MOHRE Confirms Eid Al Adha 2026 Holidays for UAE Private Sector: 26–29 May, 4 Paid Days
MOHRE confirms Eid Al Adha 2026 private sector holidays — Tue 26 May to Fri 29 May. Four paid days for UAE private sector. Work resumes Monday 1 June.
⚡ Breaking · Confirmed 18 May 2026
MOHRE confirms Eid Al Adha 2026 private sector holidays run from Tuesday, 26 May to Friday, 29 May. Four paid days off — Arafat Day plus three Eid days — apply to all private sector employees in the UAE. Work resumes Monday, 1 June. Employees with Saturday–Sunday weekends gain a continuous six-day break.
MOHRE Eid Al Adha 2026 Private Sector Holidays — Official Dates Confirmed
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation issued its official Eid Al Adha 2026 private sector circular on Monday, 18 May 2026. Private sector workers across the UAE receive four paid days off — Tuesday 26 May to Friday 29 May — covering Arafat Day and the three days of Eid Al Adha.
The announcement landed within 24 hours of the UAE Council for Fatwa confirming the Dhul Hijjah moon sighting on Sunday evening, 17 May 2026. The ministerial circular is binding on every private sector employer across the seven emirates under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 — the UAE Labour Law in force since 2 February 2022.
📋 Official Announcement — Key Facts
The MOHRE statement designates 26 to 29 May 2026 as a “paid official holiday” for every private sector worker across the UAE, on the occasion of Arafat Day and Eid Al Adha. The ministry confirms the circular implements the standing UAE Cabinet decision on official public holidays.
The full pillar coverage of every Eid Al Adha 2026 detail — public sector, schools, banks, and what is open — lives on the Eid Al Adha 2026 UAE guide. Cross-sector dates and schools are tracked on the Eid Al Adha 2026 UAE Holidays calendar.
🕌 Countdown — Eid Al Adha 2026
Until Arafat Day · Tuesday, 26 May 2026
First day of MOHRE private sector holiday block
What Does MOHRE's Announcement Mean for the Four-Day Break?
The MOHRE circular guarantees four fully paid days off for every private sector worker in the UAE, regardless of nationality, contract type, or emirate. Pay continues at the regular rate, and none of the four days deduct from your annual leave balance under Article 21 of the UAE Labour Law.
| Gregorian Date | Islamic Date | Occasion | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, 26 May 2026 | 9 Dhul Hijjah 1447 | Arafat Day (Yawm Al Arafah) | ✓ Paid holiday |
| Wed, 27 May 2026 | 10 Dhul Hijjah 1447 | Eid Al Adha — Day 1 | ✓ Paid holiday |
| Thu, 28 May 2026 | 11 Dhul Hijjah 1447 | Eid Al Adha — Day 2 | ✓ Paid holiday |
| Fri, 29 May 2026 | 12 Dhul Hijjah 1447 | Eid Al Adha — Day 3 | ✓ Paid holiday |
| Mon, 1 June 2026 | 15 Dhul Hijjah 1447 | Return to work | 💼 Working day |
For the standard private sector schedule of Monday-to-Friday work with Saturday-Sunday weekends, the four official days off extend into a continuous six-day break — Saturday 23 May through Saturday 30 May, returning on Monday 1 June. The pattern follows the same model MOHRE used for Eid Al Adha 2024 and 2025 private sector circulars.
Private Sector vs Public Sector vs Sharjah — Who Gets How Long Off?
Private sector workers receive four paid days, federal public sector employees receive five, and Sharjah government staff receive a structural ten-day window. The variation is deliberate — each authority publishes its own holiday block under separate legal instruments.
| Sector | Issuing Body | Official Days Off | With Weekends |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private sector (all UAE) | MOHRE | Tue 26 – Fri 29 May (4 days) | 6-day break (Sat 23 – Sat 30) |
| Federal public sector | FAHR | Mon 25 – Fri 29 May (5 days) | 9-day break (Sat 23 – Sun 31) |
| Sharjah government | Sharjah Executive Council | 5 days holiday + 4-day workweek | 10-day break |
| Schools (all authorities) | MOE / KHDA / ADEK | Mon 25 – Fri 29 May | 9-day break |
The one-day gap between private (four days) and public (five days) is structural, not new. What is FAHR? The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources, which sets holiday rules for all federal ministries and government entities. FAHR adds Monday 25 May as a pre-Arafat day off for the public sector — a discretionary day MOHRE has not extended to private companies.
