Eid Al Fitr is just around the corner, so many UAE residents will be planning a short holiday – whether it is a mini-break or a staycation. Well-organised residents, however, will be preparing for a longer break, with the potential for a nine-day getaway using just two or three days of annual leave, depending on the duration of Ramadan.
As we look ahead to the next public holidays in the UAE – Arafat Day, Eid Al Adha, Islamic New Year and more – with a little planning, you too could maximise the breaks to make the most of the public and private sector days off. Of course, leave can be used whenever you want – or whenever you can get it approved – but here we have put together a handy guide on how to make the most of the breaks.
It is important to note, however, that some of these dates could change. For public holidays, such as Eid Al Adha, exact dates are confirmed by the UAE’s Moon-sighting committee in the days preceding the holidays. The following dates are tentative, bar New Year's Day, but have been issued by the Emirates Astronomical Society.
When are the public holidays in the UAE in 2025?
Planning leave for the rest of 2025
Early summer is expected to be busy for national holidays this year. In May, Islamic holidays Arafat Day and the multiple-day Eid Al Adha holidays are expected to fall one day apart on Friday, May 30 and then Saturday, May 31 until Monday, June 2 respectively. Eid Al Adha typically ranges from a three to a four-day holiday, often with different durations for private and public sector workers. However, if you plan to take four days of annual leave, from Tuesday, June 3 until Friday, June 6, you would have 10 days of consecutive days off with weekends.
A matter of weeks later, Friday, June 27 is Islamic New Year. If you take four days of leave, from Monday, June 23 until Thursday, June 26, you will get a nine-day break by using both weekends.
In September, the Prophet Mohammed's birthday is expected to fall on Monday, September 1. Like the Islamic New Year break two months before, if you plan to take four days of annual leave, from Tuesday, September 2 until Friday, September 5, you would get nine days off with weekends.
Towards the end of 2025, there will be national holidays to mark Commemoration Day and Eid Al Etihad. Commemoration Day is expected to be marked on Monday, December 1, with a two-day Eid Al Etihad break anticipated on Tuesday, December 2 and Wednesday, December 3. Taking leave on Thursday, December 4 and Friday, December 5 would give you a nine-day break with two days of annual leave.
Six blocks using 18 days of leave
January 1 to 5 (5 days off in a row for 2 annual leave days)
March 29 to April 6 (9 days, 2 annual leave days)
May 30 to June 8 (10 days, 4 annual leave days)
June 21 to 26 (9 days, 4 annual leave days)
August 30 to September 7 (9 days, 4 annul leave days)
November 29 to December 7 (9 days, 2 annual leave days)
Looking ahead to 2026
Next year, January 1, New Year's Day, will fall on a Thursday. So if you plan to take leave on the Friday, you will start the year strong with a four-day break when combining the days off with the weekend.
Next year, Ramadan is expected to begin around Monday, February 16 and end on Wednesday, March 18, which means Eid Al Fitr will fall around Thursday, March 19 and Friday, March 20, 2026. If you plan to take the last three days of Ramadan as leave, you could get a consecutive nine days of annual leave to round off the holy month.
A version of this story was first published in December 2024
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
