By Staff Reporter
Dubai: UAE residents may be set for another long weekend next month as the government is expected to apply its public holiday transfer policy to Prophet Mohammed’s (PBUH) Birthday.
According to the UAE’s public holiday regulations, certain national holidays that fall in the middle of the week can be moved to either the beginning or end of the working week, creating longer breaks for employees in both the public and private sectors.
Prophet Mohammed’s (PBUH) Birthday is currently projected to fall on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, based on the Islamic Hijri calendar. If the holiday is officially transferred to Monday, August 24, residents would benefit from a three-day weekend.
The final date will only be confirmed after the official moon sighting, as Islamic calendar dates depend on the visibility of the new crescent moon.
The flexibility to move eligible public holidays was introduced under Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024, allowing the government to reduce disruptions caused by midweek holidays while giving residents longer uninterrupted breaks.
However, not all public holidays are eligible for transfer. Religious holidays such as Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha remain fixed according to their religiously determined dates and cannot be moved.
The resolution also states that holidays cannot be transferred if they already coincide with another public holiday or fall on a weekend.
Workers’ Rights During Public Holidays
Employees in both the public and private sectors are entitled to paid leave on officially declared public holidays.
If an employee is required to work on a public holiday, UAE labour law provides that they must receive either:
- A substitute day off, or
- Their normal wage plus at least 50 per cent of their basic daily wage as additional compensation if no replacement leave is granted.
Final Public Holiday of 2026
Following Prophet Mohammed’s (PBUH) Birthday, the last official public holiday of the year will be Eid Al Etihad (UAE National Day) on December 2 and 3, 2026, commemorating the formation of the United Arab Emirates on December 2, 1971.
