The UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation has announced that private-sector employees across the country will receive paid public holidays on Wednesday, December 2, and Thursday, December 3, 2026, to mark the UAE’s 55th Eid Al Etihad, or National Day.

The break will be the final major public holiday of the year for private-sector employees in the UAE.

Meanwhile, employees of federal ministries and government entities will receive a three-day holiday from Wednesday, December 2, to Friday, December 4. These entities will resume operations on Monday, December 7.

Private-sector employees whose weekend falls on Saturday and Sunday can extend the break to five consecutive days, from December 2 to 6, by taking one day of annual leave on Friday, December 4.

Eid Al Etihad means “Celebration of the Union” and is not a new name for UAE National Day. It is the Arabic title for the occasion and was also used by the country’s Founding Fathers to describe the day of unification.

The UAE marks the anniversary of the formation of the federation of the seven emirates in 1971 on December 2 each year. The country will celebrate the 55th anniversary of its founding in 2026.

UAE Rules on Moving Public Holidays

Under UAE public holiday regulations introduced in 2025, some holidays that fall in the middle of the week may be moved to the beginning or end of the week by an official decision, creating an extended break when combined with the weekend.

The rule was applied to the Eid Al Etihad holiday last year. The 2025 holiday, initially scheduled for December 2 and 3, was moved to December 1 and 2, giving employees with Saturday-Sunday weekends a four-day break from November 29 to December 2.

This year’s Eid Al Etihad celebrations will focus on the families, generations and communities that have helped shape the UAE’s journey over the past 55 years. Coinciding with the UAE’s Year of the Family, the events will highlight family cohesion, shared values and intergenerational bonds.