Internships at IOM

The IOM Internship Programme provides students with the opportunity to learn about IOM's activities, to gain initial work experience, and/or gain knowledge on a broad range of migration technical areas and disciplines. IOM provides on-the-job training to interns so that both they, and the Organization, can benefit. Furthermore, internships build links with academic institutions and universities.   

Each year, IOM welcomes hundreds of interns to work within IOM offices globally.

Interns are given assignments and responsibility commensurate with their academic and professional experience and are placed under the guidance of a supervisor.

Am I eligible for an internship at IOM?

Applicants to the IOM internship programme must, at the time of application, meet one of the following requirements:

• Be enrolled in the final academic year of a university degree programme (minimum Bachelor’s level or equivalent); or
• Be enrolled in a graduate degree programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); or
• Have graduated with a university or graduate degree and, if selected, must commence the internship within one-year of graduation; or
• Be sponsored by a governmental/non-governmental institution and/or academic institution to work in a specific area relevant to both IOM and the sponsor institution.

All interns must be between 19 and 36 years of age (average age is 26). Furthermore, interns should have a working knowledge (both oral and written) of at least one of IOM’s official languages (English, French or Spanish).

What is the duration of an internship?

IOM internships are flexible in nature and depend on the interests of both the intern and the IOM Country Office, and last from two to six months in duration (preference is for interns who can commit to at least six months), with a maximum duration of nine months.

Do I get paid for an internship?

While the majority of interns receive a monthly subsistence allowance (MSA), which is a monetary stipend to partially cover accommodation and living expenses, there are a few exceptions. For example, if IOM has an agreement with a university to provide internship assignments to its students as part of their coursework or when an intern is provided with funding/scholarship through their university, government or other institution. In exceptional cases, the Director of Human Resources can waive the MSA for interns who reside locally.

Will I be supported on visa and travel requests?

It is the responsibility of interns or their sponsoring institution to arrange for travel to and from the duty station upon commencement and conclusion of the internship. All related travel expenses, including visas, will be paid by the intern or sponsoring institution. IOM does not cover the cost of travel or visas; however, the office can prepare a visa support letter to facilitate the acquisition of a visa.

Will I be covered by a health insurance during the period of internship?

Interns are covered against occupational accidents and illnesses under the Organization’s Compensation Plan (CP) insurance, regardless of the location of the assignment.

All interns who are not nationals of the country where their duty station is located must show proof of valid medical insurance coverage, including evacuation and repatriation coverage, to cover the full period of the internship.

Locally recruited interns who are nationals of the country where their duty station is located must also show proof of valid medical insurance coverage to cover the full period of the internship. Note: Evacuation and repatriation coverage are not required for locally recruited interns.

All interns must provide a medical certificate of good health along with their vaccination records prior to the commencement of the internship.

Will I get a job afterward?

IOM evaluates interns who may eventually be considered for future external vacancies and/or short-term assignments. In general, interns are considered external candidates and can apply for vacancies that are open to external candidates during and after their assignment.

Interns should view this as a learning experience rather than the means to secure a job with IOM. This type of experience will look good on their CV or resume, which will be useful in their future job search.

How do I get started?

Internships in IOM field missions 

For internships in IOM Country Offices, please send your application directly to the specific office in which you are interested in working. You can find the contact details of IOM country offices by selecting one of the countries on this page.

Internships in IOM Headquarters (Geneva)

For advertised internships at IOM Geneva (Headquarters), internship vacancies start with “INT”.

Important:

There is no specific time of the year for sending your application for an internship. If you were granted (or may be granted) a scholarship or your internship is a mandatory requirement for completing your studies, you should specify this in your cover letter, as well as the exact dates of the proposed internship. Remember to attach a letter from your sponsor or university confirming the purpose of the assignment, as well as the amount of your grant.

Current internships available

To see a list of internship opportunities in IOM, please visit the Current Vacancies page.

Where will I find more information on specific activities in IOM offices?

Visit our website and click on the tab “Where We Work”.