UAE employees have an opportunity to secure nine consecutive days off around the country’s National Day holidays in December. Workers who take three days of annual leave could extend the public holiday period into a nine-day break.
Eid Al Etihad, which marks the UAE’s National Day, falls on Wednesday, December 2, and Thursday, December 3, in 2026. These holidays create an opportunity for employees to plan a longer break without using a full week of annual leave.
However, the arrangement depends on employees having a standard Saturday-to-Sunday weekend and securing approval for their leave requests.
UAE public holidays: How to get nine consecutive days off
Employees can combine the two National Day holidays with the weekends before and after them. They would need to book annual leave for three working days.
The proposed schedule is:
- Saturday, November 28, and Sunday, November 29: Weekend
- Monday, November 30: Annual leave
- Tuesday, December 1: Annual leave
- Wednesday, December 2, and Thursday, December 3: Eid Al Etihad public holidays
- Friday, December 4: Annual leave
- Saturday, December 5, and Sunday, December 6: Weekend
This arrangement gives eligible employees nine consecutive days away from work, from November 28 to December 6, while using only three days of annual leave.
It could also help workers plan domestic breaks or overseas trips around the final scheduled public holiday period of 2026.
UAE National Day 2026: What employees should know
Eid Al Etihad is the final scheduled public holiday of the year under the published UAE holiday calendar.
However, employees should check official announcements before confirming travel plans. UAE rules allow certain public holidays to move to the beginning or end of a working week through a government decision. Religious holidays have specific provisions.
In addition, annual leave remains subject to employer approval and operational requirements. Workers should confirm their leave dates with their HR departments before booking travel or accommodation.
Employees who work shifts or follow a different weekly schedule may also need to adjust the arrangement. Their actual days off will depend on their work patterns and the holidays observed by their employers.
How UAE public holidays affect annual leave planning
Strategic leave planning allows employees to make the most of public holidays without using too much of their annual leave entitlement.
In this case, three leave days connect two weekends with the two-day National Day holiday. As a result, employees can take a longer break than the number of leave days they use.
For employers, the approaching holiday period also makes early workforce planning important. HR teams may need to coordinate leave requests, shift coverage and business continuity during the extended break.
Employees should therefore submit requests early and confirm the final holiday dates before making non-refundable bookings.
The nine-day break is an opportunity rather than a guaranteed entitlement. Employees who obtain approval for all three leave days can use the calendar arrangement to extend their National Day holiday.
