Apprenticeship for SMEs

3 years standard length, up to 5 years depending on qualification

Type: wage, fixed amount per month
Remuneration setting: centrally, by law, as a share of the minimum wage ('average guaranteed minimum monthly income')
Coverage: on- and off-the job training
Variation: by apprenticeship year

Average regulated remuneration: EUR 497.47 per month.
The figure is an average of the regulated remuneration per each apprenticeship year:
- For an apprentice at level A : EUR 453.20 (gross)/month (29% of the minimum wage)
- For an apprentice at level B : EUR 500.10 (gross)/month (32% of the minimum wage)
- For an apprentice at level C : EUR 539.10 (gross)/month (34.5% of the minimum wage)
Level in PPS per year (average): 5,483
Level in PPS per hour (average): n/a
Share of national minimum wage: by law, 29% for the 1st year, 32% for the 2nd year, 34.5% for the 3rd year

Remuneration (annual gross income) in 3 selected occupations (EUR):
hairdresser: 1st year: 5,438.40; 2nd: 6,001.20; 3rd: 6,469.20
motor mechanic: 1st year: 5,438.40; 2nd: 6,001.20; 3rd: 6,469.20
bricklayer: 1st year: 5,438.40; 2nd: 6,001.20; 3rd: 6,469.20

More than 50% of the overall duration of apprenticeship
Data on number of hours per year spent for the on-the-job training are not available.

There is cost for apprentices social insurance, but data are not available
Rights: health, pension, unemployment, annual leave

 -

Employers pay wages to the apprentices, however, wages are subsidised through a grant for companies (bonus stage, but data are not available). There is also a mechanism for a variable fiscal deduction up to 120% of wages (tax reduction) which depends on the overall financial results of each individual company and makes the overall estimation of the actual share of co-financing difficult.

Finally, there is a grant for apprentices ('Apprenticeship / leertijd' EUR 500 for the 1st and 2nd year, EUR 750 for the 3rd year).

Social insurance costs for apprentices are subsidised by the state (data not available).

Companies participating in apprenticeships do not provide any additional support for the off-the-job training of their apprentices.
No EU funds are used to support the off-the-job training.

Data are not available, but public funding is estimated to exceed 50% of the total scheme funding

The combination of instruments for both learners and companies is considered as a strength in the financing of apprenticeships.

Minimum guaranteed income: 1,531.93 per month
Average yearly working time (hours) for a full time job: 1,738.80