Regulation of Interns: New Framework for Companies
The Spanish Government has approved, through a resolution of the Council of Ministers on 4 November 2025, a new decree regulating training internships in companies and public bodies. This text constitutes a draft bill that must be submitted to the Congress of Deputies for parliamentary processing, so it is not yet fully in force. However, it sets out the lines of the future regulatory framework on training placements, known as the Internship Statute.
According to the approved text, the main new features focus on reinforcing the training nature of placements and preventing their use as a substitute for jobs. Companies and organisations that take on interns must have an individualised training plan and a professional tutor responsible for monitoring them. In addition, interns will be entitled to compensation for expenses incurred in the course of their work, especially when there is no financial remuneration. Organisations must guarantee minimum quality standards and ensure that internships are not used to fill vacancies or perform tasks normally carried out by employees.
From a legal standpoint, this regulation represents a step forward in protecting interns from situations of covert labour abuse and consolidates their inclusion in the Social Security system, in force since 1 January 2024 in accordance with Royal Decree 1493/2011, amended by Royal Decree 103/2022, which regulates the inclusion in the General Social Security System of persons undertaking external training or academic internships. Likewise, the current framework is based on Royal Decree 592/2014, of 11 July, which establishes the basic regulations for external academic internships for university students, and on Royal Decree 1543/2011, of 31 October, on non-work placements in companies.
The draft bill approved by the Government introduces a reinforced penalty system for cases in which internships are used fraudulently or fail to meet training requirements, with penalties of up to €225,000 in the most serious cases, in accordance with the text of the future law and the framework provided for in the Law on Infractions and Penalties in the Social Order (LISOS).
As for its processing, the draft bill must be debated in Parliament before its final approval, which may involve substantial amendments or modifications. Business organisations and some academic institutions have expressed reservations about certain aspects of the text, particularly in relation to the financial compensation and administrative obligations it imposes, so its final approval is expected to be delayed.
Pending its entry into force, it is recommended that law firms and companies review their current internship agreements and verify their compliance with existing regulations, in particular the obligation to register with Social Security and the existence of a training plan and assigned mentor. It is also advisable to anticipate adaptation to the standards set out in the new legal framework, update agreement templates and strengthen internal training and supervision policies to ensure regulatory compliance and avoid penalties.
Legal and regulatory sources:
- Royal Decree 592/2014, of 11 July, on external academic placements for university students.
- Royal Decree 1543/2011, of 31 October, on non-work placements in companies.
- Royal Decree 1493/2011, of 24 October, amended by Royal Decree 103/2022, on the inclusion of trainees in the Social Security system.
- Draft Bill on the Internship Statute (Council of Ministers of 4 November 2025).
- Law on Offences and Penalties in the Social Order (Royal Legislative Decree 5/2000).
| RD 592 2014, prácticas académicas externas de los estudiantes universitarios. | 162 KB |
