The United Arab Emirates (UAE) changed its weekend holiday to Saturday and Sunday in order to adapt to the global economic market more easily. With the application to be implemented as of January 1, 2022, Fridays will also be half a day.
The weekend of the oil-producing Gulf country, which is one of the regional trade and tourism centers, is currently on Friday and Saturday.
As a growing economy that is on the way to rival its neighbor Saudi Arabia, the UAE started to take some measures last year to stimulate the economy for foreign investors and skilled workers.
The UAE government said the app is aimed at providing a more comfortable financial, trade and economic interaction with countries that have holidays on Saturday and Sunday.
It is thought that by changing the weekends, UAE-based or multinational companies can gain stronger international business connections and opportunities.
In many Muslim countries, Friday is considered a weekly holiday.
From 1 January, we will work until 12:00 on Fridays, which are a full-time holiday in the UAE.
Last month, various laws were amended to take effect from January 2022 to attract more young talent and investors to the country.
These included issues such as living together without marriage and having children, alcohol use, and obtaining a long-term visa.
In addition, the crime and penal code was redesigned to provide better protection for women and social security, and a new and secular family law reform was made.