Working after you graduate
How long you can stay after you graduate
Every country lets you stay a different length of time once your course ends — and the permit that lets you look for work is rarely the one you arrived on. Here is the rule in 27 destinations, taken from each government's own guidance.
- Countries
- 27 Countries
- Give you 2 years or more
- 9 Give you 2 years or more
- Have no general route
- 3 Have no general route
How long can you stay after graduating?
The six destinations most people ask about. Each figure is what a graduate of a taught degree gets.
United Kingdom
2 years, or 18 months from 2027
Graduate visa
What the rule says →Canada
8 months to 3 years
Post-Graduation Work Permit
What the rule says →Australia
18 months to 3 years
Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485)
What the rule says →United States
12 months, plus 24 for STEM
Optional Practical Training (OPT)
What the rule says →Germany
Up to 18 months
Jobseeker residence permit
What the rule says →Ireland
12 months, or 24 for level 9+
Third Level Graduate Programme (Stamp 1G)
What the rule says →
Countries that let international students work after graduation
The length is what a graduate of a taught degree can expect. Where a doctorate earns more — the UK's three years, Sweden's eighteen months — the row says so. Every rule here was checked against the government's own guidance in August 2026.
| Country | You can stay | The permit | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 18 months to 3 years | Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) | Generally 35 or under, and you must have held a student visa in the previous six months. |
| Canada | 8 months to 3 years | Post-Graduation Work Permit | Permit length matches your programme; you need 2 years of study for the full 3 years, and the programme must be PGWP-eligible. |
| Denmark | 3 years | Job-seeking residence permit | Granted with the study permit rather than applied for later. A master's for working professionals gets 6 months instead. |
| New Zealand | Up to 3 years | Post Study Work Visa | Level 7 degree or above, studied full-time for at least 30 weeks. You can only hold this visa once. |
| Finland | Up to 2 years | Residence permit to look for work | Show EUR 800 a month — EUR 19,200 for the full two years. Can be split into parts of at least six months. |
| Hong Kong | 24 months | Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates | Apply within six months of graduating and you need no job offer. Apply later and you need a graduate-level offer at market pay. |
| Ireland | 12 months, or 24 for level 9+ | Third Level Graduate Programme (Stamp 1G) | Apply within six months of being told you achieved the award, holding current Stamp 2. Registration costs EUR 300. |
| Spain | 24 months | Residence permit to look for work | You may not work while you hold it, and it cannot be extended. Apply in the 60 days before your study authorisation expires. |
| United Kingdom | 2 years, or 18 months from 2027 | Graduate visa | Two years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026, 18 months after that. Doctoral graduates get three years either way. |
| Germany | Up to 18 months | Jobseeker residence permit | You may work in any occupation while searching, then convert to a skilled-worker permit or EU Blue Card once you have a qualified job. |
| Japan | 1 year, sometimes 2 | Designated Activities (job hunting) | Six months renewable once, on a recommendation from the school you graduated from. Part-time work up to 28 hours a week throughout. |
| Malaysia | 12 months | Graduate Pass | Open to a fixed list of nationalities, and needs a personal bond backed by a Malaysian sponsor. |
| Netherlands | 1 year | Orientation year (zoekjaar) | Apply within three years of graduating. While you hold it, a reduced highly skilled migrant salary threshold of EUR 3,122 a month applies. |
| Norway | Up to 1 year | Job-seeker residence permit | Show NOK 28,448 a month — NOK 341,373 for a year. File before the study permit expires. |
| Portugal | Up to 1 year | Residence permit for job seeking | Master's and doctoral graduates only. First-cycle bachelor's graduates are not named in the provision. |
| Sweden | Up to 1 year | Residence permit to look for work | Support yourself at SEK 10,656 a month for the whole permit, and you must have passed every course on the programme you were admitted to. |
| Türkiye | Up to 1 year | Short-term residence permit | Apply within six months of graduating. Granted only once. |
| United States | 12 months, plus 24 for STEM | Optional Practical Training (OPT) | Twelve months per educational level. You may not accumulate more than 90 days of unemployment during OPT. |
| Czech Republic | Up to 9 months | Long-term residence permit for seeking employment | Cannot be extended, but gives free access to the labour market with no employer or job restrictions. |
| Hungary | Up to 9 months | Residence permit for job seeking | File at least 15 days before the study permit expires — you must still hold it when you apply. Not extendable. |
| Poland | 9 months | Temporary residence permit to look for work | Apply once, in person, during your legal stay. Graduates of full-time programmes need no work permit. |
| South Korea | Points-based | Job Seeker (D-10) | The points test is waived with TOPIK level 4 or the Social Integration Program's level 4 evaluation. |
| Switzerland | 6 months | Job-search stay | No extension, and the job must be of overriding scientific or economic interest to override the priority given to Swiss and EU workers. |
| United Arab Emirates | 60, 90 or 120 days | Jobseeker visit visa | No automatic post-study permit. You need a top-500 university within the last two years, or a job at MOHRE skill level 1–3. |
Denmark
New Zealand
Finland
Hong Kong
Spain
Japan
Malaysia
Netherlands
Norway
Portugal
Sweden
Türkiye
Czech Republic
Hungary
Poland
South Korea
Switzerland
United Arab EmiratesCountries with no general post-study stay
In these you move straight to a work permit, which means having the job before your student status ends.
