UAE Announces Public Holiday for Private Sector Employees

Private sector workers in the UAE will be celebrating a Wednesday public holiday on January 1, 2025, confirmed the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization. The first official public holiday of the year will be this one, paid day off for all private sector workers.

Published earlier this year, this declaration is included on the official list of holidays for 2025 published by the UAE. The choice guarantees that staff members in the public and commercial sectors match national holiday calendars. The public holiday on January 1 will coincide with New Year celebrations, therefore signifying a new beginning for the workforce of the nation.

Apart from the commercial sector, government personnel will also have a public holiday on January 1, 2025. Earlier on the same day, the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources confirmed this alignment of the public holidays for both sectors. This regularity in the holiday calendar guarantees that every UAE employee may enjoy the New Year celebration on equal conditions.

With a total of up to 13 days off, UAE citizens should be looking forward a year full of public holidays in 2025. This covers breaks for several Islamic feasts as well as government holidays. The holiday calendar for Eid Al Fitr, which comes following the month of Ramadan, has also been changed significantly by the administration.

Shorter Eid Al Fitr break than in past years is one of the main changes to the holiday calendar in 2025. The Eid vacation spans nine days—including weekends—next year, but in 2024 citizens will only get up to four days off. With the possibility of a fourth day should Ramadan last 30 days, this time will include the first three days of Shawwal, the month after Ramadan.

A UAE Cabinet resolution supports the modification in the Eid holiday calendar. With the shorter Eid Al Fitr holiday in line with other regional and worldwide customs, it represents a major departure from the lengthier breaks inhabitants have become used to in previous years.

Apart from the Eid celebrations, most other public holidays observed in the United Arab Emirates can be scheduled either at the start or finish of the week. This change lets workers have a longer weekend, therefore improving their chances for travel and relaxation, The UAE Cabinet must approve the transfer of holidays to guarantee that any adjustments are formally approved.

A public holiday falling on a weekend cannot be transferred to a weekday, nevertheless. This is in keeping with UAE official holiday observance laws. Local administrations inside every Emirate are permitted to declare extra holidays or days off as they see fit, therefore allowing regional flexibility.