Interns, trainees, apprentices and employees may fall into different legal categories. Rights depend on the actual work and the applicable scheme; the designation alone does not determine the answer.
Understand the law and process
A valid apprenticeship arrangement may have prescribed conditions for the stipend and training. It would be incorrect to treat an ordinary unpaid internship as the same statutory apprenticeship. On the other hand, not every academic internship is regular employment. Facts such as working hours, supervision, productive duties, the training plan, payment and whether the intern is doing the work of regular employees are important. Minimum-wage coverage will depend on the applicable wage law and the worker relationship. Writing ‘no rights’ in an offer letter does not end every statutory protection. The organisation should clarify the actual basis for its training arrangement.
In detail: What factors can change the outcome?
Review the record of learning objectives, mentor, duration and evaluation. If there is no training and the person has only the responsibilities and attendance requirements of regular staff, keep a factual record. In a complaint, explain the actual duties and payment arrangement rather than focusing on a request to change the role’s name. If the college requires the placement, the institution’s internship conditions may also be relevant.
What should you do?
- Ask whether the engagement is based on statutory apprenticeship, an academic internship or employment.
- Keep a record of the training plan, duties and working hours.
- If there is a payment dispute, check coverage with the relevant authority in light of the contract and the actual work.
Which documents should you keep?
Keep the offer letter, training plan, attendance records, stipend receipts, work assignments and college instructions.
Hypothetical example
A trainee was assigned a regular operator’s full shift for six months, but had no training plan. Another apprentice had a formal programme and stipend schedule. It would be wrong to reach the same conclusion for both.
Is every unpaid internship illegal?
There is no such blanket conclusion. The actual arrangement, applicable law and institutional training framework must be examined.
Sources and related rules
- Code on Wages, 2019 — wages, deductions and time limits for payment
- Apprentices Act 1961
- Ministry of Labour 2026 labour-code FAQs
Editorial review: 26 October 2026. This is general legal information. The outcome may vary depending on the facts of the case, applicable state law and subsequent amendments.