How to become a veterinary technician or assistant
Official title: Veterinary technicians and assistants
Also called: Artificial inseminator, Veterinary assistant, Veterinary nurse, Veterinary vaccinator
Veterinary technicians and assistants carry out advisory, diagnostic, preventive and curative veterinary tasks, more limited in scope and complexity than those carried out by, and with the guidance of, veterinarians. They care for animals under treatment and in temporary residence at veterinary facilities, perform routine procedures and assist veterinarians to perform procedures and operations.
Main tasks
- Advising communities and individuals on the treatment of animals and their diseases and injuries
- Conducting examinations of animals to make diagnoses or refer more difficult cases to veterinarians when needed
- Treating ill or injured animals, especially for common diseases and disorders
- Cleaning and sterilising examination tables and instruments and preparing materials used in the examination and treatment of animals
- Carrying out technical tasks connected with artificial insemination of animals
- Getting animals ready for examination or treatment and restraining or holding them during treatment
- Assisting veterinarians to administer anaesthetics and oxygen during treatment
- Placing animals in cages for recovery from operations and monitoring their condition
- Producing radiographs, collecting samples, and performing other laboratory tests to assist in diagnosis of animal health problems
- Performing routine animal dental procedures and assisting veterinarians with animal dentistry
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Median pay: HK$27,000 a month
- About 1,542,900 people in 2025, and about 1,639,100 projected by 2028. (+6.2%)
- Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.
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Questions people ask
Do you need a degree to become a veterinary technician or assistant?
Not always. 35% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Will AI change the work of a veterinary technician or assistant?
Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.
Sources
- Census and Statistics Department (2021 Population Census): 2021 Population Census, Interactive Data Dissemination Service: working population by occupation (38 groups) and sex, age, education, income; median income and field of education (9 groups) (2021 Population Census), retrieved 4 October 2026
- Census and Statistics Department (General Household Survey): Median monthly employment earnings by occupation (9 groups), excluding foreign domestic helpers (Table 210-06317A); employed persons by occupation, age and sex (210-06307A) and by industry (210-06308A) (2025 annual (series to 2026-07)), retrieved 4 October 2026
- Labour and Welfare Bureau; tables published by C&SD: Mid-term Update of Manpower Projection to 2028: supplementary statistical tables (5 occupation groups, 17 selected industries) (2025 to 2028 (published 2026-09)), retrieved 4 October 2026
- International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
Updated 4 October 2026