How Many Annual Leave Days Are Allowed in UAE? (2026 Labour Law Update)

Annual Leave Days Are Allowed in UAE Annual leave is given according to the law. If an employee has worked for one year or more, he or she gets a minimum of one day’s paid leave. If someone has worked for less than one year, he or she is given a leave based on the work done. It is public. Annual Leave Days Are Allowed in UAE The government announces it every year and includes important holidays and national holidays such as Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha and UAE National Day.

Legal framework for Annual Leave Days Are Allowed in UAE

The UAE places great importance on employees and fairness in the workplace, which is why there are clear laws regarding paid leave. Annual Leave Days Are Allowed in UAE These laws are made under the Friendly Law No. 33 of 2021, which describes the leave rights of security guards. The aim of this law is to ensure that employees can have rest and personal time without affecting the work of the company. Annual Leave Days Are Allowed in UAEUAE employees are given paid leave based on their length of service.

30 days of paid leave: This is for employees who have completed at least one year of continuous work.

Pro-rata leaves of two days per month: This is for employees who have worked for at least six months but have not completed a year.

Part-time employees: They also receive paid leave, which is based on their work hours, as stated in their employment contract. 2026 UAE Annual Leave Rules: How Many Days Allowed If an employee leaves the job before using his vacation, he will be paid the remaining vacation pay when the job ends.According to UAE Labor Law, when determining the annual vacation time, the consent of both the employee and the company and the need for work are taken into account.

An employee must have worked for at least six months continuously to be eligible for paid leave. 2026 UAE Annual Leave Rules: How Many Days Allowed When a company decides on a vacation, it must notify the employee at least one month in advance. Although the company can decide on vacation time based on work requirements, it should be decided in consultation with the employee and with their consent.

Click Here: Leave Salary Calculator UAE

Carrying forward leave

An employee must use their accrued vacation in the same year in which it is earned, but if the company allows, any unused vacation time can be carried over to the next year. Vacation time is paid to the employee at the employee’s base salary. 2026 UAE Annual Leave Rules: How Many Days Allowed The company is not allowed to prevent an employee from using accrued vacation time for more than two years.

2026 UAE Annual Leave Rules: How Many Days Allowed If a public holiday or sick leave occurs during the accrued vacation, it is generally considered to be included in the vacation, unless company policy or the employment contract states otherwise.

Public holidays in the UAE

If a government holiday falls on a weekend, it can be moved to the nearest working day so that employees can also enjoy the weekend. Annual Leave Days Are Allowed in UAE This change will be especially beneficial for those who want to have long days throughout the year. In addition, the UAE may also set additional public holidays for a particular region or unit, which may provide some residences with additional days off.

As in previous years, the dates of some festivals such as Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha will be determined by the sighting of the moon. Annual Leave Days Are Allowed in UAEThere may be slight differences, however, for 2026, the estimated dates for these events have already been announced.

Leave types in the UAE

In addition to annual leave and public holidays, some form of leave is also granted in the UAE to meet the various needs of employees so that a balance can be maintained between personal and work life. Annual Leave Days Are Allowed in UAE2026 UAE Annual Leave Rules

All leave conditions are subject to the same conditions and property security applies equally.

Read More: Who Is Not Eligible for Overtime in UAE? (Managers & Supervisors Explained – 2026)

Sick leave

Employees in the UAE are entitled to a maximum of 90 days of sick leave per year after completing their service

The leave is distributed as follows:

FirstFirst 15 days: Full pay.

NextNextNext 30 days: Half pay.

The sick leave cannot be continuous, but the employee must also return his salary within three days of the sick leave and submit a medical certificate from the employer. Annual Leave Days Are Allowed in UAE If the illness is due to negligence or misconduct such as drug use, he will not be given paid leave. If the employee ends his sick leave and cannot return to work, the employer has the right to terminate the contract, but the employee will receive end-of-service benefits.

Parental leave

Maternity Leave: Female employees are entitled to 60 days of maternity leave, broken down as follows:

• 45 days with full pay.
• 15 days with half pay.

Paternity Leave: The father is entitled to five working days of paid leave to be used within six months of the birth of his child. It is the first Arab country to make it mandatory to have a birth certificate in a secretary’s office that shows the child’s gender.

If there is a life-threatening illness or injury during the birth of the child, the mother can take a maximum of 45 days without a medical certificate. The mother is entitled to an additional 30 days of paid leave, followed by another 30 days without pay Annual Leave Days Are Allowed in UAE

After returning to work, the new mother will be given six months to take care of the child and two weeks of daily leave, not exceeding one hour, and this break is fully supported.

Hajj and Umrah leaves

Hajj

Employees will be allowed to take special leave to perform Hajj, but certain conditions will apply. Annual Leave Days Are Allowed in UAE This leave is unpaid and can be for a maximum of 30 days. The important thing is that the employee is entitled to this leave only once during his entire employment.

Umrah

Regarding Umrah leave, the UAE Labour Law does not mandate any specific entitlements. Annual Leave Days Are Allowed in UAE When an employee seeks time off for Umrah, the decision rests entirely with the employer. The employer may choose to approve the leave by either deducting it from the employee’s annual leave days or treating it as unpaid leave.

Read More: Unpaid Leave Rules in UAE – Employee Rights Explained (2026)

Official leaves and vacations

According to Article 21 of the UAE Labor Code, a private secretary is entitled to at least one day of paid leave per week, as specified in their employment contract or company rules.Annual Leave Days Are Allowed in UAE The company may also grant additional days of leave to employees if it wishes. In addition, the company may grant paid leave to employees on public holidays to ensure a balance between work and personal or social events.

Working during official holidays or leave days

If an employee has to work during a government holiday or a public holiday, it is being made clear that this leave can either be given in the form of another day off or the employee is allowed to be paid a fixed amount in lieu of daily salary and along with this, his basic salary will be increased by 50 percent and time will also be included. Annual Leave Days Are Allowed in UAE This law has been stated in Article 28 and it is certain that employees will receive appropriate payment for working on a holiday or public holiday.

Study leaves

Employees who have worked in the company for at least two years are given 10 days of paid leave every year to take their exams. This benefit is especially for employees who are studying in an accredited educational institution in the UAE Annual Leave Days Are Allowed in UAEThis is not to discourage young employees from taking academic work so that they can have time to prepare for and take exams and still receive their regular salary.

Sabbatical leaves

According to UAE Labor Law, private security guards are given paid leave to fulfill their national service obligations.Annual Leave Days Are Allowed in UAE This leave allows employees to take reasonable breaks from their regular work while retaining their jobs and receiving compensation during their national service.

Read More: Maximum Working Hours in UAE (2026 Labour Law – Overtime Rules Explained)

Conclusion

Annual Leave Days Are Allowed in UAE In the UAE, employees are given leave according to the law. 2026 UAE Annual Leave Rules: How Many Days Allowed Employees who have worked for one year or more are given 30 days of leave, and those who have worked for more than six months are given leave on a monthly basis. The leave must be used in installments, but if the company allows, it can be transferred to the next year.

Annual Leave Days Are Allowed in UAEThe payment of leave is calculated based on the salary. Annual Leave Days Are Allowed in UAE Employees also get leave on official holidays and holidays can be transferred to the nearest working day if they fall on one end.

Sick leave is given for a maximum of 90 days. Naima is given six 60 days of leave and five days of night leave. Leave without pay for Hajj is not reduced for Umrah. Magic was necessary or if the place was left during the leave, an alternative leave or four percent overtime is given. Annual Leave Days Are Allowed in UAE Employees who have worked for two years get 10 days of educational leave and employees who are absent are also given national service leave.

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