UAE announces New Year 2026 holiday for private sector

Dubai: The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) has announced that Thursday, January 1, 2026, will be an official paid holiday for all private sector employees in the UAE.

The announcement follows the UAE Cabinet’s approved list of public holidays for both the public and private sectors.

With New Year’s Day falling on a Thursday, private sector workplaces are expected to resume operations on Friday, January 2, 2026.

Public sector holiday

Meanwhile, the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources had announced on Thursday that New Year’s Day 2026 will be a holiday for the federal government sector.

The holiday will be on Thursday, January 1, 2026, while Friday, January 2, 2026, will be a remote-work day for federal government employees, except those whose roles require otherwise.