New Animal Care (Tierpflege) apprenticeship training regulation in force from 1 July 2026
Austria's Federal Minister for Economic Affairs has issued a new three-year apprenticeship regulation for Animal Care (Tierpflege), replacing rules dating back to 1997. Core provisions apply from 1 July 2026; exam-related provisions (§§ 4–12) take effect 1 July 2027.
What changed
A brand-new training regulation (BGBl. II Nr. 204/2026) replaces the Tierpfleger-Ausbildungsordnung of 1997. The apprenticeship remains three years long but now features a modernised, competency-based curriculum covering animal care, feeding, housing, animal health, breeding, transport, veterinary assistance, and lab-animal work. Digital skills and animal ethics are also explicitly included for the first time.
Who is affected
Anyone starting a new Animal Care apprenticeship from 1 July 2026, and the businesses that train them, are subject to the new rules. Vocational schools (Berufsschulen) delivering the Tierpflege curriculum are also affected.
What to look out for
Apprentices already training under the old 1997 regulation finish under the old rules; any completed training time counts in full toward the new regulation if they switch. Apprentices whose agreed training period ends before 1 July 2027 may still sit the final examination (Lehrabschlussprüfung) under the old regulation for up to one year after the end of that period.