The variable valve gear for an internal combustion engine includes a cam lobe that is rotatably supported by a cam drive shaft, and a variable valve mechanism that includes a drive arm fixed adjacent to one end of the cam lobe in the cam drive shaft, an eccentric shaft member that is swivelably supported at a position opposite to the cam lobe with respect to the drive arm in the cam drive shaft, has an outer circumferential surface eccentric to an axis of the cam drive shaft, and is adjustable in eccentricity, and an intermediate rotary member that is rotatably supported through a bearing member around the eccentric shaft member, and is connected to the drive arm, wherein the drive arm includes an end face that overlaps with an end face of the bearing member, when projecting along the axis of the cam drive shaft, and the end face of the drive arm is protruding further than the end face of the cam lobe toward the bearing member.