Using EURES for graduate jobs and traineeships across the EU

What EURES is for

EURES (European Employment Services) is the EU's official network for cross-border employment. The EURES portal is run by the European Labour Authority together with national public employment services, and it exists to match jobseekers and employers across borders. As a student or recent graduate, you use it to find paid jobs, traineeships and apprenticeships in another EU or EEA country, or Switzerland.

The portal covers most sectors and skill levels, so listings range from graduate schemes at multinational companies to entry level roles in hospitality, IT, engineering and healthcare. Every vacancy on the portal comes from a verified employer or a partner public employment service, so you avoid the fake postings common on general job boards.

Who can use EURES

If you hold citizenship of an EU or EEA country, or Switzerland, you work in any other participating country without a separate work permit, and EURES vacancies reflect that freedom of movement. Non-EU/EEA students studying in Europe are welcome to browse and apply through EURES too, but check the target country's own work permit rules for your specific case, since EURES itself does not grant a permit.

How to search the portal

Create a free profile on the EURES portal and upload your CV using the European CV format, which employers across the network recognize. Filter vacancies by country, sector, contract type and language level, and turn on job alerts so new matches reach your inbox.

Each listing includes the employer name and contract type. Read the country's "living and working conditions" pages before you apply, they cover tax, healthcare access, cost of living and how to register as a resident once you arrive.

Getting help from a EURES adviser

Every country in the network has EURES advisers based in public employment offices, and many now offer remote consultations by chat or video call through the portal. An adviser reviews your CV, explains how your qualification is likely to be read by employers in the target country, and points you to sector specific vacancies not always visible through the main search.

Advisers also help with the practical side of a move: registering with the local employment service, understanding local contract types, and connecting you with employer recruitment days aimed at international candidates.

Traineeships and apprenticeships on EURES

EURES does not only list full time jobs. The portal carries paid traineeships and apprenticeships too, aimed at students close to graduation and recent graduates building work experience before their first permanent role. These listings sit in the same search and filter system as regular jobs, so set your filters to include traineeship and apprenticeship contract types if you want a shorter placement rather than permanent employment.

A traineeship through EURES differs from an Erasmus+ traineeship. Erasmus+ traineeships connect to your home university and often carry academic credit, while EURES traineeships come directly from employers and public employment services, with no university involved. Compare both routes if your university offers an Erasmus+ mobility option, since the paperwork and funding sources differ.

Preparing your application

Build your CV in the Europass format before you start applying, since many employers on the network expect it and it makes your qualifications easy to compare against local candidates. Translate your degree certificate and any reference letters into the language of the country you target, or into English if the employer accepts it, and keep digital copies ready to attach to online applications.

Research the target country's typical recruitment process before you apply. Interview formats, notice periods and probation length differ across Europe, and a EURES adviser gives country specific guidance on what a local employer expects at each stage.

The EURES Targeted Mobility Scheme

The mobility programme originally launched as "Your First EURES Job" now runs as the EURES Targeted Mobility Scheme . It targets young jobseekers and recent graduates who want a job, traineeship or apprenticeship in another participating country. Support toward the practical costs of moving, such as travel and settling in, is sometimes available depending on the round, so check the current call and its country coverage on the EURES portal before you plan a move around it.

Employers, especially small and medium businesses, also use the scheme to recruit internationally and get support with onboarding a candidate from another country.

After you arrive

Once you accept a role, register your residence with the local authority within the timeframe that country sets, then sort out a local bank account, tax number and health insurance registration. A EURES adviser in the destination country continues to support you during this settling in period, and many public employment services run integration sessions for new arrivals covering these exact steps.

Step by step: applying through EURES

1. Register on the EURES portal and complete your profile in English or your target language.

2. Search and filter vacancies, or ask a EURES adviser to search for you.

3. Check the country's living and working conditions page before you commit to an application.

4. Apply directly through the listing, following the employer's stated process.

5. Look at the Targeted Mobility Scheme for a current call that matches your move, if you are eligible.

6. Once you have an offer, register as a resident in the new country and set up local healthcare and tax registration early.