Internship allowance to become mandatory in Netherlands, no minimum set

Internship allowances will become legally required for students in vocational, higher professional, and university education in the Netherlands. However, the law will not prescribe a minimum amount, leaving sectors and companies to establish "appropriate" agreements. If these agreements result in consistently low allowances, a minimum amount may be introduced later.

Minister Rianne Letschert of Education, Culture, and Science announced these plans to parliament, fulfilling a request from lawmakers and a government commitment to ensure all students receive an internship allowance. While common in higher education, these allowances are often absent in vocational training.

The requirement will not apply to short-term or international internships. The coalition agreement also mentioned exploring a potential internship fund for sectors facing staff shortages, similar to existing funds in healthcare. The minister's letter to parliament did not elaborate on this fund but stated the mandatory allowance is part of broader measures to improve internship quality, including better supervision and mandatory internship agreements for higher professional and university students, which are already required in vocational education.

Some parties, like VVD, initially expressed concerns that mandatory payments could make it harder for students, especially first-years needing significant guidance, to find internships. However, the VVD later agreed to the coalition's plan to introduce a legal internship allowance.

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