An internship allowance should be mandatory for everyone, say youth organisations and trade unions. That’s why they have declared 1 October the Day of the Intern. “Fair pay for work is not a luxury, but a basic condition for equal opportunities,” they argue.
Several MPs are therefore spending a day doing unpaid internships, in a mock classroom and a doctor’s office set up opposite the House of Representatives. These are sectors where interns are least often paid.
Financial stress
“Many interns simply can’t make ends meet”, says Sarah Evink, chair of the Dutch National Student Association (ISO). “Working alongside a 40-hour-a-week internship is unfeasible, but this is the reality for many students. And it causes a great deal of mental and financial stress.”
Only 42 percent of senior secondary vocational education (mbo) students receive an internship allowance. Among students in universities of applied sciences (hbo) the figure is 75 percent. At research university level, 65 percent of compulsory internships are paid, and 91 percent of voluntary ones.
Many political parties in the House of Representatives agree that things need to change. Volt, D66, SP, GroenLinks-PvdA, CDA, DENK, NSC and Partij voor de Dieren all advocate a mandatory internship allowance for everyone in their election programmes. ChristenUnie and SGP also support an allowance, but only mention mbo students.
Making it happen
During a debate on mbo education in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, education minister Gouke Moes (BBB) said he wants to make internship allowances mandatory. “The goal is very simple: we’re just going to arrange internship pay for every intern”, Moes said.
There are still some ‘practical issues’ and ‘conditions’ that need to be looked into, such as when an intern only does one or two days a week rather than a full week. It is also still unclear exactly how Moes plans to enshrine the rule in law: “That could be done in various ways, for instance through education legislation or labour law.”
“But the fact that we want to, is clear”, he affirmed. He wants to present the outlines of the law to the House before the summer recess in 2026, but warned: “I’m also dependent on what the House decides during the coalition talks and elections.”
Starting with mbo
Will the obligation apply only to mbo students, or to all students, the SP wants to know. “This is about mbo first and foremost”, says Moes. “But I want to explore whether the same approach can be taken in hbo and university education. I’m not going to make promises I can’t keep, but the ambition is to make this a broad arrangement.”
“We’re pleased to hear that the minister finally wants to implement this”, ISO chair Sarah Evink responded. “Now it’s time to follow words with action. A mandatory minimum internship allowance really must be introduced.”
