Ramadan 2026 Working Hours for Government Employees Announced

ABU DHABI: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced new working hours for public sector employees during the holy month of Ramadan.

The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources said that federal ministries and government offices can follow flexible working hours during Ramadan. They can also allow employees to work from home on Fridays.

However, the authority made it clear that remote workers must not be more than 70% of the total employees in any department, according to the approved rules.

New Office Timings for Ramadan 2026

From Monday to Thursday, government offices will work from 9:00am to 2:30pm. On Fridays, working hours will be from 9:00am to 12:00pm.

Expected Start Date of Ramadan 2026

Ramadan 2026 is expected to begin on February 19 in the UAE, according to the International Astronomical Centre in Abu Dhabi.

An official said that seeing the moon on the night of February 17 is either impossible or very unlikely. However, the final decision about the start of Ramadan will be made by the official moon-sighting committees. They will meet on the 29th day of Shaban to confirm the date.

Usually, public sector offices work eight hours a day from Monday to Thursday during other months of the year. However, working hours are reduced during Ramadan.