Annual leave and public holidays in the United Arab Emirates 2026
How many paid days off you get in the United Arab Emirates depends on the legal minimum, your contract and the public holidays that fall on working days. The calculator above counts them for your own case. Below you will find the legal minimum, the 2026 public holidays and the family leave rules.
Your annual leave
The legal minimum in the United Arab Emirates is 22 working days a year on a five-day week. In 2026, 11 public holidays fall on working days (national, on working days). In the example (22 days of leave in the contract) that makes 33 paid days off in all.
After a year of service you get 30 calendar days of paid annual leave (about 22 working days with a Saturday–Sunday weekend); between 6 and 12 months, 2 days a month. The official public holidays of 2026 are shown, including the Islamic holidays as announced; their dates follow the moon and are set each year.
Public holidays 2026 in the United Arab Emirates
| Date | Holiday | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Thu 1 Jan | New Year’s Day | Take Friday off → 4 days in a row |
| Thu 19 Mar | Eid al-Fitr holiday | Take Friday off → 4 days in a row |
| Fri 20 Mar | Eid al-Fitr | |
| Sat 21 Mar | Eid al-Fitr holiday | weekend |
| Sun 22 Mar | Eid al-Fitr holiday | weekend |
| Tue 26 May | Arafat Day | Take Monday off → 4 days in a row |
| Wed 27 May | Eid al-Adha | |
| Thu 28 May | Eid al-Adha holiday | Take Friday off → 4 days in a row |
| Fri 29 May | Eid al-Adha holiday | |
| Mon 15 Jun | Islamic New Year | |
| Fri 28 Aug | Prophet Muhammad’s birthday | |
| Wed 2 Dec | National Day (Eid Al Etihad) | |
| Thu 3 Dec | National Day holiday | Take Friday off → 4 days in a row |
Family leave
- Maternity leave: 60 days · Pay: 45 days full pay, 15 days half pay
- Parental leave: 5 working days within 6 months of the birth · Pay: Full pay
- Sick leave: Up to 90 days a year after probation · Pay: 15 days full pay, 30 days half pay, then unpaid
Frequently asked questions
How many days of annual leave do I get in the United Arab Emirates?
At least 22 working days a year on a five-day week. Many contracts and collective agreements give more.
How many public holidays are there in the United Arab Emirates in 2026?
13 national public holidays, of which 11 fall on working days. Regional holidays can add more.
What leave do parents get?
For example, Maternity leave: 60 days (45 days full pay, 15 days half pay). The table above lists the main family leave types.
Are these figures exact?
They follow the national rules for 2026. Your contract, a collective agreement or regional holidays can give more days off.
Rules and official sources: see “Rules applied (2026)” above. Last checked: October 2026. The amounts are estimates for information, not financial or legal advice.