What days are the weekend in Dubai?

Dubai’s official weekend is Saturday and Sunday. Since 1 January 2022, federal and Dubai government offices work Monday to Thursday, 7:30 am to 3:30 pm, and Friday, 7:30 am to 12 pm. Sharjah’s government is the exception, with a three-day weekend from Friday to Sunday. Private companies set their own working days.

The working week at a glance

When the weekend changed

The UAE federal government announced a four-and-a-half-day week in December 2021, and it took effect on 1 January 2022. The Government of Dubai announced the same move for its departments on 7 December 2021: eight hours a day from Monday to Thursday, four and a half hours on Friday, and Saturday and Sunday off.

Sharjah went further. Its government employees work four days a week, Monday to Thursday, and its official weekend runs from Friday to Sunday. If you live in Sharjah and deal with a Sharjah government office, Friday is not a working day there.

The private sector: what the official sources say

No official source we found fixes one weekend for every private company. What the UAE government portal does state for private-sector workers:

• Hours: normally 8 hours a day or 48 hours a week, though some sectors and categories of worker differ.
• Off-day: the worker’s off-day is the one specified in the labour contract. If the worker is required to work on it, they get a substitute rest day or pay at the normal rate plus 50%.
• Ramadan: working hours are reduced by 2 hours a day.
• Overtime: no more than 2 extra hours a day, paid at the normal hourly rate plus 25%, or plus 50% between 10 pm and 4 am (this does not apply to shift workers).
• Public holidays on the official list apply to both the public and private sectors.

So a private employer may work Saturdays, or Monday to Friday, or another pattern; the contract tells you which. This is general information, not advice on any individual contract. Your rights as a worker are summarised in UAE resident and worker rights.

What it means if you are visiting

• Government services: the employee working hours above are not a schedule for every public service counter. Check the specific centre’s hours and whether your transaction can be completed online before travelling.
• The Metro runs later after Friday: until 1 am, against midnight on other nights. On Sunday it opens at 8 am, not 5 am. See what time the Dubai Metro closes.
• Shops, restaurants and attractions set their own hours. Seasonal outdoor attractions such as Global Village and Dubai Miracle Garden publish their own opening days, so check them before you go.
• Holidays and Ramadan change hours across the city; see visiting Dubai during Ramadan.

Official public holidays

The UAE’s public holidays apply to both sectors. The Islamic dates move each year with the moon sighting.

A worked example: one week in Dubai

Suppose you arrive on Thursday and need a government transaction. Use the working-week pattern for planning, then check the particular service’s own hours:

• Thursday: check the transaction’s last acceptance time and any appointment requirement.
• Friday: government employees have a shorter working day, but the service’s public hours need a separate check.
• Saturday and Sunday: these are federal and Dubai government employee rest days; check service exceptions and online channels.
• Monday: a normal employee working day, but your visit depends on the service’s reception hours and appointment availability.

If you miss Friday reception, check the service’s hours and online channels rather than assuming Monday is the next opportunity for every transaction. Sharjah’s government weekend differs, but that alone does not determine every service’s availability.

Frequently asked questions

Is Friday a working day in Dubai?

Yes, within the federal and Dubai government employee working week, with a shorter Friday. Sharjah government employees are off Friday to Sunday; a specific service’s public hours may differ.

Do private companies have a Saturday and Sunday weekend?

Not necessarily. The rest day is set in each employment contract, so it varies between employers.

When did the UAE weekend change?

On 1 January 2022 for the federal government, which moved to a Saturday and Sunday weekend with a half day on Friday.

Does the Metro run on the weekend?

Yes: 5 am to midnight on Saturday and 8 am to midnight on Sunday.

Planning a trip? See the best time to visit Dubai, when Dubai is most crowded, free things to do and first time in Dubai.

Checked against the UAE government portal (u.ae) on 26 September 2026. See our editorial policy.