The UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) has confirmed the Eid Al Adha 2026 holiday schedule for private sector employees, granting a four-day paid break that begins on Arafah Day and runs through the end of the working week.
Official dates
According to the MoHRE circular issued on 18 May 2026, private sector workers will observe Arafah Day on Tuesday, 26 May 2026, followed by the three days of Eid Al Adha from Wednesday, 27 May to Friday, 29 May 2026 (per Khaleej Times). The dates align with 9, 10, 11 and 12 Dhul Hijjah on the Islamic calendar.
How long the break actually runs
For employees on a standard Saturday-Sunday weekend, the official four days link with the regular days off to form a six-day continuous break ending on Sunday, 31 May (per Gulf News). Time Out Dubai notes that the schedule effectively closes out May on a long weekend for most office-based staff in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Difference from the public sector
The private-sector announcement is one day shorter than the federal public-sector holiday, which the UAE government previously confirmed runs from Monday, 25 May to Friday, 29 May 2026 (per Khaleej Times). Combined with the weekend, public-sector and federal-entity employees enjoy a nine-day stretch, while private companies follow the MoHRE-mandated four-day schedule.
What employers must observe
MoHRE rules require that all private-sector establishments registered in the UAE grant the full holiday with pay, regardless of contract type. Staff required to work during the holiday are entitled to a substitute day off or 150 percent of the basic wage, in line with Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (per Wego Travel Blog). Schools across the country, both public and private, follow the public-sector calendar and reopen on Monday, 1 June 2026.
Travel and services
Government services, courts and most federal entities will be closed for the duration of the public-sector holiday. Dubai International Airport and Abu Dhabi International Airport have advised travellers to expect heavier outbound traffic ahead of Arafah Day, as Eid Al Adha consistently ranks among the highest outbound travel periods of the year for UAE residents.
