Sharjah has officially announced January 1, 2025, as the New Year holiday for government employees. The Human Resources Department confirmed Wednesday as a public holiday for all government departments, agencies, and institutions. Moreover, regular working hours will resume on Thursday, January 2. This excludes employees working on shifts.
Earlier this month, the UAE government also declared January 1, 2025, as a public holiday for government employees. The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources made the announcement last Friday. This aligns the holiday with the official list of public holidays released earlier this year. Notably, this New Year holiday marks the first official day off in the UAE’s 2025 calendar. Residents can look forward to up to 13 public holidays throughout the year.
One significant update in the 2025 public holiday schedule is a shorter break for Eid Al Fitr. Following the holy month of Ramadan, this Islamic holiday will provide up to four days off. Specifically, the UAE Cabinet’s resolution states that the first three days of Shawwal will be public holidays. Additionally, if Ramadan lasts 30 days, the 30th day of the holy month will also be included. This creates a four-day break. However, if Ramadan ends in 29 days, the holiday will cover only the first three days of Shawwal.
In comparison, the 2024 Eid Al Fitr holiday offered a longer break. It stretched from Ramadan 29 to Shawwal 3. With weekends included, this resulted in a nine-day holiday.
Residents should stay updated with news and announcements to effectively plan their holidays for the year ahead.
