*Islamic (lunar) holiday. Dates follow the Umm Al-Qura calendar and are confirmed by official moon sighting, so they may shift by a day or two.
Note: This list collapses the source's two 27 May entries into a single Eid al-Adha day, so the paid Eid al-Adha break is 26 to 28 May. Only the rows marked "Public holiday" are paid days off, totalling around 12 days across the 7 official occasions. New Year's Day and National Day (2 to 3 December) are fixed; the Eids, Islamic New Year and the Prophet's Birthday follow the lunar calendar. The UAE weekend is Saturday and Sunday, and all Islamic dates may shift by a day or two after official moon sighting.
Dates may change based on official announcements.
How UAE Holidays Impact Payroll and Leave Management?
The UAE's calendar blends fixed national days with several lunar Islamic holidays, with Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha each running for multiple days and clustering with Arafat Day, the Islamic New Year and the Prophet's Birthday across the year. During Eid especially, it feels like a grand celebration: people are on leave, travelling, and enjoying personal time. All of this brings changes in attendance, increased leave requests, and varied working arrangements which impact payroll accuracy and leave processes for both employers and employees.
