UAE Residents Could Gain Six Extra Days off in 2026
UAE employees can use just three days of annual leave to secure a nine-day break around the December public holidays.
Workers on a standard Saturday-Sunday weekend can take November 30, December 1 and December 4 off as annual leave, creating a continuous holiday from November 28 through December 6.
The nine-day break includes six days provided by weekends and the UAE’s two official National Day holidays, meaning employees only need to use three days from their annual leave entitlement.
Under UAE regulations, December 2 and December 3 are paid public holidays for employees across both the public and private sectors.
Three leave days can create a nine-day break
Saturday, November 28 and Sunday, November 29 mark the first weekend for employees working a conventional five-day schedule.
Workers can then apply for annual leave on Monday, November 30 and Tuesday, December 1.
The National Day holidays fall immediately afterwards, with Wednesday, December 2 and Thursday, December 3 designated as public holidays.
Taking Friday, December 4 as the third annual leave day links the public holidays with Saturday, December 5 and Sunday, December 6.
By following this sequence, employees can enjoy nine consecutive days away from work while using only three days of their annual leave entitlement.
UAE government guidance confirms that National Day includes two public holidays on December 2 and 3. Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024 establishes the same official holiday calendar for public and private sector employees.
Employer approval is still required
Private sector employees cannot automatically take the three annual leave days surrounding the December public holidays.
UAE labour law allows employers to determine annual leave schedules based on operational needs. Leave dates must either be agreed with the employee or set through the company’s approved leave schedule.
Employees who have completed at least one year of service are entitled to a minimum of 30 days of fully paid annual leave each year. Those with between six months and one year of service accrue two days of leave for every month worked.
Employers can decline specific leave dates when business or staffing requirements make the requested period impractical.
Employees hoping to secure the nine-day December break will therefore need approval for November 30, December 1 and December 4. Competition for these dates may be higher at companies where most employees follow the same Saturday-Sunday weekend.
Annual leave rules require careful planning
UAE labour legislation also includes a provision that can affect annual leave periods covering public holidays.
Article 29 states that public holidays occurring during an annual leave period may be counted as part of that leave. However, employment contracts or company policies can provide employees with more favourable conditions.
Workers can avoid surprises by checking how their employer calculates leave when separate annual leave applications are placed around public holidays.
A 2026 legal review of the provision highlighted the distinction during Eid Al Adha. Where a single working day was taken alongside a public holiday, only one leave day was deducted. However, a continuous annual leave period covering the holiday resulted in a broader leave calculation.
Company policies therefore remain important, as employers may provide benefits or leave terms that exceed the statutory minimum.
Cabinet can change public holiday dates
Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024 also gives the UAE Cabinet the ability to move eligible public holidays to the start or end of a working week.
Eid holidays are not covered by this transfer provision.
National Day is among the holidays that can be moved through a Cabinet decision. Any change to the December 2026 holiday dates could affect the leave calculation for employees planning the nine-day break.
Article 2 of the resolution grants the Cabinet authority to transfer eligible holidays, while Article 3 rules out transfers when a public holiday coincides with another public holiday or a weekend.
Employees planning travel around the December break should therefore rely on official government announcements and their employer’s confirmed holiday schedule before submitting leave requests.
Current UAE government guidance lists December 2 and December 3 as the two National Day public holidays.