Saudi Arabia Sets Ramadan 2026 Working Hours

With Ramadan just around the corner, Saudi Arabia Ramadan 2026 working hours have now been officially confirmed — giving employees, families, schools and businesses clarity ahead of the holy month.

Working hours for the private sector during Ramadan will not exceed six hours per day. It’s a familiar rhythm for the region, but one that still reshapes daily life every single year.

Ramadan is expected to begin on Thursday, February 19, 2026, based on preliminary astronomical calculations. The final date will be officially confirmed after the traditional crescent moon sighting.

Once the month begins, the country will move into its Ramadan routine — quieter mornings, slower afternoons, and evenings that feel alive with prayer, iftar gatherings, family time and late-night movement.

For many residents in Dubai, this rhythm feels instantly recognisable. The same pattern plays out every year across the UAE too — shorter workdays, calmer roads in the mornings, and packed restaurants and cafés after sunset.

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Shorter workdays, slower mornings, calmer offices

For employees, the biggest change is simple and welcome: six-hour workdays.

Private sector companies are required to limit working hours during Ramadan. In reality, many organisations go even further by offering flexible start times, staggered shifts, and lighter schedules to support fasting staff.

What this usually looks like on the ground:

• Offices opening later
• Fewer long meetings
• Earlier finishing times
• Reduced workload pressure
• Quieter business hours during the day

Some sectors — like hospitality, healthcare, retail and transport — will continue to operate on tailored schedules, balancing service demand with staff wellbeing.

Across the Gulf, Ramadan always brings a different energy. Days feel slower. Evenings feel busier. Cities breathe differently.

In places like Dubai Marina, Deira, Downtown Dubai and JBR, residents already know the pattern: empty roads in the morning, calm afternoons, and packed cafés after Maghrib. Saudi cities follow that same flow — just on a much bigger scale.

Read More: Ramadan Working Hours in UAE Explained for Public and Private Sector Employees

School timings change for students and teachers

Education schedules will also shift for Ramadan 2026.

Schools across Saudi Arabia will start at 9am, replacing the usual early-morning schedules that often begin around 6:15am or 6:45am. Staff working hours will be limited to five hours per day.

Students will attend school for just 11 days during Ramadan:

• From February 18 or 19 (TBC)
• Until Thursday, March 5

After that, the Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr holiday begins, lasting until Saturday, March 28. Schools are expected to return to normal summer schedules once the break ends.

For families, this brings real relief:

• Easier mornings while fasting
• Less pressure on children
• More rest time
• Better balance between worship, school and family life
• Longer Eid holidays for travel and visits

This softer academic pace is something many UAE families are already familiar with — where school pressure eases during Ramadan and routines become more flexible.

Ramadan isn’t just about schedules — it’s a lifestyle shift

Ramadan changes everything. Not just work hours. Not just school timings.

It changes how cities move.

Days become quiet. Evenings come alive. Homes fill with family. Streets fill with people. Mosques become centres of community life.

Fasting runs from Fajr (dawn) to Maghrib (sunset). During daylight hours, daily life slows. After sunset, everything opens up — restaurants, markets, mosques, malls, cafés, and streets.

Across Saudi Arabia — and just as clearly in Dubai — Ramadan brings:

• Late-night shopping
• Community iftars
• Mosque gatherings
• Charity drives
• Foo
• d distribution programmes
• Extended mall hours
• Packed dessert cafés
• Spiritual programmes and prayers

It’s a month that shifts priorities. Work still happens. Business still runs. But the pace is different. The focus is different. The energy is different.

You feel it in the air.

Impact on Saudi Arabia

This announcement isn’t just relevant inside the Kingdom.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE are deeply connected through business, travel, tourism, logistics, trade and regional operations. Ramadan schedules in one country often shape planning across the Gulf.

For UAE residents and businesses, these changes affect:

• Cross-border meetings
• Travel planning
• Corporate calendars
• Airline schedules
• Hospitality demand
• Project timelines
• Trade operations

It also signals the wider regional shift — when the Middle East collectively moves into Ramadan mode.

The tempo changes. The priorities change. The lifestyle shifts.

A familiar rhythm, a meaningful pause

Ramadan is not about slowing down life. It’s about changing its focus.

• Shorter workdays create space.
• Slower mornings create calm.
• Longer evenings create connection.

It’s a month where faith, family, generosity and reflection take centre stage — while daily routines adjust around them.

For residents across the region, including Dubai, it’s a rhythm that feels deeply familiar. A quieter pace. A deeper focus. A different way of moving through the day.

And every year, it arrives with the same feeling: life slows down — but meaning deepens.

Saudi Arabia’s Ramadan 2026 working hours bring shorter workdays, revised school schedules, and a slower daily rhythm, creating space for worship, family time, rest and community life throughout the holy month.

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Read More

• Saudi Arabia Sets New Mosque Rules Ahead of Ramadan
• Oman Confirms Ramadan 2026 Working Hours for Public and Private Sectors
• Ramadan 2026 Working Hours Announced for UAE Public Sector