The UAE has become the first nation in the world to introduce a national working week shorter than the global five-day week.
The UAE federal government have just announced the transition to a 4.5 day work week, which will mean the weekend will adjust to Friday afternoon, Saturdays and Sundays. The announcement also said that Friday sermons and prayers would be held after 1.15 pm across the UAE all year long.
The new amendment will come into effect from January 1st, 2022.
Currently, the new working week is only for federal government employees, however, another announcement is expected soon for the private sector and schools.
The economic impact of the announcement was carefully studied by comprehensive benchmarking and feasibility studies reflecting the potential impacts of the move on the economy. The government decided that the new work week will better align the UAE with worldwide markets, trade and business operations, boosting the economy.