Legal Regulations
Employees are legally entitled to paid days off for major public holidays. Those required to work on holidays are compensated with alternative paid time off. A Cabinet resolution allows for the transfer of certain mid-week holidays to create long weekends, though this rule does not apply to Eid holidays. The public sector typically observes more holidays than the private sector.
News
For 2026, the UAE has outlined two scenarios for the Eid Al Fitr holiday duration in the private sector, dependent on whether Ramadan lasts 29 or 30 days. All Islamic holiday dates remain tentative, subject to official moon sighting confirmations. Recent years have seen significant events like the Abraham Accords and the Emirates Mars Mission.
For Ramadan 2026, the UAE announced reduced working hours for both public and private sector employees. Federal government hours are set from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (Mon-Thu) and 9 a.m. to noon on Fridays, while private sector daily hours are reduced by two hours. Recent years have seen significant events like the Abraham Accords and the Mars mission impacting the national context.
Insights
A common cultural practice in the US is strategically using vacation days to create long weekends, such as taking a Friday off after a Thursday holiday. The standard full-time work schedule is typically 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday. Many businesses offer 'floating holidays' or personal days in addition to the standard holiday schedule.
The standard weekend in the UAE is Friday and Saturday, aligning with Islamic tradition. Strategic planning around the holiday transfer rule can create extended breaks. The labor market is unique, with residency tied to employment visas, allowing for rapid adjustment to economic demand. The country is a major hub for business and tourism.
During Ramadan, typical workdays are reduced by two hours in the private sector. Federal employees have specific shortened schedules, such as 9am to 2:30pm Monday-Thursday and 9am to noon on Fridays. Many Islamic holidays are based on moon sightings, leading to tentative dates. Flexible and remote work arrangements are permitted within specified limits.
2026 Working days summary for Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates
Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates has 251 working days in 2026. This is calculated from 365 total calendar days, minus 101 weekend days (Saturday-Sunday), and minus 13 holidays. The standard work week runs Monday through Friday.
251
Working Days
101
Weekend Days
13
Holidays
Monthly Breakdown
| Month | Working | Weekend | Holidays | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 20 | 10 | 1 | 31 |
| February | 20 | 8 | 0 | 28 |
| March | 22 | 6 | 3 | 31 |
| April | 22 | 8 | 0 | 30 |
| May | 18 | 9 | 4 | 31 |
| June | 21 | 8 | 1 | 30 |
| July | 22 | 9 | 0 | 31 |
| August | 21 | 9 | 1 | 31 |
| September | 22 | 8 | 0 | 30 |
| October | 21 | 10 | 0 | 31 |
| November | 22 | 8 | 0 | 30 |
| December | 20 | 8 | 3 | 31 |
| Total | 251 | 101 | 13 | 365 |
2026 Calendar for Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates
January 2026
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 New Year's Day New Year's Day | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||
5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
20 working days, 10 weekend days, and 1 holiday in January 2026.
February 2026
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ||||||
2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
20 working days, 8 weekend days in February 2026.
March 2026
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ||||||
2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 Eid al-Fitr Eid al-Fitr | 21 Eid al-Fitr Eid al-Fitr | 22 Eid al-Fitr Eid al-Fitr |
23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
30 | 31 |
22 working days, 6 weekend days, and 3 holidays in March 2026.
April 2026
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
22 working days, 8 weekend days in April 2026.
May 2026
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | ||||
4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
25 | 26 Day of Arafah Day of Arafah | 27 Eid al-Adha Eid al-Adha | 28 Eid al-Adha Eid al-Adha | 29 Eid al-Adha Eid al-Adha | 30 | 31 |
18 working days, 9 weekend days, and 4 holidays in May 2026.
June 2026
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
15 | 16 Islamic New Year Islamic New Year | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
29 | 30 |
21 working days, 8 weekend days, and 1 holiday in June 2026.
July 2026
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
22 working days, 9 weekend days in July 2026.
August 2026
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | |||||
3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 |
24 | 25 Prophet Muhammad's Birthday Prophet Muhammad's Birthday | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
31 |
21 working days, 9 weekend days, and 1 holiday in August 2026.
September 2026
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 |
28 | 29 | 30 |
22 working days, 8 weekend days in September 2026.
October 2026
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||
5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
21 working days, 10 weekend days in October 2026.
November 2026
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ||||||
2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
30 |
22 working days, 8 weekend days in November 2026.
December 2026
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Commemoration Day Commemoration Day | 2 National Day National Day | 3 National Day National Day | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 |
28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
20 working days, 8 weekend days, and 3 holidays in December 2026.
Changelog
| 2026-05-17 22:24:21 | The holiday set for 2026 has been refined, resulting in a slight adjustment of names and the removal of one holiday. |
| 2026-05-05 10:48:38 | The holiday set for 2026 has been expanded to include an additional observance while also refining the designation of existing holidays. |