Doing an internship in Spain can be a great opportunity for many Spanish and French students. But each country has its own specific legislation governing internships, and you need to prepare your project in advance to ensure that you have every chance on your side.
In this article, we’ll provide you with precise information on the legislation governing internships in Spain, and look at all the practical situations that students may encounter during their course: paid internships, internships without an internship agreement, unpaid internships without pay, etc.
Let’s start by looking at the various documents that legally govern an internship in Spain.
Internships in Spain are governed by official decrees. First of all, it’s important to specify that in Spain there are two types of internship, either in a company or in an institution outside the university:
While compulsory internships are validated by an internship report and an oral evaluation, non-university internships are not compulsory and do not necessarily have an evaluation at the end.
However, in Spain and most other European countries, experience outside university courses is highly valued by future recruiters and can prove very useful in the search for a post-graduate job.
An internship agreement in Spain, also known as an “internship agreement”, “professional practice agreement” or “internship contract”, is a document signed by a student, a company and a training institution.
This official document signed by the three parties will enable the student to join a company in Spain as part of his or her academic training.
Each university has its own internship agreement with its own administrative procedures, although the structure of the document must include essential elements:
The duration set out in the internship agreement depends on a number of variables, such as the course being taken, the university calendar, exam dates, the company’s possibilities, the student’s project, etc. The duration of the internship depends on a number of variables, such as the course being taken, the university calendar, exam dates, the company’s possibilities, the student’s project, etc.
However, the internship period varies between 1 and 6 months, and can be divided and spread over the year depending on the agreements reached between the student and the Spanish company.
A paid internship in Spain may be eligible as part of an extra-curricular internship, i.e. during the student’s academic studies.
The amount of remuneration is indicated on the internship agreement, along with the necessary legal information.
A student’s salary for an internship in Spain varies between 300 and 600 euros per month, depending on negotiations between the university, the student and the company.
Paid students are thus considered to be workers and must pay social security contributions for the entire period.
In this way, the student can start contributing to his or her pension fund, health insurance and other insurances specific to the Spanish social system.
For students in Spain, internship legislation is very extensive and today there are no fewer than 11 internship practices, including 4 types of contract intended solely for students:
Free internships in Spain are more common than paid internships, as most companies cannot afford to finance the student’s work experience.
In Spain, this is the case for literary or care courses, where the trainee will work in a hospital or medical-psychological facility. Generally speaking, students in this type of institution are not paid and work for free.
In exchange, the student can gain highly qualifying professional experience, and this is surely the most important thing to remember in this kind of situation.
Spanish or French students wishing to diversify their practice will be able to justify their know-how in their future job search.
That’s why we advise you to accept an unpaid internship (free of charge), which will give you valuable experience in return.
When you’re looking for an internship for your studies, it can seem like an obstacle course, because the competition is fierce and the number of offers very limited.
This is why many students are prepared to make sacrifices and do an internship in Spain without an agreement.
That’s why we’re warning you about this kind of practice, which is totally unacceptable, both for you and for your host company.
If you want to work for a Spanish company, you need to obtain an agreement!
If you don’t have an internship agreement, you run the risk of serious problems with your insurance, the company’s insurance and Spanish legislation governing internships during your studies.
So, always ask for an internship agreement, specifying the basic terms and conditions that will govern your experience: duration, tasks entrusted, objectives, remuneration, etc.
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