Public holidays in 2027: Egypt, the UAE and Saudi Arabia
The private-sector public holidays for 2027 in each country, which dates are fixed and which follow the moon, and what HR and payroll should do about holiday work.
The short answer
Eid al-Fitr is expected around 10 March 2027 and Arafat Day around 15 May 2027, with Eid al-Adha the day after. Every country confirms these dates shortly before, once the moon is sighted, so plan with a day of slack either side.
Saudi Arabia has the fewest private-sector holidays (Founding Day, two Eids of four days each, National Day). Egypt has the most fixed national days, and often moves a mid-week holiday to a Thursday.
Egypt, 2027
| Holiday | Date | Days | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coptic Christmas | 7 January | 1 | Fixed |
| 25 January Revolution and Police Day | 25 January | 1 | Expected |
| Eid al-Fitr | 10 March – 12 March | 3 | Expected |
| Sinai Liberation Day | 25 April | 1 | Expected |
| Labour Day | 1 May | 1 | Fixed |
| Sham el-Nessim | 3 May | 1 | Fixed |
| Arafat Day and Eid al-Adha | 15 May – 18 May | 4 | Expected |
| Islamic New Year | 6 June | 1 | Expected |
| 30 June Revolution | 30 June | 1 | Expected |
| 23 July Revolution | 23 July | 1 | Fixed |
| Prophet’s Birthday | 14 August | 1 | Expected |
| Armed Forces Day | 6 October | 1 | Expected |
United Arab Emirates, 2027
| Holiday | Date | Days | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | 1 January | 1 | Fixed |
| Eid al-Fitr | 10 March – 12 March | 3 | Expected |
| Arafat Day and Eid al-Adha | 15 May – 18 May | 4 | Expected |
| Islamic New Year | 6 June | 1 | Expected |
| Prophet’s Birthday | 14 August | 1 | Expected |
| UAE National Day | 2 December – 3 December | 2 | Fixed |
Saudi Arabia, 2027
| Holiday | Date | Days | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Founding Day | 22 February | 1 | Fixed |
| Eid al-Fitr | 10 March – 13 March | 4 | Expected |
| Arafat Day and Eid al-Adha | 15 May – 18 May | 4 | Expected |
| Saudi National Day | 23 September | 1 | Fixed |
Why dates move
- Islamic holidays follow the Hijri calendar, about 11 days earlier each year, and are confirmed by moon sighting
- Egypt moves many mid-week holidays to a Thursday by Cabinet decree, announced a few days before
- The UAE can move holidays other than Eid to the start or end of the week (Cabinet Resolution 27 of 2024)
- Government offices sometimes get extra days that the private sector does not
Holidays and payroll
Work on a public holiday usually costs more: keyt HR’s default for Egypt pays holiday hours at 3 times the hourly rate, and Egypt’s 2025 law lets the employee choose a day off instead. In the UAE and Saudi Arabia the law gives a replacement day or extra pay.
Load the holiday calendar into your attendance system at the start of the year and update it when each decree comes out, so nobody is marked absent on a holiday and holiday work is paid right.
Free tools for this
Sources
- UAE government portal: official public holidays
- Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD)
- Khaleej Times: likely dates for Ramadan and the Eids in 2027
- Egyptian Cabinet: official decrees
Rules change. Check the official text, or ask your accountant or lawyer, before you rely on a figure.
Holidays loaded into attendance and payroll
keyt HR keeps a holiday calendar per company, marks holiday work automatically and pays it at your holiday rate.
keyt HR: HR, attendance and payrollSee it working