- China
You move straight to a work permit, which needs an employer letter and a work permit certificate. Ordinary hires get up to a year.
- Italy
You convert directly, and only while the study permit is still valid — there is no period to look for work first.
- Singapore
Graduates of a listed Institute of Higher Learning can apply to look for work, but it is not a work pass — an employer still has to apply for one.
China
Italy
SingaporeCan you work after graduation? Country by country
The full rule for each, with the government page it came from.
Australia18 months to 3 years · Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485)
Can international students work in Australia after graduation?
The Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) follows study. The Post-Higher Education Work stream usually runs two to three years, the Post-Vocational Education Work stream up to 18 months, and a Second Post-Higher Education Work stream one to two years. Applicants generally must be 35 or under and have held a student visa in the previous six months.
Source: Department of Home Affairs: Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485)
Canada8 months to 3 years · Post-Graduation Work Permit
Can international students work in Canada after graduation?
A post-graduation work permit runs from eight months to three years. A programme of at least eight months but under two years earns a permit matching the programme length; two years or more earns the full three years. Most applicants have had to submit language test results since 1 November 2024, and the programme must be PGWP-eligible.
Denmark3 years · Job-seeking residence permit
Can international students work in Denmark after graduation?
Completing a state-approved professional bachelor's, bachelor's, master's or PhD gives a three-year job-seeking residence permit, normally granted together with the study permit rather than applied for later. A master's for working professionals gives six months instead. The job-seeking permit keeps the 90-hours-a-month limit, and DKK 840 buys a work permit without limitations that lets you work full-time from the day you apply.
New ZealandUp to 3 years · Post Study Work Visa
Can international students work in New Zealand after graduation?
The Post Study Work Visa lets graduates stay and work for up to three years, costs from NZD 1,670 and is decided for 80% of applicants within four weeks. You need a degree at level 7 or above studied full-time in New Zealand for at least 30 weeks, NZD 5,000 in living costs, and you must apply within three months of your student visa expiring — six months after a doctorate. You can only hold this visa once.
FinlandUp to 2 years · Residence permit to look for work
Can international students work in Finland after graduation?
Graduates can get a residence permit to look for work or start a business for up to two years, and it may be split into three parts of at least six months each, all starting within three years of the first. You can apply up to five years after the study permit expired, the permit carries an unrestricted right to work, and you must show EUR 800 a month, so EUR 19,200 for a two-year permit.
Source: Finnish Immigration Service — Residence permit to look for work or to start a business
Hong Kong24 months · Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates
Can international students work in Hong Kong after graduation?
Graduates use the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates. Anyone who has taken an undergraduate or higher qualification on a full-time locally accredited programme of at least one academic year, or an equivalent at Qualifications Framework level 5 with 120 credits, may apply. Applying within six months of the graduation date makes you a recent graduate, who needs no job offer and gets 24 months' stay on time limitation only. Apply later and you need an offer at a level commonly taken by degree holders at market pay, for the same 24 months.
Source: Immigration Department — Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG)
Ireland12 months, or 24 for level 9+ · Third Level Graduate Programme (Stamp 1G)
Can international students work in Ireland after graduation?
The Third Level Graduate Programme lets non-EEA graduates of a recognised Irish awarding body stay to look for graduate-level work on Stamp 1G, with full 40-hour work rights. A Level 8 award earns 12 months; a Level 9 or higher award earns 12 months renewable for a further 12, up to 24. You must hold current Stamp 2 permission and apply within six months of being told you achieved the award, and registration costs €300 per person.
