Introducing a legal obligation for internship allowances is possible, but it also involves “fundamental dilemmas,” outgoing Education Minister Gouke Moes told the House of Representatives. Although a parliamentary majority supports making internship pay mandatory, Moes said he will leave the final decision to his successor.
Moes expects that “the outlines of a bill” could be submitted to parliament before the summer. In the meantime, student organisations are urging politicians to act quickly. “Students have been waiting for five years,” said Sarah Evink, chair of the Intercity Student Consultation (ISO). “Interns are facing financial difficulties and need solutions.”
The outgoing BBB minister identified several key issues that would need to be resolved, including whether to introduce a minimum allowance. Some companies may be “unable or unwilling to pay such a fee, which could reduce the number of available internships,” Moes wrote.
Internship fund
According to ministry officials, it is difficult to predict the impact of a mandatory internship allowance on the availability of placements. “A decline is expected for certain groups, such as specific sectors, small businesses, the self-employed, and internships for younger students,” the letter to parliament states.
If necessary, this could be addressed through the creation of an internship fund, jointly financed by the government and employers. However, Moes warned that such a scheme carries the risk of unintended use by companies that do not actually require financial support.
ISO said it is not concerned about a potential decline in internship placements and called on policymakers to “focus primarily on the solutions.”
