Subsidy programme Praktijkleren Dutch Caribbean

Papiamentu/Español

Pa haña informashon e reglamentu di subsidio na Papiamentu, por fabor descargá e pdf aki bou.

Para obtener información sobre el subsidio en Español, descargue el pdf a continuación.

Timeline Praktijkleren subsidy

The timeline below gives you a global overview of the process as it applies to the Caribbean Netherlands.

Conditions

As an employer, you may be eligible for the subsidy if you meet the following conditions:

• You are a recognised training company on Bonaire, St. Eustatius or Saba, offering an internship or apprenticeship.
• You supervise:
  • a mbo student in the practical part (vocational practice formation - bpv) who is enrolled at an educational institution on Bonaire and follows a course in the vocational training path (bbl);
  • a vo-pupil who follows practical education (praktijkonderwijs) and does an internship in the last school year;
  • a pupil following a basic vocational course in vmbo, set up as a learning-working path or entrance course.
• You meet the conditions for the practical apprenticeship.
• You meet the administrative conditions (under Preparing your application).

Conditions for the apprenticeship

• Minimum number of hours
  The practical component at your company or organisation includes a minimum of 610 clock hours per school year. For practical education and vmbo there is a minimum requirement of 640 clock hours per school year. The school year runs from 1 August to 31 July. For shorter practical periods, the minimum number of clock hours will be converted proportionally.
• Attendance of the pupil or student
  You only get subsidy for the weeks during which the vo-pupil or mbo student was present at your company. We calculate the subsidy per week. It does not matter how many hours or days the student or apprentice was present in that week, as long as the standard of hours for the apprenticeship was met during the subsidy period.
  For example, was a pupil or student absent for an entire week due to illness or leave? Then this week does not count.
• Practice agreement
  A practical training agreement is drawn up at the start of the work placement or apprenticeship. You will also need this for the subsidy application. Make sure it is fully completed and signed by all parties: student, educational institution, employer and ROA (Raad Onderwijs Arbeidsmarkt).

Preparing your application

From August 2026, you will start preparing your subsidy application. Most students/pupils start their education and practical training in August (the beginning of the new school year). To submit your subsidy application by the end of the school year, in September 2027, please take the following steps:

1. You download the form 'Form for professional training position attendance and tasks' that you find below on this page (also available in Dutch/Papiamentu/Español). You complete this with the student/pupil, starting from the 1st week you supervise the student/pupil. If the student starts the education and practical training later in the school year, you will also start filling in the form later. You will then still be eligible for a subsidy.
2. You ensure that the practical training agreement (POK) is fully completed and signed by all parties: student/pupil, educational institution, employer and ROA.
3. You download the application form on this page. In it, we ask for the company name, address details, details of the training company, the student, and your bank account number. Please ensure you have all the information and can submit the fully completed form by September 2027.
4. We must be sure that we have the correct bank account number for the payment and that the combination of the account holder's name and account number is correct. Therefore, you must provide a document showing this. This document could be, for example, a sales invoice or a copy of a daily statement.

You must submit the above 4 documents with your subsidy application in September 2027. The documents may be handwritten or digitally completed. We will only process complete applications. 

Attendance form

After your application

No later than 1 November 2027, we will decide on your application. Is the decision positive? Then you will receive the amount in your bank account by mid-November 2027 at the latest.

Want to know more?

• Do you have any questions? If so, please send an email to praktijklerencn@rvo.nl.
• Read the Frequently Asked Questions
• Staatscourant publication (in Dutch), 2 April 2025