etihad (National Day) |
| 3 Dec | Fri | Eid Al Etihad Holiday |
The dates in this table are estimates. Islamic holidays depend on moon sighting, and the UAE Cabinet can move some holidays to the start or end of the week. We will update this page once the official 2027 dates are released.
Long Weekends in 2027
For employees on a Saturday–Sunday weekend, these are the expected breaks:
| Holiday | Expected break | Days off in a row |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Fri 1 – Sun 3 January | 3 |
| Eid al-Fitr | Sat 6 – Thu 11 March | 6 |
| Arafat Day and Eid al-Adha | Sat 15 – Tue 18 May | 4 |
| Islamic New Year | Falls on Sunday 6 June | No extra day unless moved |
| Prophet Muhammad's Birthday | Falls on Saturday 14 August | No extra day unless moved |
| Eid Al Etihad | Thu 2 – Sun 5 December | 4 |
If Eid al-Fitr falls on Wednesday 10 March instead of Tuesday 9 March, the break shifts one day later to 9–12 March. Sharjah government employees, whose weekend is Friday to Sunday, will see slightly different patterns.
How UAE Public Holidays Work
Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024 sets one holiday calendar for both the private and public sectors. It gives:
- One day each for New Year's Day, Arafat Day, Islamic New Year and Prophet Muhammad's Birthday.
- Three days each for Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, plus 30 Ramadan as an extra day when Ramadan runs a full 30 days.
- Two days for Eid Al Etihad (National Day).
Two rules matter most for planning. First, a holiday that falls on a weekend or on another holiday is not carried forward to a working day. Second, the Cabinet can move holidays other than the two Eids to the beginning or end of the week. In 2026 it moved Islamic New Year to Monday 15 June and the Prophet's Birthday to Friday 28 August, both creating three-day weekends. Watch for the same with 6 June and 14 August in 2027.
Individual emirates can also announce extra holidays for their own government employees, but these do not automatically apply to the private sector.
UAE Holidays 2027 in Detail
New Year's Day: Friday, 1 January 2027
The year starts with a three-day weekend for most employees, with the first working day on Monday 4 January. It is a fixed Gregorian holiday, so the date is already certain.
Eid al-Fitr: Expected Monday 8 to Thursday 11 March 2027
Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, which is expected to begin around 8 February 2027. Eid itself is projected for Tuesday 9 March. Combined with the weekend before it, this could be the longest break of the year at six days.
During Ramadan, MOHRE reduces private-sector working hours, usually by two hours a day, and announces the exact arrangements each year. HR teams should update shift rosters and attendance rules before Ramadan starts, and expect a spike in leave requests around the Eid break.
Arafat Day and Eid al-Adha: Expected Saturday 15 to Tuesday 18 May 2027
Arafat Day, the most important day of the Hajj, is expected on Saturday 15 May, with Eid al-Adha starting on Sunday 16 May. Because Arafat Day falls on a weekend, employees on a Saturday–Sunday week get Monday and Tuesday off and return on Wednesday 19 May.
Islamic New Year: Expected Sunday, 6 June 2027
The Hijri New Year (1 Muharram 1449) is expected to fall on a Sunday. Under the no-carry-forward rule, that means no extra weekday off unless the Cabinet moves it, as it did in 2026.
Prophet Muhammad's Birthday: Expected Saturday, 14 August 2027
The Prophet's Birthday falls on 12 Rabi al-Awwal and is projected for a Saturday in 2027. As with Islamic New Year, a Cabinet transfer to a Friday or Monday is possible but not guaranteed.
Eid Al Etihad (National Day): Thursday 2 and Friday 3 December 2027
Eid Al Etihad, formerly known as UAE National Day, marks the union of the emirates on 2 December 1971. 2027 is the 56th Eid Al Etihad. With the holiday on Thursday and Friday, most employees get a four-day weekend from 2 to 5 December.
Commemoration Day (30 November), which honours Emirati martyrs, is still marked with flag-raising and a minute of silence, but it is no longer a separate paid holiday.
What Happens If an Employee Works on a Public Holiday?
Under the UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021), public holidays are paid days off. If an employee is required to work on one, the employer must either give them another day off in place of the holiday, or pay their wage for that day plus at least 50% of their basic wage.
For teams in hospitality, retail, healthcare and logistics that stay open over Eid, agree holiday cover early and record it properly so compensation is calculated correctly. Zimyo's overtime calculator can help estimate the cost.
2027 Holiday Checklist for HR Teams
- Load all 13 dates into your leave calendar now, marking Islamic holidays as provisional.
- Set Ramadan working hours from early February and update rosters.
- Plan holiday cover for Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, and agree how holiday work will be compensated.
- Watch for Cabinet transfers of Islamic New Year and the Prophet's Birthday, and update calendars the same day.
- Tell employees the confirmed dates as soon as they are announced, so leave requests can be approved early.
Zimyo's HR software and payroll software keep this in one place: holiday calendars feed attendance and leave, which sync directly into WPS-compliant payroll, including UAE gratuity calculations.
UAE Public Holidays 2026 (For Reference)
| Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Jan | Thu | New Year's Day |
| 19–21 Mar | Thu–Sat | Eid al-Fitr (private sector) |
| 26 May | Tue | Arafat Day |
| 27–29 May | Wed–Fri | Eid al-Adha |
| 15 Jun | Mon | Islamic New Year (moved) |
| 28 Aug | Fri | Prophet Muhammad's Birthday (moved) |
| 2–3 Dec | Wed–Thu | Eid Al Etihad (National Day) |
Plan Your 2027 Holiday Calendar with Zimyo
UAE holidays follow a clear set of rules, but the exact dates keep changing until the last minute. Zimyo brings holiday calendars, leave, attendance and WPS payroll into one platform, so a moved holiday updates everywhere at once. Book a demo to see how it works for your team.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many public holidays are there in the UAE in 2027?
The UAE has 12 public holiday days in 2027, or 13 if Ramadan lasts 30 days. They cover New Year's Day, Eid al-Fitr, Arafat Day, Eid al-Adha, Islamic New Year, Prophet Muhammad's Birthday and two days for Eid Al Etihad.
When is the Eid al-Fitr holiday in the UAE in 2027?
Eid al-Fitr is expected on Tuesday 9 March 2027, with the holiday running from Monday 8 March to Thursday 11 March. If Eid falls on Wednesday 10 March, the break moves to 9–12 March. The final dates depend on moon sighting.
Do private and government employees get the same holidays in the UAE?
Yes. Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024 applies the same public holiday calendar to the private and public sectors.
What happens if a UAE public holiday falls on a weekend?
It is not carried forward to a working day. However, the Cabinet can move holidays other than the two Eids to the start or end of the week, as it did with Islamic New Year and the Prophet's Birthday in 2026.
What are the long weekends in the UAE in 2027?
The expected long weekends are 1–3 January (New Year), 6–11 March (Eid al-Fitr), 15–18 May (Arafat Day and Eid al-Adha) and 2–5 December (Eid Al Etihad). Islamic New Year and the Prophet's Birthday fall on weekends unless they are moved.
Is Commemoration Day a public holiday in the UAE?
No. Commemoration Day on 30 November is still observed, but it is not a separate paid holiday. The National Day holiday covers 2 and 3 December.
What do employees get if they work on a public holiday in the UAE?
Under the UAE Labour Law, the employer must give a substitute day off, or pay the wage for that day plus at least 50% of the basic wage.
