Eid Al Fitr 2026 Holidays: UAE announces holiday dates for public, private workers—details here

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Federal Authority for Government Human Resources, alongside the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, has officially declared the Eid Al Fitr holiday dates for both federal government staff and private sector employees.

For people in federal government entities, the Eid Al Fitr break is scheduled to commence on Thursday, 19 March 2026, extending through Sunday, 22 March 2026. Standard operations are set to resume on Monday, 23 March 2026. Meanwhile, private sector workers will observe the holiday from Thursday, 19 March 2026, until Saturday, 21 March 2026. Those whose regular schedules include Sundays will be expected to return to their posts on Sunday, 22 March.

Authorities further noted that should the holy month of Ramadan complete a 30-day cycle, the private sector holiday will be extended to include Sunday, 22 March. This directive applies across all emirates, in accordance with the established protocols for public and private holiday coordination.

However, if the moon remains unseen, Ramadan will conclude after 30 days. In this scenario, fasting continues through 19 March, with Eid Al Fitr beginning on 20 March. This methodology adheres strictly to the Islamic lunar calendar, where the arrival of each new month is dictated by celestial observation.

As the nation enters this sacred month characterised by fasting and introspection, many residents are already anticipating the joyous festivities that mark its conclusion. Local tailors have ceased accepting new commissions for Eid attire, retailers are filling their inventories for the seasonal rush, and a sense of celebration is already beginning to permeate neighbourhoods well before the Shawwal crescent appears.