Source: Irish Immigration Service Delivery — Third level graduate programme
Spain24 months · Residence permit to look for work
Can international students work in Spain after graduation?
Finish a Spanish qualification at EQF level 6 (a bachelor's degree) or above and you can apply for a residence permit to look for work or start a business. It runs for 24 months and cannot be extended, and you may not work while you hold it. Apply in the 60 days before your study authorisation expires.
Source: Portal de Inmigración — Sheet 20: residence permit for job-seeking or starting a business
United Kingdom2 years, or 18 months from 2027 · Graduate visa
Can international students work in United Kingdom after graduation?
The Graduate visa lets you stay after finishing your course for two years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026, or 18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027. PhD and other doctoral graduates get three years either way.
Source: GOV.UK: Graduate visa
GermanyUp to 18 months · Jobseeker residence permit
Can international students work in Germany after graduation?
After graduating you can apply for a jobseeker residence permit under Section 20 (1) No. 1 of the Residence Act, issued for up to 18 months to find skilled employment. You may work in any occupation while searching, and once you have a qualified job you convert to a residence permit for skilled workers or an EU Blue Card. Graduates can apply for a settlement permit after more than two years of work in Germany.
Source: Make it in Germany (Federal Government portal): Visa for studying
Want longer than up to 18 months?
These give graduates the longest window, and you can see what there is to study in each.
Australia · 18 months to 3 yearsCanada · 8 months to 3 yearsDenmark · 3 years
Japan1 year, sometimes 2 · Designated Activities (job hunting)
Can international students work in Japan after graduation?
Graduates of a university or a specialised training college can switch to Designated Activities for job hunting: six months, renewable once, so a year in total, on a recommendation from the school they graduated from. A second year is possible if you join a local-government employment support scheme. Part-time work of up to 28 hours a week is allowed throughout.
Source: Immigration Services Agency — Staying on after graduation to look for work
Want longer than 1 year, sometimes 2?
These give graduates the longest window, and you can see what there is to study in each.
Australia · 18 months to 3 yearsCanada · 8 months to 3 yearsDenmark · 3 years
Malaysia12 months · Graduate Pass
Can international students work in Malaysia after graduation?
The Graduate Pass is a social visit pass giving 12 months in Malaysia after graduation, with a multiple entry visa, permission to work part-time in approved sectors and no need for an employer sponsor. You need a bachelor's degree or higher, a valid Student Pass at the time of applying, a passport with 18 months left, a year of local health insurance and a personal bond backed by a Malaysian sponsor earning at least MYR 1,500 a month. It is open to a fixed list of nationalities rather than to everyone.
Source: EMGS — Graduate Pass
Want longer than 12 months?
These give graduates the longest window, and you can see what there is to study in each.
Australia · 18 months to 3 yearsCanada · 8 months to 3 yearsDenmark · 3 years
Netherlands1 year · Orientation year (zoekjaar)
Can international students work in Netherlands after graduation?
The orientation year (zoekjaar) residence permit lets graduates stay to look for work or start a business, and costs €254. You can apply within three years of graduating, obtaining a doctorate, or your research permit expiring — and while you hold it, or for three years afterwards, a reduced highly skilled migrant salary threshold of €3,122 a month applies instead of the standard €5,942.
Source: IND — Residence permit for orientation year
Want longer than 1 year?
These give graduates the longest window, and you can see what there is to study in each.
Australia · 18 months to 3 yearsCanada · 8 months to 3 yearsDenmark · 3 years
NorwayUp to 1 year · Job-seeker residence permit
Can international students work in Norway after graduation?
Graduates can apply for a job-seeker residence permit of up to one year, and the application must be filed before the study permit expires, ideally a month ahead. You must have completed the degree in Norway, be looking for skilled work, and show NOK 28,448 a month, which is NOK 341,373 for a year; former PhD candidates who held a skilled worker permit need only NOK 85,344 whatever the length. The permit allows full-time and part-time work while you search, including jobs that do not require skilled workers.
Source: UDI — Residence permit for job seekers who have recently graduated
Want longer than up to 1 year?
These give graduates the longest window, and you can see what there is to study in each.
Australia · 18 months to 3 yearsCanada · 8 months to 3 yearsDenmark · 3 years
PortugalUp to 1 year · Residence permit for job seeking
Can international students work in Portugal after graduation?
