Internships & Traineeships

Internships

An internship may be required in order to get your diploma, but even for Dutch students, it’s not always easy to find an internship because not all companies widely advertise their internships. Like other job opportunities in the Netherlands, it is considered appropriate for students to contact organizations where they would like to do an internship to just ask about the possibilities, even if there’s no formal vacancy.

Check out this post from Groningen.nl about best practices when searching for an internship.

Local job platform Make it in the North also has a specific section for internships and traineeships in Groningen, Friesland, and Drenthe. Their internship board allows companies to post open vacancies and students can also create a profile to show that they’re currently looking for an internship.

Internship: Non-EU student studying at a Dutch university

If you are going to do an internship in the Netherlands, you do not need a TWV. You and your educational institution must have signed an internship agreement with the company where you will do your internship.

If you have a paid internship, you will have tax and social security contributions deducted from your salary and you will have to take out Dutch health insurance. If you will only be compensated for travel expenses, then neither of the preceding is required.

Internship: Non-EU student enrolled in a non-Dutch university

If you wish to do an internship in the Netherlands, there are different conditions that apply compared to students studying at a Dutch university.

If your internship will be shorter than 90 days, your employer will need to apply to the UWV for a TWV for you.

If your internship will be longer than 90 days, then your employer will also need to apply for a residence permit for you. This can be done using one application to the IND (GVVA) for a combination residence permit and work permit. The IND will ask for advice on the work permit portion from the UWV directly. The decision time for the GVVA is 90 days.

One exception to requiring a TWV is if the student is working within the framework of a European Union action program (for example, ErasmusPlus). In this case, if the internship is longer than 90 days, the employer should submit a different residence permit application form to the IND. The income requirement (see the following paragraph) can be composed of the internship salary plus a scholarship from the EU action program.

No matter how long you will be in the Netherlands for your internship, your salary will need to be at least 50% of the minimum wage for a 22-year-old person. You will have tax and social security contributions deducted from your salary and you will have to take out Dutch health insurance.

Study in NL has more information about internship and the requirements and the consequences of the amount you get paid on taxes, social security and health insurance. They also provide a helpful guide for employers for hiring an international intern.

Traineeships / Apprenticeships

Traineeships (also called Apprenticeships) usually last one to two years where you work in a company or organization while learning more about a particular job. You are paid a salary for the work.

A non-EU trainee/apprentice can be someone who has a job outside of the Netherlands but is being sent by the company to a Dutch company to gain experience. More information about salary requirements, and work- and residence permits can be found on the IND website.

Traineeships are becoming more common in the Netherlands, and there are a few resources in English for the Northern Netherlands:

• Alyx: tech traineeship program for women
• Belsimpel: traineeships in many different areas: management, marketing, IT, finance

Dutch traineeships

• Traineeshipsoverzicht.nl