The year’s final public holiday has officially been confirmed as a long weekend.
UAE employees can now plan their final long weekend of the year after the government announced a three-day paid holiday for public sector workers to mark the country’s 55th National Day.
December 2, 3 and 4 — Wednesday to Friday — have been declared public holidays. Ministries and federal entities will resume normal working hours on Monday, December 7.
The announcement means employees who normally have Saturday and Sunday off will enjoy a five-day break for Eid Al Etihad.
The holiday traditionally falls on December 2 and 3. By including December 4 in this year’s holiday schedule, the government has extended the celebrations into a long weekend, allowing employees to enjoy the break without using an annual leave day.
In 2025, the UAE introduced a law allowing certain public holidays to be moved to the beginning or end of the week when they fall midweek. The measure is aimed at creating longer consecutive breaks by aligning public holidays with the regular weekend.
