The first public holiday will fall on January 1…

Under the direction of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, the UAE Cabinet has announced the public holidays for 2021 and 2022. The first of those public holidays will be New Year’s Day.

As January 1 falls on a Friday in 2021, for those whose weekends normally fall on Friday, you won’t be getting an additional day off this year.

UAE public holidays for 2021 and 2022

New Year’s Day

New Year’s Day on January 1, 2021 and 2022, will be a public holiday

Eid Al Fitr

The end of Ramadan is marked by a multi-day celebration in the UAE, including a holiday for the public and private sectors. In 2021, it is expected to fall on May 11 to May 15. In 2022, it is likely to fall from April 30 to May 4.

Arafat Day and Eid Al Adha

Arafat Day will fall on July 19, 2021, and Eid Al Adha will fall on July 20. As these dates are subject to the moon sighting, there is room to move here, but we may be line for a holiday from Monday 19 to Thursday 22, creating a massive six-day break for those who generally have Friday and Saturday off.

In 2022, Arafat Day is predicted to fall on July 8, with Eid Al Adha falling on July 9 to 11.

Hijri New Year

Still tentative at this stage, but the Islamic New Year, or Hijri New Year, is expected to fall on Tuesday August 10, 2021. If confirmed, that will mean a midweek break. In 2022, it’s expected to fall on July 30.

Prophet Mohammed’s Birthday

In 2021, October 21 will mark the birthday of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). In 2022, it will be October 8.

Commemoration Day and National Day

We’ve just come off the back of a five-day break here in the UAE, and next year we can expect a lengthy break for Commemoration Day and National Day once again. Next year, the holidays are expected to fall on Wednesday December 1, Thursday 2, and Friday 3, creating a four-day break for those who normally work Sunday to Thursday. It will be the same dates for 2022.

* Please note, these dates are subject to change and confirmation by the respective UAE authorities