Dubai announces Eid Al Fitr holiday for government employees from March 19
UAE prepares for Shawwal moon sighting on March 18
DUBAI – Dubai has announced a four-day Eid Al Fitr holiday for government employees, with official work set to pause from Thursday, March 19.
The break will run until Sunday, March 22, according to a circular issued by the Dubai Government Human Resources Department.
The holiday marks the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan and aligns with national schedules announced for the UAE’s public sector. Government employees will return to work on Monday, March 23, when official working hours resume.
Authorities confirmed that the break allows employees across government entities to observe Eid Al Fitr, one of the most significant celebrations in the Islamic calendar.
Dubai holiday for Eid Al Fitr
The Dubai Government Human Resources Department confirmed that all government departments and entities in the emirate will observe the four-day break.
Employees will begin their Eid holiday on Thursday, March 19, and remain off duty until Sunday, March 22. Regular work schedules will resume on Monday, March 23, following the Eid period.
The announcement comes ahead of the nationwide Eid Al Fitr break that marks the conclusion of Ramadan, when families and communities gather for prayers, celebrations and traditional festivities.
UAE schedule
At the federal level, the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources earlier announced identical dates for employees across ministries, federal entities and government institutions in the UAE.
Federal government staff will also observe their Eid Al Fitr holiday from Thursday, March 19 to Sunday, March 22. Official working hours will resume on Monday, March 23.
For private sector employees, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation confirmed that the holiday will run from Thursday, March 19 to Saturday, March 21.
Employees who normally work on Sundays will be required to return to work on Sunday, March 22.
Authorities noted that if the holy month of Ramadan lasts 30 days, the private sector break will be extended to include Sunday, March 22. In that case, private sector workers would also observe a four-day holiday.
Moon sighting
The exact start of Eid Al Fitr will depend on the sighting of the Shawwal crescent moon, which determines the end of Ramadan in the Islamic lunar calendar.
The UAE will observe the crescent moon of Shawwal on Tuesday, March 18 after Maghrib prayer. The sighting will confirm the first day of Eid Al Fitr for the country.
Astronomical calculations from the UAE-based International Astronomy Centre indicate that the crescent sighting on March 18 is unlikely. According to the centre, the moon is expected to set before the sun and the astronomical conjunction will occur after sunset, making the sighting “impossible” that evening.
Based on these calculations, the centre has predicted that Ramadan will likely complete 30 days, placing the first day of Eid Al Fitr on March 20 in the UAE and several other countries.
The final confirmation, however, will depend on the official moon-sighting announcement made by authorities in the UAE.