Internship as part of a Dutch study program

If non-EU students are doing an internship that is part of a Dutch study program, you as an employer do not need to apply for a work permit (TWV). There is also no need to change the study residence permit. The Foreign Nationals Employment Act does, however, stipulate that a tripartite agreement must be signed by the student, the internship employer and the higher education institution.

This is necessary because the university or university of applied sciences is a recognized sponsor and thus applies for the study residence permit for the non-EU student. The recognized sponsor has certain rights and obligations, such as monitoring the study progress of the non-EU student.

Along with the higher education and the public authorities a standard format has been developed, which is in line with the legislation on the obligation of the tripartite internship agreement: Standard internship agreement for non-EU / EEA students (120.12 kB)

A (digital) copy of the internship agreement must always be available at the internship employer and the higher education institution.

Internship allowance

An employer can give the intern an internship allowance. The employer himself decides whether compensation is offered and how high it is. More information about the internship allowance in English can be found on the study in Holland website.

How to hire an international student as an intern is clearly explained in this toolkit

Internship as part of foreign training

If you hire an intern with a nationality from outside the EU, who is following a foreign training, you must follow the following legal procedures.

Residence permit

Whether the trainee needs a residence permit depends on the nationality and the duration of the stay. We recommend that you consult the toolkit that describes all options.

Work permit

A 'tewerkstellingsvergunning' (TWV) is also called a work permit and is usually required if a non-EU citizen wants to do an internship in the Netherlands. A work permit (TWV) is never required if:

• the intern comes from the EU / EEA / Switzerland;
• the intern participates in a European action program, such as Erasmus +.

The employer applies for the TWV at UWV.

You must demonstrate that the intern has sufficient financial resources. This is 50% of the minimum wage and may consist of:

• the international intern's own resources;
• scholarships;
• internship compensation

If you do not apply for a work permit for your intern when you should have, you risk a fine. The Social Affairs and Employment Inspectorate (SZW) checks whether you comply with the rules.

Internship allowance

As an employer, you decide whether you want to grant an internship allowance and how high it is. There are no rules for this. An internship allowance can be a way to demonstrate that the student has sufficient financial resources. This is a condition to be eligible for a residence and work permit (see above).

Internship plan

An internship plan is usually drawn up by the foreign educational institution and describes the activities and learning objectives. If the foreign educational institution does not provide an internship plan, the employer will draw up an internship plan together with the intern. The UWV determines, partly on the basis of the learning objectives drawn up, whether it concerns covert work.

BSN

If the intern receives an internship allowance, he must have a BSN. More information about applying for a BSN in English can be found on the Study in Holland website.