Internship in conjunction with an international study programme
17 Sep 2010
Students enrolled in international study programmes can do an internship in the Netherlands, subject to a number of rules. This page provides an overview of the specific rules and conditions.
Work permit
If you wish to do an internship in the Netherlands, the internship provider (your employer) will first have to apply for a work permit for you (Tewerkstellingsvergunning, or TWV).
You do not need a TWV if:
- you are an EU/EEC national, with the exception of nationals of Bulgaria and Romania;
- you are a Swiss national;
- you are working within the framework of a European Union action programme. An example would be an Erasmus internship within the Lifelong Learning Programme.
The body responsible for issuing TWVs is UWV WERKbedrijf. Although arranging to obtain a TWV is strictly an administrative formality, the application process can take up to around five weeks.
If your employer fails to obtain a TWV for you, he/she risks incurring a fine of € 8,000. The Health and Safety Inspectorate (Arbeidsinspectie) and the Social Security Information and Investigation Service (Sociale Inlichtingen- en Opsporingsdienst, SIOD) of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment monitor compliance with these rules.
Residence permit and/or entry visa
You may also need a residence permit and/or an entry visa, depending on your nationality. Check the student visa wizard to find out which rules apply in your situation.
If you need a residence permit, your card will state that your are staying in the Netherlands for the purposes of ‘paid employment as an intern’ (arbeid in loondienst als stagiair). Residence permits issued with this designation are valid for a maximum of 12 months. Accordingly, your internship also has a maximum duration of 12 months.
You will only qualify to come to the Netherlands if your gross internship remuneration is at least 50% of the minimum wage (the financial requirement). In 2010 this amount is roughly € 700 gross per month. This amount must be made up of remuneration for the internship and nothing else. In other words, it cannot be made up of independent financial resources or a parental contribution, for example.