Per 1 October 2016, the immigration rules for interns who study at a Dutch university changed. Previously, an internship for foreign students at a Dutch university was mandatory to be able to employ the intern without the requirement for a work permit. Now, the internship is only relevant for the study. All parties involved; student, employer,and educational institution, should sign an internship agreement in which they agree about the relevancy and the appointments made.
EP Nuffic provides a model internship agreement (https://www.epnuffic.nl/hoger-onderwijs/netwerken/cospa-netwerk/stageovereenkomst) that one can use for the administrative side of the internship.
Students who study abroad
The above exemption on the immigration rules for interns only applies to foreign students who study in the Netherlands. Foreign students who study abroad and wish to do their internship in the Netherlands must still apply for a work permit. Also, the internship must be mandatory for the completion of their studies.
Would you like to know if you’re compliant? Just contact me and I will gladly provide advice!
