January 1, 2025, Wednesday, will be a public holiday for UAE government employees, according to the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources. The announcement was made on Friday.
This will be the first public holiday in 2025. The update follows the official list of holidays released earlier this year.
Residents in the UAE can look forward to up to 13 public holidays in 2025. However, there will be a slight change in the schedule for Eid Al Fitr, one of the key Islamic holidays.
Shorter Eid Al Fitr Break in 2025
One of the major changes this year is the Eid Al Fitr holiday. After Ramadan, residents will get a break of up to four days. This holiday includes the first three days of Shawwal, the month following Ramadan.
- If Ramadan lasts 30 days, residents will enjoy holidays from Ramadan 30 to Shawwal 3.
- If Ramadan lasts 29 days, the holiday will only cover the first three days of Eid (Shawwal 1 to 3).
In contrast, the 2024 Eid Al Fitr holiday started earlier, from Ramadan 29 to Shawwal 3, giving residents a nine-day break when weekends were included.
Another Four Days Off
UAE residents will also get a break for Arafah Day on Dhul Hijjah 9, the holiest day in Islam. This will be followed by the three-day Eid Al Adha holiday (Dhul Hijjah 10-12), giving people another four days off.
