With the publication of the Budget Restructuring Measures Act 2025 on 18 March 2025, the abrupt end of financial support in the context of educational leave and part-time education was officially sealed. From 1 April 2025, continuing education allowance and part-time education allowance will no longer be available.
In future without financial support
Although agreements on educational leave or part-time educational leave between employers and employees are still permitted under labour law, financial support from the Public Employment Service Austria (AMS) will cease on 1 April 2025. All new applications are affected unless they fall under the following transitional regulation.
Transitional regulation: What will continue to be subsidised
A transitional arrangement ensures that existing cases or cases agreed in good time continue to receive funding. Specifically, these conditions apply: Continuing education allowance or part-time education allowance will continue to be paid if
- the purchase started on 31 March 2025 at the latest or
- the agreement on educational leave or part-time educational leave was demonstrably concluded by 28 February 2025 at the latest and the educational measure starts by 31 May 2025 at the latest.
Thus applies:
- Applications for subsidised educational leave or part-time educational leave starting before 1 April 2025 are still possible.
- For start dates from 01.04.2025, a timely agreement (by 28.02.2025) and the start of the training measure by 31.05.2025 at the latest is required.
- From 1 June 2025, it will no longer be possible to apply for a continuing education allowance or part-time education allowance.
The AMS provides a tabular overview with specific case examples - these apply analogously to both continuing education allowance and part-time education allowance.
Employees now have the statutory right of withdrawal: they can withdraw from educational leave or part-time educational leave agreed before 1 April 2025 if they are no longer entitled to funding as a result of the change in the law.
Outlook
The cancellation of these funding instruments is part of the planned budget consolidation. A new funding model has been announced by the federal government, but details are not yet known. A possible successor solution is to apply from 1 January 2026.
Until then, the affected employees generally only have non-subsidised alternatives, such as
- unpaid leave (e.g. educational leave without AMS funding),
- Reduction in working hours (part-time agreement),
- Arrangement of a sabbatical.
Status: 26/03/2025
Source: Template portal
Picture: Bertelli Fotografia
