Implementation Plan on the
Youth Interns Exchange Programme between
the Government of the People’s Republic of China and
the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany
- Chinese Interns in Germany -
（Signed on September 25th 2019）
I. The German leading organizer is the Department of Asian Affairs of the Federal Foreign Office, which is responsible for establishing domestic coordination mechanisms, strengthening counterpart relations with China and promoting the policy coordination and communication among different departments, localities and implementing organizations in Germany.
II. The Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Germany (Chinesische Handelskammer in Deutschland e.V., CHKD) is the Chinese partner institution responsible for coordinating the “China-Germany Youth Interns Exchange Programme” with the purpose of ensuring smooth implementation and widely publicizing the Programme to companies, institutions, youths as well as the society in Germany.
III. The CHKD should encourage companies or institutions, including cultural, educational and scientific organizations, to provide internship opportunities, and collect and release information about companies or institutions in Germany that may receive Chinese interns (including the names of the companies or institutions, job descriptions, recruitment conditions, contact information, etc.), and inform the National Center of Human Resources Mobility (NCHRM) of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MoHRSS) of China. The internship should not exceed 6 months.
IV. The internship exchange programme is aimed at citizens aged at least 18 and under 35 years on the first day of the internship. Those eligible to participate in the Programme include: Chinese students studying in universities and colleges (including undergraduates and candidates for master’s and doctoral degrees) who have completed at least four semesters of higher education; Chinese university or college graduates who have graduated for less than 12 months; Chinese students in technical and vocational schools; Chinese graduates from technical and vocational schools who have graduated for less than 12 months. The internship should reflect the area in which the intern will acquire or holds a degree or qualification.
V. The recruitment of Chinese students or young graduates for internships in Germany should be decided by relevant companies or institutions. Chinese youths who intend to go to Germany for internship should directly contact relevant companies or institutions.
VI. A recruited Chinese student should sign an internship contract and a training plan with the receiving company or institution in Germany and his/her school; and a recruited young graduate should sign an internship contract with the receiving company or institution. The internship contract must include the following regulations:
(1) internship description;
(2) starting and ending dates of the internship;
(3) weekly working hours of the intern in the company or institution;
(4) amount and payment method of a salary according to current legal provisions in Germany;
(5) if applicable, list of benefits for the intern;
(6) insurances for the intern, including work-related injury insurance;
(7) ways to suspend or terminate the internship;
(8) conditions for allowing the intern to be absent; and
(9) internal regulations of the company or institution that the intern must abide by (especially the duty of care and confidentiality).
In the training plan each training period of the internship should be described if this has not already been indicated in the internship contract. This includes the duration, the intern’s tasks according to her/his abilities, the training objectives and the person in charge of each training period.
After completing the internship contract as required, the intern should submit it to the NCHRM for filing. The NCHRM will issue the letter of confirmation on internship acceptance by the company or institution to prove his/her participation in the “China-Germany Youth Interns Exchange Programme”.
VII. Based on the principle of reciprocity, China and Germany will simplify relevant procedures for the implementation of the Programme and facilitate the internship of youths from each other.
In the process of going through formalities, the companies, institutions or interns on both sides may submit scanned copies first if the originals are needed to be sent by cross-border mail, and then submit the originals later if necessary.
VIII. A Chinese intern should apply for the internship visa (a Schengen visa for an intended stay of maximum 90 days or a national visa for an intended stay of at least 90 days). A Chinese intern does not need to apply for a separated work permit. The visa allows him/her to enter Germany and stay for the period of the internship. To this end, he/she needs to provide the following:
(1) a signed passport with the period of validity exceeding the applied stay period by at least 3 months and at least 2 blank pages;
(2) two completed and signed German visa application forms (Schengen visa or national visa);
(3)three identical recent (taken within the past 6 months) biometric identification photos of white background;
(4) proof of adequate medical insurance for the intended duration of stay;
(5) the internship contract and a training plan written in German (original, or scanned copy of the contract and the printout of the e-mail sending the scanned copy);
(6) proof of education received so far (original plus translation into German; a student should provide the registration certificate of his/her university or college; a young graduate should provide a copy of his/her academic certificate or relevant document);
(7) the letter of confirmation for internship issued by the NCHRM; and
(8) additional documents may be required in individual cases.
IX. Companies or institutions in Germany and Chinese interns may consult the DIHK and the NCHRM on issues related to the “China-Germany Youth Interns Exchange Programme” at any time.