UAE holiday calendar for 2024: When is the next paid leave?

Image credit: WAM

Do you live and work in the UAE? If you do, here is a calendar that you must keep pinned to your desk or fridge as we start the new year.

According to the official holiday calendar released by the UAE government, workers in the country will enjoy atleast 13 public holidays in 2024. And if you are strategic about it, well, the opportunities are endless.

Here is the official list for confirmed public holidays in 2024:

Monday January 1: New Year’s Day
Ramadan 29 to Shawwal 3: Eid Al-Fitr (Predicted dates – Monday April 8, Tuesday April 9, Wednesday April 10, Thursday April 11, Friday April 12)
Dhu Al Hijjah 9: Arafat Day (Saturday June 15)
Dhu Al Hijjah 10 to 12: Eid Al-Adha (Predicted dates – Sunday June 16, Monday June 17, Tuesday June 18)
Muharram 1: Islamic New Year (Predicted dates – Sunday July 7)
Rabi’ Al-Awwal 12: Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) birthday (Sunday September 15)
Monday December 2: National Day
Tuesday December 3: National Day holiday

The public holiday list is based on the Hijri calendar months which last 29 or 30 days, depending on when the crescent Moon is spotted. The actual dates will be announced by the relevant authorities based on this closer to the occasion.

UAE confirmed holiday list for 2024

The holiday dates, released by the UAE government in 2023, are the same for public and private sector workers in the country. These holidays are in addition to the 30 annual leaves employees can take in a year.

#UAE_Cabinet approves official holidays calendar for government and private sectors for year 2024 pic.twitter.com/HHtIQawNy8

— UAEGOV (@UAEmediaoffice) November 21, 2023

While most of us enjoyed a long-weekend at the start of the new year with January 1 being a public holiday, the next public holiday is not far off with the Islamic festival of Eid Al Fitr coming up in April. This festival marks the end of Ramadan. The UAE government has specified that Ramadan 29 to Shawwal 3 will be a public holiday which is about four or five days off, depending on whether the month lasts 29 or 30 days, respectively.