🗓️ Your Six-Day Private Sector Break
Saturday 23 May → Saturday 30 May 2026
💡 Stretch it to 9 days:
Take Monday 25 May as one annual leave day and the chain runs unbroken from Saturday 23 May through Sunday 31 May.
Sharjah operates a four-day workweek with a three-day weekend running Friday–Saturday–Sunday. That structure converts the five-day holiday block into a ten-day continuous off-window — the longest mini-break of any UAE sector for Eid Al Adha 2026.
The full sector-by-sector breakdown — including schools, banks, government counters, and free zones — is mapped on the Eid Al Adha 2026 UAE Holidays calendar. For an explainer on why Arafat Day matters and how it ties to the Hajj, the Arafat Day 2026 UAE guide covers the rituals and timings.
Your Pay and Rights If Your Employer Asks You to Work
If your employer requires you to work during the Eid Al Adha 2026 holiday block, the UAE Labour Law guarantees either a substitute day off or premium pay. Article 28 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 gives your employer the choice — but you are entitled to one of the two.
Crucially, your annual leave balance does not absorb the public holiday — that protection sits in Article 21 of the Labour Law. Your employer cannot deduct an Eid Al Adha day from your annual leave entitlement, even if you take additional leave around the holiday window.
⚠️ One Rule to Know — Article 28
If your employer offers neither a substitute day nor 50% premium pay, file a complaint through the MOHRE portal at mohre.gov.ae or call the MOHRE hotline on 80060. Complaints are free and confidential.
The legal architecture is uniform across the UAE — every private sector employee in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, and Fujairah operates under the same Federal Decree-Law. Contract type does not change the entitlement — limited-term, unlimited-term, part-time, temporary, and flexible work contracts all qualify for the four paid days.
For a deeper rights breakdown including substitute-day documentation, the Eid Al Adha 2026 UAE Private Sector Holidays guide walks through pay, leave, and overtime in detail.
How MOHRE Issued the Official Eid Al Adha 2026 Circular
MOHRE published the circular on Monday, 18 May 2026, less than 24 hours after the UAE Council for Fatwa confirmed the Dhul Hijjah moon sighting on Sunday evening. The Council declared Monday 18 May as the first day of Dhul Hijjah 1447 AH, which fixed Tuesday 26 May as Arafat Day (9 Dhul Hijjah) and Wednesday 27 May as Eid Al Adha Day 1 (10 Dhul Hijjah).
⏱️ Announcement Timeline
Sun, 17 May 2026 — Evening Moon sighting: UAE Council for Fatwa committee sights the Dhul Hijjah crescent through the official observatory network supervised by the Sharjah Space and Astronomy Hub. Sun, 17 May 2026 — Late evening Fatwa Council ruling: Council confirms 18 May as 1 Dhul Hijjah, 26 May as Arafat Day, and 27 May as Eid Al Adha — published via WAM in Arabic and English. Sun, 17 May 2026 — Same evening FAHR announcement: Federal Authority for Government Human Resources confirms public sector holiday from Mon 25 May to Fri 29 May (5 days) for all federal ministries. Mon, 18 May 2026 — 2:06 PM Gulf time MOHRE circular: Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation issues the official private sector circular — Tue 26 May to Fri 29 May, four paid days for all UAE private sector employees. Mon, 1 June 2026 Return to work: Both private and public sector employees resume regular duties across the UAE.
The legal authority for the MOHRE circular flows from the UAE Cabinet's standing resolution on official public holidays in the country. The ministry confirms its decision is issued in line with that Cabinet framework — a statutory mechanism that updates annually with the moon sighting calendar.
For real-time updates on prayer timings across all seven emirates, the Eid Al Adha 2026 Prayer Timings UAE guide lists the Eid prayer start times by city. Coverage of every business, mall, and government counter that stays open during the four-day block is on What's Open During Eid Al Adha 2026.
The MOHRE confirmation closes the last major dating question for Eid Al Adha 2026 — every sector window is now official.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the MOHRE Eid Al Adha 2026 private sector holiday dates?
MOHRE confirms private sector employees in the UAE receive four paid days off for Eid Al Adha 2026 — Tuesday 26 May to Friday 29 May. The block covers Arafat Day on 26 May followed by the three days of Eid Al Adha on 27, 28, and 29 May. Work resumes Monday 1 June 2026. Combined with the surrounding Saturday-Sunday weekends, employees with the standard schedule gain a continuous six-day break.
When did MOHRE announce the Eid Al Adha 2026 private sector holidays?
