The Reason UAE Residents Will Get Extra Long Weekends in 2026

Published On: February 18, 2026

The Reason UAE Residents Will Get Extra Long Weekends

At the start of 2025, the UAE introduced a change to the public holidays law allowing most official holidays to be transferable if they fall on a weekend. The law also permits holidays that fall midweek to be shifted to the beginning or end of the week, creating more opportunities for long weekends.

Many of the UAE’s public holidays follow the Islamic Hijri calendar, which is based on the cycles of the moon. Because of this, some holidays previously landed on weekends, meaning residents didn’t get the benefit of an additional day off. For example, in 2024, Islamic New Year (1 Muharram) fell on Sunday, July 7. While it was technically a paid holiday, many workers didn’t experience any real time off because Sunday is already part of the weekend.

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How the UAE public holidays law works

The law, announced in 2024, allows the UAE Cabinet to transfer holidays that would otherwise fall on weekends or midweek. This applies to holidays such as New Year’s Day, Islamic New Year, the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday (PBUH), and National Day.

However, the two longest holidays, Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha, are exceptions. These holidays cannot be moved, even if they coincide with a weekend. According to the official legislation:

“With the exception of Eid holidays, the Cabinet may – pursuant to a resolution it issues – transfer any of the public holidays referred to in Article (1) of this Resolution to the beginning or end of the week.”

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Article 1 refers to all the official public holidays included in the law.

Additionally, the law prevents a holiday from being shifted if it coincides with another public holiday. Fortunately, in 2026, none of the Islamic or Gregorian holidays are expected to overlap, so this won’t be an issue for next year.

Flexibility for emirates

The law also allows each emirate to declare additional holidays at their discretion. So, for example, Dubai could choose to add an extra public holiday to the calendar if it sees fit.

It’s worth noting that the UAE officially moved its weekend to Saturday and Sunday starting in 2022. Previously, the weekend was Friday and Saturday, so this new alignment has also contributed to the opportunity for more transferable holidays and long weekends.

What this means for 2026

Residents can look forward to at least 12 official days off in 2026, with an additional day depending on whether Ramadan lasts 29 or 30 days. Thanks to the updated law, many holidays will be moved to the start or end of the week if they fall on a weekend, creating several long weekends throughout the year.

The change is designed to give employees the benefit of time off, while also helping families and residents better plan trips, leisure activities, and personal time around official holidays.

For instance, if a midweek holiday falls on a Wednesday, it can now be shifted to Friday or Monday, allowing workers to enjoy a three-day long weekend instead of just a single day.

Understanding the exceptions

As mentioned, Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha cannot be transferred, as these holidays are tied to specific Islamic calendar dates. Other holidays, like New Year’s Day, Islamic New Year, the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday (PBUH), and National Day, can be shifted for convenience, but only when they don’t overlap with other holidays.

This new system ensures that residents gain the full benefit of official holidays without losing a day off to calendar coincidences.

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Looking ahead

For those living in Dubai and across the UAE, this law update makes it easier to plan travel, leisure, or family time around official public holidays. With a predictable system for long weekends, residents can now anticipate the timing of holidays and organize their year more efficiently.

In 2026, expect at least 12 official holidays, with the possibility of a few long weekends thanks to the updated UAE public holidays law. While Eid holidays remain fixed, the transfer of other holidays ensures that everyone can make the most of their time off.

For those curious about the next public holiday, keeping an eye on official announcements will ensure you don’t miss out on planning a long weekend. The UAE Cabinet continues to oversee and approve holiday transfers, ensuring fairness and maximizing the benefit to workers.

With this law, 2026 could be the year where UAE residents finally experience more time off work, more long weekends, and greater flexibility in planning their lives around public holidays.

FAQs

The UAE will have at least 12 official public holidays in 2026, including Eid Al Fitr, Eid Al Adha, National Day, and Islamic New Year.

A new law allows holidays that fall on weekends or midweek to be moved to the start or end of the week, creating more long weekends.

No. Eid holidays are fixed according to the Islamic calendar and cannot be transferred, even if they fall on a weekend.

Holidays such as New Year’s Day, Islamic New Year, the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday (PBUH), and National Day can be moved for convenience.

Yes, each emirate can declare additional public holidays or special occasions at its discretion, beyond the national calendar.