The holidays mark the 55th anniversary of the UAE's founding (Eid Al Etihad, National Day). Government entities close for three days and, with the weekend, public offices stay shut until Sunday 6 December. Relevant to every employer and to anyone with a trade licence or visas expiring in early December.
What happened
On 13 November 2026 the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE), the UAE's federal labour ministry, confirmed the holidays for Eid Al Etihad, the 55th anniversary of the founding of the federation. For private-sector employees, Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 December 2026 are paid public holidays. For the public sector the break runs for three days, from 2 to 4 December, with work resuming on Monday 7 December. The announcement is reported consistently by The National and Dubai Eye; the notice on the ministry's own website has not yet been reviewed directly.
What changes in practice
Two points matter. First, employers give staff 2 and 3 December off on full pay. Where an employee is required to work on either day, UAE federal labour law entitles them to a substitute rest day for each day worked or, alternatively, to their pay for that day plus a supplement of at least 50% of their wage. Second, government service counters (visa, trade licence and Emirates ID renewals, and Dubai Land Department transactions) are closed from Wednesday 2 to Sunday 6 December: five consecutive days during which in-person filings will not move.
Who it applies to
Mainland and free zone companies with employees, particularly in sectors that stay open on public holidays such as hospitality, retail and services. It also applies to any business or individual holding a trade licence, residence visa or Emirates ID, for themselves or their staff, that expires during the first week of December.
The exposure
There are two practical risks. An employee who works on 2 or 3 December without a substitute rest day or the holiday supplement can dispute their pay, and such disputes are handled through MoHRE. Separately, a filing deferred to early December can slip by almost a week, pushing a licence or visa renewal past its expiry date and triggering late-renewal fines.
What to do now
Before the end of November: (1) decide who will work on 2 and 3 December and confirm in writing whether each person will receive a substitute rest day or the holiday supplement; (2) check that the December payroll run through the Wage Protection System (WPS), the UAE's mandatory electronic salary payment system, reflects that choice; (3) list trade licences, visas and Emirates IDs expiring between 1 and 10 December and submit the renewals in the last week of November, before government offices close.
Sources
- https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/uae/2026/11/13/uae-confirms-national-day-holidays-for-private-sector-employees/
- https://www.dubaieye1038.com/news/local/uae-confirms-national-day-holidays-for-private-sector2/
Published 14 November 2026 on the basis of public sources and official United Arab Emirates instruments. This is not legal or tax advice. Verify your position with a qualified professional before acting.