Trainees are not entitled to the statutory minimum wage. During a traineeship, an employer is not obliged by law to pay a traineeship allowance. It is allowed though, and the employer decides the amount of money. A traineeship allowance has no minimum or maximum amount.
Traineeship: learning is essential
Traineeships are often part of a training course. Each traineeship comes with a learning plan with agreements on what the trainee should learn (learning objectives). The trainee is supervised by the company offering the traineeship.
A 'regular' employee's work involves production and sales. A trainee may not replace a regular employee. A trainee learns what it is like to work. If the purpose of the traineeship is not to learn but only to work, the employee may be entitled to the statutory minimum wage. Otherwise, a salary is not mandatory.
The Netherlands Labour Authority can investigate and, if necessary, impose a fine on employers in case of underpayment. More information about traineeship and minimum wage (Dutch) can be found at Rijksoverheid.nl.