UAE holidays: Residents to get 3 long weekends in 2022

UAE residents will have three long breaks for the remainder of 2022, which will allow them to spend quality time with their families and friends within and outside the UAE.

This guide will help residents plan their travel and vacations abroad.

Residents will enjoy long breaks on the occasion of Eid Al Fitr, Eid Al Adha and the UAE’s Commemoration Day and the National Day.

These long breaks come along with the new weekend, which came into effect this month. Starting January 1, 2022, the UAE moved its workweek from Sunday-Thursday to Monday till mid-Friday.

Unlike the Gregorian calendar, which is based on 31 days, the Islamic (or Hijri) calendar follows a lunar system and has a maximum of 30 days. Please note that these dates are subject to change, depending on the moon sighting.

In the UAE, the holy month of Ramadan is expected to begin on April 2 and end on May 1. This means Eid Al Fitr will begin on Monday, May 2, 2022. The UAE has announced Eid Al Fitr holidays from Ramadan 29 to Shawal 3. This will give residents a five-day break from Saturday, April 30, to Wednesday, May 4. This will be the longest break for the UAE employees of the year.

But if the holy month of Ramadan lasts 29 days, residents will get a four-day break (Saturday, April 30, till Tuesday, May 3).

Based on the astronomical calculations, the next four-day-long break will fall during Arafah Day and Eid Al Adha from Zul Hijjah 9 to 12. This means the public and private sectors will enjoy four-day leave from Friday, July 8 to Monday, July 11.

However, residents are likely to lose their next two holidays of Islamic New Year and Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) Birthday which fall on Saturday, July 30, and Saturday, October 8, respectively.

Residents will have their last four-day-long break on the occasion of Commemoration Day and the National Day from Thursday, December 1, till Sunday, December 4, 2022.