UAE announces 2-day National Day break for private sector employees: Al Khaleej

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UAE residents are in for the last big holiday of the year, with private sector employees set to get two days off for UAE National Day this year, according to a report from Al…

UAE residents are in for the last big holiday of the year, with private sector employees set to get two days off for UAE National Day this year.

The UAE's Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation has confirmed that private-sector employees will get December 2 and 3 off for the occasion. On Friday, November 13, authorities announced a three-day holiday for the public sector.

For a longer break, UAE residents can take an annual leave on Friday, December 4, making it a 5-day long break with the weekend.

The UAE National celebrations, called Eid Al Etihad, are held on December 2, marking the day when all seven emirates came together in a union.

The phrase Eid Al Etihad literally means Celebration of the Union. It’s not a new name — it’s actually a return to the authentic Arabic title that the nation’s founders used to describe this day, Khaleej Times earlier reported.

According to a UAE law passed in 2025, some public holidays are transferable.

This means that if they fall mid-week, they can be moved to the beginning or end of the week so residents can get a longer continuous break with the weekend.

Last year, the UAE ‘transferred’ its Eid Al Etihad public holiday for the first time, allowing residents to enjoy an extended four-day weekend for UAE National Day.

The National Day holidays in 2025 were initially scheduled for December 2 and 3 (Tuesday and Wednesday), but were officially moved to December 1 and 2 (Monday and Tuesday). This resulted in a longer break for residents who follow the Saturday–Sunday weekend, giving them time off from November 29 to December 2.

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