New Year's Day, January 1, will be a holiday for the public sector, the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (Fahr) has announced.
Fahr also said Friday, January 2, would be designated as a remote-work day for federal government employees, except for those whose roles require them to be present in person.
The January 1 holiday for private sector employees is expected to be confirmed soon, by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.
Public and private sector workers typically receive the same number of public holiday dates each year under a unified government calendar.
The public holiday will be welcomed by those who plan to take part in New Year's Eve festivities being organised across the country, including concerts and fireworks.
The fireworks show at Dubai's Burj Khalifa will once more be a major highlight as thousands see in 2026.
Meanwhile, Friday, January 2, will also see Friday prayers starting 12.45pm across the country, rather than the previous time of 1.15pm.
The change comes into effect from the beginning of 2026.
