In a variable valve control device, the minimum operating hydraulic pressure necessary for controlling the vane rotor is arranged to be higher than that for axially moving the piston member. Thus, whenever the angular phase is actually changed, the hydraulic pressure sufficient enough to move the piston member may be always ready to be applied to the axial movement control member. Therefore, when the intake camshaft is at the lowest lift stroke position, the intake camshaft may be easily shifted from the lowest lift stroke position to the higher lift stroke position without time delay so that a highly accurate angular phase control of the intake camshaft relative to the timing pulley may be secured.