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Nursing professions as hard work: New regulation causes controversy!
From 2026, nursing professions will officially be considered hard work. Criticism and necessary improvements are the focus of the new regulation.
Nursing professions as hard work: New regulation causes controversy!
On January 1, 2026, a significant innovation for the nursing professions in Austria will come into force: nursing staff will be officially recognized as hard workers. The federal government decided this, as reported by [5min], among others. This regulation is primarily intended to improve the working conditions for the numerous nursing staff in the country. However, there are already critical voices pointing out some existing gaps.
The Austrian Health and Nursing Association (ÖGKV) reasons that the requirement to provide at least 12 services per month could disadvantage many part-time workers and especially women. While the target was initially set at 15 services, it has now been reduced to 12. However, many part-time employees often only work 7 to 8 shifts per month, meaning they do not reach the required number of hours.
Claim and condition
In order to be recognized as a hard worker, nurses must provide evidence of at least 10 years of hard work in the last 20 years. There are fears that this condition could favor men, as a gender-specific impact assessment has not yet been carried out. The ÖGKV also calls for more flexible regulations, for example the introduction of a model based on a total hourly rate of 120 hours per month.
Currently, claims can be made from an employment level of 50%, but the fact that access often fails due to the level of services provided remains a problem. In addition to fulfilling the number of years of service, a long period of employment of 45 years up to the standard retirement age is also required.
New opportunities for caregivers
The regulation on hard work also has advantages. In the future, nursing staff will be able to retire at the age of 60, provided they have at least 45 years of insurance and at least 10 years of hard work in the last 20 years. This was presented in a press conference by Health and Social Affairs Minister Korinna Schumann and ÖVP club chairman August Wöginger, who emphasized that the work of nursing staff plays a central role in society.
An important aspect of the new regulation is the objective definition of hard work. So far, activities with clear physical strain have primarily been taken into account. In the future, psychological stress and multiple stressors should also be taken into account, which represents a significant improvement in appreciating the diverse challenges in care. In addition, better recognition of hours and services worked is planned, as explained by [social ministry.gv.at].
Nevertheless, it remains important that the employment conditions for nursing staff are continually improved. The ÖGKV has already pointed out that instead of complicated regulations, the focus should be on better working conditions. This could also include the introduction of age-appropriate working time models, such as shorter working hours or the possibility of no longer working night shifts after a certain age.
Overall, the new heavy worker regulation for nursing staff can be seen as a step in the right direction, but further adjustments are needed to fully address the challenges in this important sector. The time until the regulation comes into force will show how well the interests of all parties involved can be implemented in practice.