UAE New Year's Day holiday confirmed for public and private sectors

Federal government employees and workers in private companies will be granted paid leave on January 1

Burj Khalifa's New Year's Eve fireworks are an annual highlight. AFP

UAE public and private sector workers will be granted a public holiday on Wednesday, January 1, the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources confirmed on Friday.

New Year's Day, as observed on the Gregorian calendar, was among the public holiday dates already set out for 2025 by the UAE Cabinet. These include Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha, two days of celebrations for Eid Al Etihad, also known as National Day, as well as the Islamic, or Hijri New Year.

Federal government staff will resume work on January 2. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation later confirmed on social media platform X that "Wednesday, January 1, 2025, will be New Year’s paid holiday for all private sector employees in the UAE".

The public holiday will be welcomed by employees 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 2025.

Designated free public viewing areas in Downtown Dubai will open at 5pm on a first-come, first-served basis. Major roads in the area will close from 6pm. Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority is also expected to announce public transport operating hours and stoppages soon.