As the need for more skilled workers increases, internships are slowly on the rise in Hungary both for locals and expats. If youre interested in doing your internship in Hungary, the process will vary depending on whether youre an EU/EFTA citizen or not.
What you should know about internships in Hungary
Doing your internship in Hungary can be exciting. The country's prestigious universities offer a variety of placement programmes for students (and not just alumni of these universities) and many companies are open to accepting interns. However, you need to be prepared that your internship will most likely be unpaid, and there are no guarantees it will translate to a more permanent position. In fact, data shows a low rate of retaining interns after their internship is complete ' and there are some employers who engage in 'serial interning' aka having a series of interns on rotation, as this is actually less costly to the company than hiring an employee.
Hungary is also very hierarchical, so as an intern in a Hungarian company you won't have a lot of leeway for taking initiatives, but will be expected to complete the tasks assigned to you. If your internship is taking place in a city other than Budapest, you'll have to consider the language as well: many older people don't speak English, so at least a basic command of Hungarian may be necessary. That being said, if you're up for the challenge, you're going to enjoy your internship in Hungary!
Do you need a residence permit for an internship?
As Hungary is both a member of the EU and the Schengen area, you can do your internship without having to deal with a lot of paperwork if you're an EU/EFTA citizen. Third-country nationals though will need to apply for a residence permit. You can do so in your home country, or in Hungary at the regional directorate of Immigration and Asylum Office. As a general rule, you'll need the completed application form, a portrait photo taken within the last three months, the identifications required and a procedural fee of 60 euros if you apply back at your home country or 18,000 HUF (55 euros) if you apply in Hungary. Provided that all goes well, the residence permit will reach you via post. Find out more here.
Finding an internship in Hungary
If you're a student/former student, the best place to look for an internship in Hungary is through the country's institutions of education. Corvinus University has a Career Development Office that connects students and graduates with potential employers ' find out more here. There are also student organisations that can facilitate your placement, like the IASTE (if you have technical experience) or the AIESEC. You should also check out EURES, the European Job Mobility Portal.
If you're not a current/former student but want to do an internship/traineeship as a way to kickstart your career, then you should check out career websites like Monster and CV Online. There is also Job Online, which may be in Hungarian but many of the job offers are in English.
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