Graduates of a second or third cycle degree, meaning a master's or a doctorate, can convert to a residence permit giving up to one year to look for work or start a company matching their qualifications, under Article 122(1)(p) of the Foreigners Act. You apply with your passport, a sworn declaration of address, an apostilled criminal record certificate, and either a declaration from the institution that you completed the programme or your own declaration that you intend to use the one-year window. First-cycle bachelor's graduates are not named in this provision.
Want longer than up to 1 year?
These give graduates the longest window, and you can see what there is to study in each.
Australia · 18 months to 3 yearsCanada · 8 months to 3 yearsDenmark · 3 years
SwedenUp to 1 year · Residence permit to look for work
Can international students work in Sweden after graduation?
Graduates can apply for a residence permit to look for work or explore starting a business, granted for up to one year after bachelor's or master's studies and for one year to 18 months after doctoral studies. You must apply before your study permit expires, have completed the entire programme you were first admitted to with passing grades in all courses, and be able to support yourself for the whole permit at SEK 10,656 a month. It costs SEK 1,500 for an adult and SEK 750 for a child, and your family can apply at the same time.
Source: Swedish Migration Agency — Residence permit to seek employment after completing your studies
Want longer than up to 1 year?
These give graduates the longest window, and you can see what there is to study in each.
Australia · 18 months to 3 yearsCanada · 8 months to 3 yearsDenmark · 3 years
TürkiyeUp to 1 year · Short-term residence permit
Can international students work in Türkiye after graduation?
Graduates of a Turkish higher education programme can apply within six months of graduating for a short-term residence permit on that ground. It is granted only once and runs for a maximum of one year.
Source: Presidency of Migration Management — Residence permit types
Want longer than up to 1 year?
These give graduates the longest window, and you can see what there is to study in each.
Australia · 18 months to 3 yearsCanada · 8 months to 3 yearsDenmark · 3 years
United States12 months, plus 24 for STEM · Optional Practical Training (OPT)
Can international students work in United States after graduation?
Optional Practical Training gives 12 months of work authorization per educational level, and graduates of eligible STEM programs can apply for a 24-month extension. You may not accumulate more than 90 days of unemployment during OPT.
Source: USCIS: Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 Students
Want longer than 12 months, plus 24 for stem?
These give graduates the longest window, and you can see what there is to study in each.
Australia · 18 months to 3 yearsCanada · 8 months to 3 yearsDenmark · 3 years
Czech RepublicUp to 9 months · Long-term residence permit for seeking employment
Can international students work in Czech Republic after graduation?
Graduates of an accredited university programme can move to a long-term residence permit for seeking employment or starting a business. It runs for up to nine months, cannot be extended, and gives free access to the labour market with no employer or job restrictions.
Source: Ministry of the Interior — Long-term residence permit for seeking employment or starting a business
Want longer than up to 9 months?
These give graduates the longest window, and you can see what there is to study in each.
Australia · 18 months to 3 yearsCanada · 8 months to 3 yearsDenmark · 3 years
HungaryUp to 9 months · Residence permit for job seeking
Can international students work in Hungary after graduation?
Graduates can apply for a residence permit for seeking a job or starting a business, valid for a maximum of nine months and not extendable. It has to be filed through Enter Hungary at least 15 days before the study permit expires, because you must still hold a valid study permit when you apply.
Want longer than up to 9 months?
These give graduates the longest window, and you can see what there is to study in each.
Australia · 18 months to 3 yearsCanada · 8 months to 3 yearsDenmark · 3 years
Poland9 months · Temporary residence permit to look for work
Can international students work in Poland after graduation?
Graduates of a Polish university can apply once for a temporary residence permit to look for work or prepare to start a business, granted for nine months. You file it in person with the province governor during your legal stay in Poland, straight after graduating, showing medical insurance, an address in Poland and funds for your keep and your return journey. Graduates of full-time programmes need no work permit, and graduation exempts them from the labour market test.
Source: Office for Foreigners — Permit for temporary residence: graduate
Want longer than 9 months?
These give graduates the longest window, and you can see what there is to study in each.
Australia · 18 months to 3 yearsCanada · 8 months to 3 yearsDenmark · 3 years
South KoreaPoints-based · Job Seeker (D-10)
Can international students work in South Korea after graduation?
