UAE Annual Leave Calculator (Labour Law Art. 29) 2026
Your UAE annual leave balance from months of service under Article 29 — 30 days a year, 2 days a month after 6 months — with carry-over, and what unused leave is worth on the basic wage when you leave.
| Entitlement | — |
|---|---|
| Accrued to date | — |
| Taken | — |
| Carried over | — |
| Balance | — |
| Daily rate (basic ÷ 30) | — |
| Cash value of unused leave | — |
| Leave salary if taken (full pay) | — |
In short
Under Article 29 of the UAE Labour Law an employee earns 30 calendar days of paid annual leave a year after one year of service and two days a month between six months and a year; leave taken is paid at full salary, unused leave on termination is paid on the basic wage (basic ÷ 30 per day), carry-over needs employer agreement and an employer cannot block leave for more than two consecutive years.
Who this is for: UAE private-sector employees checking their leave balance, HR teams calculating accrual, and anyone resigning who wants the cash value of unused leave in their final settlement.
Annual leave under the UAE Labour Law
Article 29 of Federal Decree-Law 33/2021 gives every employee 30 calendar days of paid leave a year once they have completed a year of service, and two days for each month of service between six months and a year. Leave accrues through the year (2.5 days a month on a 30-day entitlement), so the balance at any date is the accrued days plus any carried-over days less what has been taken. Leave actually taken is paid at full salary — basic plus allowances — before it starts.
When employment ends, unused leave for the final year and any carried-over days are paid in cash, but on the basic wage only (basic ÷ 30 per day), which is why the calculator shows two values: what the days are worth if you take them, and what they are worth as a payout. Employers may set leave dates with 30 days' notice and may agree carry-over, but cannot stop an employee taking leave for more than two consecutive years.
See also: UAE Leave Salary Calculator, UAE Gratuity Calculator, UAE Sick Leave Pay Calculator.
Assumptions
- 30 days a year after one year of service; 2 days per month between 6 and 12 months; none before 6 months.
- Accrual within a leave year at 2.5 days per month; months of service beyond full years are treated as the current leave year.
- Unused leave on termination valued at basic ÷ 30 per day; leave taken valued at (basic + allowances) ÷ 30.
- Public holidays inside leave are not added back; contractual extras are not modelled.
Worked example
Entitlement 30 days a year. Six months into the second leave year, 15 days have accrued; minus 5 taken = 10 days balance. Daily basic rate AED 333.33 → unused leave is worth AED 3,333 if paid out on leaving, or AED 5,000 of full salary if the 10 days are taken as leave.
Frequently asked questions
How many annual leave days do I get in the UAE?
30 calendar days a year after one year of service; 2 days per month between 6 and 12 months of service; nothing before 6 months (unless the contract is more generous).
Is annual leave paid on basic or full salary?
Leave you take is paid at full salary. Unused leave paid out when you leave is calculated on the basic wage.
Can I carry forward unused leave?
Yes, with the employer's agreement. The employer cannot stop you taking leave for more than two consecutive years.
Do weekends and public holidays count?
Leave is counted in calendar days, so weekends inside the period count; public holidays and sick days inside leave also count unless the contract or company policy excludes them.
Can my employer refuse leave?
The employer sets the dates according to work needs with at least one month's notice, but cannot deny the entitlement itself.
What if I resign — do I still get leave pay?
Yes. Accrued unused leave for the current year and any carried-over days are paid with the final settlement on the basic wage.
Can my employer pay cash instead of giving leave?
Only for carried-over leave by agreement or on termination; during employment the leave must be taken, not sold.
Does probation count toward the six months?
Yes, service counts from the start date including probation, though leave is normally granted only after probation ends.
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