Public Holidays in UAE 2025

When is the next public holiday? Another deadline getting close? It feels like life is on repeat sometimes, a cycle of work that you can't get out of, especially if you're a one-man HR department in a business city like UAE. In the HR department, you're required to make sure that all operations run smoothly. But some times, these unanticipated public holidays interfere with your plans.

In the year 2025, the UAE will observe eight public holidays, namely, Eid-Al-Fitr, Arafaat Day, Eid-Al-Adha, the Islamic New Year, the Prophet's Birthday, Commemoration Day, UAE National Day, and New Year's Eve. These holidays offer the year with moments for joy, reflection, and relaxation.

What are Public Holidays in UAE?

Public holidays in the UAE are the days recognized by the official calendar that government offices, businesses, and institutions cease operating. Such holidays are considered paid time off and thus, an opportunity for families and friends to get together and celebrate, which is an indirect way of the country’s identity being strengthened. They allow people in the UAE to participate in the cultural, religious, or national events. Besides, these holidays are also very important in ensuring a healthy work-life balance and promoting unity, social peace, and the feeling of being part of a community.

We have listed the UAE public holidays for 2025 with their dates so that you can plan your time off and manage your work schedule easily.

Why HR Managers in UAE Need Smarter Tools

Human Resources operations in the UAE extend beyond just the employee induction process or salary management. They extend to various areas such as handling the paperwork required for the renewal of your visa and insurance, dealing with labor laws and ensuring compliance, managing a workforce from different cultures and keeping reliable records. Time-constrained and with increasing obligations, HR managers find themselves in a situation where they have to provide prompt and quality work.

8 Public Holidays in the UAE in 2025

In the UAE, most companies and government offices are closed during public holidays. As a result, it is important to be proficient in arranging holiday time and work schedules to adhere to these public holidays.

Historical Significance of UAE Public Holidays

1. New Year’s Day – 1 January, 2025

New Year's Eve in the Gregorian calendar is the night or whole day of December 31, which is the last day of the year. In the United Arab Emirates, New Year's Eve is celebrated in a very impressive fashion. The brilliant fireworks at the Burj Khalifa, together with the all-night countdown, give a signal of happiness and peace to the entire world.

Luckily, it is a weekend this year, so New Year's Eve is on Sunday. Therefore, we will have a day off on Monday, January 1, 2025, which is a public holiday.

2. Eid-Al-Fitr Holiday (30 March - 3 April 2025)

Eid-al-Fitr is the follow-up feast to the holy month of Ramadan and is celebrated on the 1st of Shawwal. Geographically, in the Islamic calendar, Shawwal is the 10th month of the year. The Eid festival is expected to last for 5 days the next year. It is forecasted that the month of Ramadan will begin on the evening of Friday, February 28, 2025. So if this estimation is accurate, the Eid-Al-Fitr will be held on Sunday, March 30, 2025.

To remind you, the Eid-Al-Fitr holidays are from Ramadan 29 to Shawwal 3. Thus, if March 30 is the day of Eid, the holidays will be from March 30 to April 3. This means that there will be a total of five days off.

On the other hand, these dates are dependent on the length of Ramadan and the sighting of the Shawwal moon. Although the dates may differ, there is a 99% chance that they will be the days of Eid.

3. Arafat Day – 5 June, 2025

rafaat Day main focus is centered around seeing and praying. It is indeed an essential feature of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. This day is one of the most important incidents in the history of Islam.

Since the day is acknowledged as a holiday from work, you can peacefully keep your vigil and offer your prayers. According to the Astronomical computations, "Arafat Day is expected to fall on Thursday, the 5th of June. Thus, the following day, Friday, will be the first day of Eid-Al-Adha."

4. Eid-al-Adha – 6 to 8 June, 2025

Eid-Al-Adha or the sacrifice is a festival of keeping a record of the decision made by Ibrahim to sacfrifice his son. Sacrifices are offered by families, and the animals' meat is distributed among the poor. It is the second festival celebrated in Islam after the first and the most important one.

The UAE Moon Sighting Committee has predicted that the sight of the moon of Dhu Al-Hijja will be on Friday, June 6, 2025, and therefore the first day of Eid-Al-Adha will be that day.

Eid day will be on Wednesday, June 4, 2025, the day of sacrifice (Arafat). Hence, the holidays will last until June 7, resulting in the announcement of four public holidays for Eid-Al-Adha 2025.

5. Islamic New Year - 26 june, 2025

The Islamic New Year, or Hijri New Year, is the beginning of the Islamic lunar calendar. The festivity may be low-key with no fireworks or celebrations, but it is still an important day and you will be granted a day off to watch it. The beginning of the Islamic year is celebrated on the first day of the month of Muharram.

Thursday, 26 June 2025, will be the day when the Islamic New Year will be celebrated as a public holiday in the UAE for both private and public sectors, however, the date may differ according to the Hijri Calendar.

6. Prophet Birthday – 5 September, 2025

Mawlid al-Nabi or The Prophet's Birthday is a very special day that is entirely dedicated to celebrating the birth of the Islamic prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

The occasion of the Prophetic birth (PBUH) is a day off in Dubai. It is indicated by the UAE Government that the holiday will fall on Friday, September 5, 2025.

7. UAE National Day – 2 & 3 December, 2025

Every year, December 2 sees the celebration of the National day in the UAE. The seventh emirate, as the last state, joined the federation on February 10, 1972. This day commemorates the unity of the Emirates and the nation’s birth, as a day of pride and togetherness. The holidays can be shifted to the start or the end of the week depending on the government's announcements.

The spectacular parades, pyrotechnics, vast flags in the colors of red, green, white and black are some of what you can expect. Also, this day is a public holiday when love for the country, peace, and pride dominate.

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