IEFP Internships: Integrating Qualified Young People into the Labour Market
The Estágios +Talento programme supports the integration of qualified young people into the labour market by co-funding monthly internship allowances for six-month internships at private-sector organisations. It provides practical work experience in a professional environment relevant to the intern’s field of study.
The programme aims to complement and develop the skills of unemployed young people and support the transition from the qualifications system to the labour market, improving their employability profile.
An internship is a practical work experience and must not involve filling a vacant position. Curricular internships and internships whose training plans require qualifications in medicine or nursing are not eligible.
Eligible Candidates
Unemployed young people registered with IEFP, or individuals who have emigrated permanently for at least 12 months, aged up to 35 and holding a qualification at Level 6 or above of the National Qualifications Framework (QNQ).
Eligible qualifications and repeat participation rules:
-
Level 6 (QNQ): Bachelor's degree
-
Level 7 (QNQ): Master's degree
-
Level 8 (QNQ): Doctoral degree (PhD)
Young people who have already completed a state-supported internship may only become eligible again after 12 months and upon obtaining a new qualification.
Host Organisations
Private individuals or legal entities, with or without profit-making purposes, whose tax and social security contributions are up to date. Public-sector entities are not eligible to host internships.
Monthly Internship Allowance
| Qualification level | Monthly allowance |
|---|---|
| Level 6 — Bachelor's degree | €1,181.69 |
| Level 7 — Master's degree | €1,289.11 |
| Level 8 — Doctoral degree | €1,396.54 |
Gross monthly amounts.
IEFP Financial Support
|
Monthly Internship Grant |
|
|
Level 6 (Bachelor’s Degree) |
1.181,69€ |
|
Level 7 (Master’s Degree) |
1.289,11€ |
|
Level 8 (Doctoral Degree) |
1.396,54€ |
|
|
Gross monthly amounts. |
|
IEFP Financial Contribution |
|
|
Standard contribution towards the intern’s monthly grant |
65% |
|
Increased contribution of 80% |
Internships carried out in inland regions of Portugal, internships involving persons with disabilities, internships in occupations where one gender is underrepresented, or where an open-ended employment contract is concluded within 20 working days following completion of the internship. |
|
Additional Support |
Meal allowance of €6.15 per day, occupational accident insurance of €17.70 and, for persons with disabilities, transport support of €53.71. |
Financial support is paid in two instalments, calculated on the basis of unit costs per month and per internship:
|
First instalment |
60% following commencement of the internship |
|
Second instalment |
40% upon closure of the internship |
|
Duration and Limits |
6 months, non-extendable 12 months, or persons with disabilities |
Each host entity may accommodate a maximum of 20 interns per calendar year, including internships already approved and those currently being undertaken under other application procedures. Each internship supervisor may supervise no more than five interns simultaneously.
Application Process
Applications must be submitted electronically through the IEFP online portal, during application periods announced annually by IEFP. Decisions are made within 30 working days.
Applications are assessed in order of submission within each region and must achieve a minimum score of 60 points. Assessment criteria include inland location, employability, internship suitability, the supervisor’s profile and the organisation’s size.
Host Organisation Requirements
Eligibility Criteria
Organisations must be legally established, with tax and social security contributions up to date, no outstanding debts or breaches relating to previous IEFP support, no overdue salary payments and no serious labour-related convictions in the previous two years.
Internship Obligations
The internship must be relevant to the intern’s field of study and include a designated supervisor and an individual internship plan. It must not fill or replace an existing job position.
The host organisation is responsible for paying the full internship allowance and meal allowance, as well as taking out occupational accident insurance.
Restrictions
Neither the host organisation nor another entity within the same corporate group may nominate interns with whom they have had an employment relationship, service provision agreement or internship arrangement during the previous 24 months.
IEFP co-funds 80% of the internship allowance when the intern is hired on a full-time, open-ended employment contract within 20 working days of the internship’s completion.
Funding and Budget Allocation
The programme is funded by Portugal 2030 under Ordinance No. 221/2024/1 of 23 September. In the previous application period, the allocated budget was €75 million, and applications could close before the deadline if the available funding was exhausted.
A new application period is expected in October 2026, with dates to be announced by IEFP, or until the allocated budget is exhausted.
How Dower Can Help
At Dower, our team of consultants is dedicated to helping your business grow by identifying the most suitable funding opportunities.
With our experience, we can support your company throughout the application process, from preparing and submitting your application to providing comprehensive project support at every stage.
Discover how we can help your business navigate this complex and demanding process.
