New “Further Training Period”

With effect from 1 April 2025, the further training allowance (as part of a training leave) and the training part‑time allowance (as part of a training part‑time arrangement, i.e. for further‑training measures during an existing employment relationship) were abolished. A successor regulation is being drafted.
To safeguard measures that have already started or have been agreed and are due to begin in the near future, the legislator has provided transitional provisions. The entitlement to the previous benefits remains in place

• for training part‑time arrangements and training leaves, if the receipt of further training allowance/training part‑time allowance begins no later than 31 March 2025 or was approved by the AMS by that date, or
• for training leaves and training part‑time arrangements that were demonstrably agreed no later than 28 February 2025 and where the training measure starts no later than 31 May 2025.

No applications from 1 June 2025

From 1 June 2025, applications for these payments are no longer possible in general. The AMS provides concrete case examples on its website to illustrate the application of these transitional provisions:

• Example: Application for further training allowance is submitted on 31 May 2025 for a training leave from 31 May 2025 to 31 August 2025. The agreement was concluded on 28 February 2025 and the training starts on 31 May 2025. Solution: If all other conditions are met, the further training allowance can be granted by the AMS from 31 May 2025.
• Example: Application for further training allowance is submitted on 31 May 2025 for a training leave from 31 May 2025 to 31 August 2025. The agreement with the employer was concluded on 28 February 2025, but the training does not start until 14 June 2025. Solution: Because the training starts after 31 May 2025, the further training allowance cannot be granted.

Employees may withdraw from a training part‑time arrangement that was agreed by 31 March 2025 if no entitlement to training part‑time allowance can be granted for it. This protects employees from any adverse consequences of the legislative change. The labour‑law basis for agreeing a training leave or training part‑time arrangement remains in the Employment Contract Law Amendment Act (Arbeitsvertragsrechts‑Anpassungsgesetz, AVRAG). This means that employers and employees can still use the models from a labour‑law perspective, albeit without AMS benefits.

Key points of the successor regulation

The Ministerial Council has now presented the key points of the successor regulation “Further Training Period”, which is to become effective from 1 January 2026. Among other things, the following is planned:

• Minimum weekly hours for training measures of 20 hours (16 hours where childcare responsibilities for children up to the completed seventh year of age apply)
• Restriction to seminar‑type training events in a face‑to‑face or live‑online format
• Mandatory training counselling before applying for the further training allowance
• Increase of the minimum employment period with the employer from 6 to 12 months
• Retention period after the further training period
• No application for further training allowance directly following parental leave is possible.