Leave rules · 2026
Annual leave and sick leave rules in the United Arab Emirates (2026)
Employees in the United Arab Emirates get at least 30 days of paid annual leave a year on a 5-day week (6 weeks). Sick leave: paid.
Rules as of September 2026 · page built Monday, September 28, 2026Statutory minimums
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30 days a year (240 hours)
Statutory minimum 30 days on a 5-day week at 0 years of service.
This is the legal floor for the United Arab Emirates; the contract can give more.
| Service | Minimum (5-day week) | In weeks |
|---|---|---|
| Starting entitlement | 30 days | 6 weeks |
30 days a year after 1 year of service; 2 days per month between 6 months and 1 year (Federal Decree-Law 33 of 2021).
Worked exampleA full-time employee on a 5-day week gets at least 30 days a year.
What the rules mean in practice
In the United Arab Emirates, a full-time employee on a 5-day week is entitled to at least 30 days of paid annual leave a year, which is 6…
In the United Arab Emirates, a full-time employee on a 5-day week is entitled to at least 30 days of paid annual leave a year, which is 6 weeks. The legal wording: 30 days a year after 1 year of service; 2 days per month between 6 months and 1 year (Federal Decree-Law 33 of 2021).
Compared with the other 37 jurisdictions LeaveCalc covers, that starting minimum is higher than 37, the same as 0 and lower than 0. Across all of them the range runs from 5 days (the Philippines) to 30 days (the United Arab Emirates). 30 days is about 11.5% of a 260-day working year.
No service-based step is recorded here, so the 30-day minimum applies at every length of service; the official source has the full rule.
Official holidays are announced by the government each year. For 2026, the public holiday calendar for the United Arab Emirates lists 12 holidays, 10 of them on working days.
Sick leave: Up to 90 days a year after probation: 15 days full pay, 30 days half pay, 45 days unpaid; not an accrued balance. LeaveCalc rates this entry Medium confidence, based on the official sources listed below as of September 2026.
Public holidays
Official holidays are announced by the government each year. See the 2026 and 2027 public holiday dates for the United Arab Emirates, with .ics downloads.
Sources
As of September 2026. Statutory minimums only: contracts, collective agreements and local rules can give more.
Questions about leave in the United Arab Emirates
The statutory minimum is 30 days a year for a full-time employee on a 5-day week (6 weeks).
How many days of annual leave do employees get in the United Arab Emirates?
The statutory minimum is 30 days a year for a full-time employee on a 5-day week (6 weeks). 30 days a year after 1 year of service; 2 days per month between 6 months and 1 year (Federal Decree-Law 33 of 2021).
Does annual leave increase with length of service in the United Arab Emirates?
No service-based step is recorded here for the United Arab Emirates: the statutory minimum stays at 30 days a year. Check the official source for the full rule.
Is sick leave paid in the United Arab Emirates?
Yes. Up to 90 days a year after probation: 15 days full pay, 30 days half pay, 45 days unpaid; not an accrued balance.
Are public holidays part of annual leave in the United Arab Emirates?
Official holidays are announced by the government each year. In 2026 the calendar for the United Arab Emirates has 12 public holidays, 10 of them on working days.