UAE to adopt Saturday-Sunday weekend

The United Arab Emirates is following the lead of Asia and the West by adopting Saturday-Sunday as days off. The country is also introducing a four-and-a-half day work week with the weekend starting on Friday afternoon. These changes will be applicable as of 1 January 2022. The private sector, however, remains free to choose its work week.

This decision is intended to increase the country's competitiveness by facilitating financial and commercial transactions oriented towards the international market.

It is worth remembering that in 2006, the Emirates had moved the weekends from Thursday-Friday to Friday-Saturday.