Graduates move from Student (D-2) to Job Seeker (D-10). The general route asks for a bachelor's degree, including a Korean associate degree, plus enough points for one of the professional statuses from Professor (E-1) to Special Ability (E-7). The points test is waived if you hold TOPIK level 4 or higher, or passed the Social Integration Program's level 4 interim evaluation, within three years of finishing a Korean degree. A separate D-10 track exists for graduates preparing a technology start-up.
Source: Korea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice — Visa Navigator
Want longer than points-based?
These give graduates the longest window, and you can see what there is to study in each.
Australia · 18 months to 3 yearsCanada · 8 months to 3 yearsDenmark · 3 years
Switzerland6 months · Job-search stay
Can international students work in Switzerland after graduation?
Third-country nationals who graduate from a Swiss higher education institution have six months from the end of the course to look for work matching their qualifications, and may be admitted in derogation of the precedence given to Swiss and EU or EFTA workers if the job is of overriding scientific or economic interest. Basel-Stadt issues that job-search stay as a short-term permit for six months with no extension, granted on proof of sufficient means, suitable accommodation and the final degree. There is no entitlement to it where the only thing you did in Switzerland was a postdoc.
Source: State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) — FAQ Working, study-related questions
Want longer than 6 months?
These give graduates the longest window, and you can see what there is to study in each.
Australia · 18 months to 3 yearsCanada · 8 months to 3 yearsDenmark · 3 years
United Arab Emirates60, 90 or 120 days · Jobseeker visit visa
Can international students work in United Arab Emirates after graduation?
There is no automatic post-study permit, but graduates can apply for a jobseeker visit visa of 60, 90 or 120 days with no host or sponsor. You need a bachelor's degree or equivalent, plus either a job at the first, second or third MOHRE skill level or graduation within the last two years from a university in the top 500 recognised by the Ministry of Education, and you must meet the prescribed financial guarantee.
Source: u.ae — Jobseeker visit visa
Want longer than 60, 90 or 120 days?
These give graduates the longest window, and you can see what there is to study in each.
Australia · 18 months to 3 yearsCanada · 8 months to 3 yearsDenmark · 3 years
ChinaNo general stay permit · Work-category residence permit
Can international students work in China after graduation?
China has no general post-study stay permit. Staying on to work means moving to a work-category residence permit, which needs a work permit certificate from the human resources and social security or foreign experts authorities plus a letter from the employer. Ordinary hires get up to one year, staff of well-regarded registered employers up to two, and recognised high-level talent up to five.
Source: National Immigration Administration — Service guide for issuing residence permits to foreigners
Want a country that lets you stay and look for work?
These give graduates the longest window, and you can see what there is to study in each.
Australia · 18 months to 3 yearsCanada · 8 months to 3 yearsDenmark · 3 years
ItalyNo search window · Conversion to a work permit
Can international students work in Italy after graduation?
Graduating in Italy lets you convert the study permit into a work permit, provided the study permit is still valid: you sign a residence contract with the employer at the Sportello Unico per l'Immigrazione.
Source: MAECI — Studying in Italy, frequently asked questions
Want a country that lets you stay and look for work?
These give graduates the longest window, and you can see what there is to study in each.
Australia · 18 months to 3 yearsCanada · 8 months to 3 yearsDenmark · 3 years
SingaporeNo automatic pass · Long-Term Visit Pass
Can international students work in Singapore after graduation?
There is no automatic post-study pass. Graduates of a listed Institute of Higher Learning can apply for a Long-Term Visit Pass to look for work, submitting educational certificates and transcripts through ICA's e-Service on the non-Singpass option, and it costs the same SGD 45 and SGD 60 as any other LTVP with a processing time of six weeks. It is not a work pass: to take a job you still need one, applied for by the employer.
Source: ICA — Long-Term Visit Pass for a graduate of an Institute of Higher Learning seeking employment
Want a country that lets you stay and look for work?
These give graduates the longest window, and you can see what there is to study in each.
Australia · 18 months to 3 yearsCanada · 8 months to 3 yearsDenmark · 3 years
Not covered yet: Austria, Belgium, France.
What about working while you study?
Everything above starts the day your course ends. While you are still enrolled a different limit applies, and it ranges from no weekly cap at all to needing a permit for every job.
Student visa work hours, comparedNot sure which of these you would qualify for?
An advisor can tell you which destinations fit your degree level, your budget and the timeline you are working to — before you apply, not after.