MOHRE issued the official Eid Al Adha 2026 private sector circular on Monday, 18 May 2026 at 2:06 PM Gulf time. The announcement followed the UAE Council for Fatwa's confirmation of the Dhul Hijjah moon sighting on Sunday evening, 17 May 2026. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation published the circular through official UAE channels, including the WAM news agency and the official @MOHRE_UAE account on X.
How many paid days does the private sector get vs the public sector?
Private sector workers receive four paid days from MOHRE — Tuesday 26 May to Friday 29 May. Federal public sector employees receive five paid days from FAHR — Monday 25 May to Friday 29 May. The one-day difference is Monday 25 May, which FAHR adds as a discretionary pre-Arafat day off for federal ministries. MOHRE has not extended that fifth day to private sector employers for Eid Al Adha 2026.
Can my employer ask me to work on Eid Al Adha 2026?
Yes, an employer is allowed to require work during the Eid Al Adha 2026 holiday block — but only with compensation. Under Article 28 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, the employer chooses one of two options: a paid substitute day off taken on another date, or premium pay of your regular daily wage plus a minimum 50% top-up on your basic wage. Refusal to provide either entitles you to file a complaint with MOHRE on 80060.
Does the MOHRE Eid Al Adha holiday count against my annual leave?
No. Under Article 21 of the UAE Labour Law, public holiday entitlements run completely separately from your annual leave balance. Your employer cannot deduct any of the four Eid Al Adha 2026 days — 26, 27, 28, or 29 May — from your accrued annual leave. The protection applies to every contract type and every nationality working in the UAE private sector.
How do I stretch the four-day MOHRE holiday into a nine-day break?
Apply for one day of annual leave on Monday 25 May 2026 — the only working day between the pre-Eid weekend (Sat 23, Sun 24) and the official MOHRE holiday block (Tue 26 to Fri 29). That single leave day connects to the post-Eid weekend (Sat 30, Sun 31), creating a continuous nine-day off-window from Saturday 23 May to Sunday 31 May. Submit the leave request through your HR portal early — Eid leave requests are subject to operational approval.
What is Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 and why does it matter?
Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 is the UAE Labour Law, in force across all seven emirates since 2 February 2022. It governs every aspect of private sector employment — including public holiday entitlements, overtime, end-of-service benefits, and leave protections. Articles 21 and 28 are the relevant provisions for Eid Al Adha 2026: Article 21 protects annual leave from public holiday absorption, and Article 28 sets the substitute-day or 50% premium-pay rule for holiday work.
Do free zone employees get the same MOHRE Eid Al Adha holiday?
Yes. Employees in DIFC, ADGM, DMCC, JAFZA, and every other UAE free zone receive the same four paid days off — Tuesday 26 May to Friday 29 May. The free zone's own authority issues a confirmation circular that mirrors MOHRE's announcement. DIFC publishes its holiday calendar separately under DIFC Employment Law No. 4 of 2021, while other free zones default to the federal Labour Law and MOHRE's dates.
Are domestic workers and gig workers covered by the MOHRE Eid Al Adha circular?
Domestic workers fall under Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 and receive equivalent public holiday entitlements — four paid days for Eid Al Adha 2026 — administered through MOHRE's domestic worker channel. Gig and platform workers on freelance permits do not receive employer-paid holiday days, since their income is per-task rather than salaried. Full-time private sector employees on standard work permits receive the full MOHRE entitlement.
Where do I verify the official MOHRE Eid Al Adha 2026 announcement?
The authoritative sources are the MOHRE website at mohre.gov.ae, the official @MOHRE_UAE account on X, and the WAM (Emirates News Agency) feed at wam.ae. WAM is the UAE government's official news agency and republishes every ministerial circular in Arabic and English. Khaleej Times, Gulf News, and The National all carry the official circular text verbatim within hours of MOHRE's release, and the dates are mirrored in this article from those primary sources.
Sources:
MOHRE official circular issued 18 May 2026 (mohre.gov.ae); WAM Emirates News Agency (wam.ae, 18 May 2026); UAE Council for Fatwa moon sighting announcement (17 May 2026); FAHR Eid Al Adha 2026 circular; Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 (UAE Labour Law); UAE Cabinet Resolution on Official Public Holidays. Verified against Khaleej Times, Gulf News, Emirates24/7, and Arabian Business reporting on 18 May 2026. Last updated: 18 May 2026 · This article will be revised if MOHRE issues any supplementary circular or sector-specific exception before the holiday window opens.
