Planning your 2025 in the UAE just got easier. The government has officially announced the UAE 2025 public holidays calendar, guaranteeing residents at least 12 days off — with the possibility of even more, depending on how Islamic calendar dates fall throughout the year.
At Least 12 UAE 2025 Public Holidays Confirmed
The confirmed holidays cover familiar national and Islamic occasions:
- New Year's Day – 1 January 2025 - Eid Al Fitr – 3 days (exact date subject to moon-sighting) - Arafat Day & Eid Al Adha – 4 days (lunar calendar-dependent) - Islamic New Year – 1st of Muharram (lunar calendar-dependent) - Prophet Muhammad's Birthday – 12th of Rabi Al Awwal (lunar calendar-dependent) - UAE National Day – 2 & 3 December 2025
Because several holidays are tied to moon-sightings, exact dates for Islamic occasions will be confirmed closer to the time — but the total count stands at a minimum of 12.
New Cabinet Resolution Could Mean Bonus Days Off
The bigger news for workers is UAE Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024, published in the official gazette in May 2024 and taking effect on 31 December 2024.
The resolution introduces a key change: when a public holiday falls on a weekend, the authorities may choose to shift it to the start or the end of the working week. In practice, this means a holiday landing on a Saturday could be moved to the preceding Friday or the following Monday — giving employees an effective long weekend instead of a lost day off.
This flexibility applies across both the public and private sectors.
However, there is one important exception: Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha are excluded from the shifting rule. These two major Islamic celebrations remain on their designated dates regardless of what day of the week they fall on.
How the Holiday Shift Works in Practice
To illustrate how the rule works: if Islamic New Year falls on a Saturday, the Cabinet can declare the following Monday a public holiday instead, ensuring workers still receive a full day off. The same logic applies to UAE National Day and the Prophet's Birthday if they coincide with the weekend.
This move is aimed at improving work-life balance across the country, giving residents more opportunities to enjoy extended weekends and plan longer holidays.
What It Means for 2025
With 12 confirmed holidays and the new shifting mechanism in place, 2025 offers genuine potential for several long-weekend breaks. Residents and workers in both the private and public sectors can expect the government to issue updated dates well in advance whenever a holiday falls on a weekend and a transfer is approved.
The resolution reinforces the UAE's ongoing commitment to enhancing quality of life — and for those who like to plan ahead, the early announcement gives ample time to schedule travel and family time around the year's holidays.
