By Staff Reporter
DUBAI — UAE residents could turn the 2026 National Day holiday into a nine-day break by using just three days of annual leave, provided the official holiday dates remain unchanged.
The UAE’s final public holiday of 2026 is expected to fall on Wednesday, December 2, and Thursday, December 3, marking National Day, also known as Eid Al Etihad.
Workers looking to extend the break can combine the two public holidays with their annual leave and the weekends.
One day of leave: Five days off
Employees can take Friday, December 4 as annual leave.
This would create five consecutive days away from work, from Wednesday, December 2, to Sunday, December 6.
Two days of leave: Six days off
Taking Monday, November 30, and Tuesday, December 1 as annual leave would give employees six consecutive days off.
The break would run from Saturday, November 28, to Thursday, December 3, with workers expected to return on Friday, December 4.
Three days of leave: Nine days off
Workers seeking the longest break can take November 30, December 1 and December 4 as annual leave.
Combined with the two National Day public holidays and the weekends, this would create a nine-day break from Saturday, November 28, to Sunday, December 6.
Under Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024, UAE authorities can transfer certain public holidays to the beginning or end of a working week. However, such changes require an official government decision.
Employees should therefore confirm the final holiday dates and obtain approval from their employers before booking travel or submitting leave requests.
The arrangements outlined above are based on the current 2026 calendar and are not final until officially confirmed by the UAE authorities.
