An exhaust gas purification apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes: a controller comprising at least one processor is configured to carry out rich spike; wherein the controller carries out supply control to supply a reducing agent to a post-stage catalyst, wherein in cases where a temperature of an NSR catalyst becomes less than a predetermined determination temperature in at least a part of a determination period of time, the controller carries out the supply control according to the execution of current rich spike; wherein the controller controls such that in cases where the storage amount of NOx is the same, an amount of supply of the reducing agent in the supply control is made larger as a period of time in which the temperature of the NSR catalyst becomes less than the predetermined determination temperature in the determination period of time becomes longer.