Post-study work visas — permits that allow international graduates to remain and work in their country of study after completing a qualification — are available in all major Anglophone destinations and an increasing number of non-Anglophone countries as of 2026. The most generous pathways are in Canada (up to three years of open work rights through the Post-Graduation Work Permit), Australia (two to four years through the Temporary Graduate visa Subclass 485), and the United Kingdom (two years for bachelor’s and master’s graduates and three years for doctoral graduates through the Graduate Route). Germany, New Zealand, Ireland, and the Netherlands each offer between 12 and 24 months of post-study work rights, while the United States provides 12 months of Optional Practical Training with a 24-month STEM extension. Duration, eligibility conditions, and the availability of a path to permanent residency vary significantly and are subject to frequent policy change.
The United Kingdom: Graduate Route
The United Kingdom’s Graduate Route, introduced in July 2021, remains in place as of 2026 and is one of the most straightforward post-study work visas in the world. It permits international graduates who have successfully completed an eligible course at a UK higher education provider with a track record of compliance to remain in the UK for two years (bachelor’s and master’s graduates) or three years (doctoral graduates). The visa carries no salary threshold, no restrictions on the type or level of employment, and no requirement that the work relate to the graduate’s field of study.
Eligibility requires the applicant to have held a valid Student visa (or Tier 4 visa) and to have completed the course for which the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) was issued. The application must be made from within the UK and costs £822, with an additional Immigration Health Surcharge of £1,035 per year of the visa’s duration, bringing the total application cost to approximately £2,892 for a two-year Graduate visa and £3,927 for a three-year doctoral Graduate visa.
A significant feature of the Graduate Route is that it is not a direct route to settlement in its own right — time spent on the Graduate visa does not count toward the five-year qualifying period for Indefinite Leave to Remain. Graduates must switch to a Skilled Worker visa, Health and Care Worker visa, or another settlement-eligible route to begin accruing residency. Since April 2024, the minimum salary threshold for the Skilled Worker visa has been £38,700 for most occupations, with a reduced threshold of £30,960 for “new entrants,” including those switching from a Graduate visa.
The Migration Advisory Committee’s May 2024 review of the Graduate Route, commissioned by the Home Office, concluded that the route was “broadly achieving its objectives” and recommended no major changes. However, the review also noted that Graduate Route holders from a small number of source countries were disproportionately concentrated in low-wage work, prompting discussion of potential targeting measures that, as of mid-2026, have not been implemented.
Australia: Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485)
Australia’s Temporary Graduate visa (Subclass 485) is the primary post-study work pathway for international graduates. As of 2026, following reforms introduced in the December 2023 Migration Strategy and phased in through 2024 and 2025, the visa has been restructured into two main streams: the Post-Higher Education Work stream and the Post-Vocational Education Work stream.
The Post-Higher Education Work stream is available to graduates of bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programmes at CRICOS-registered Australian institutions. Duration depends on qualification level: two years for a bachelor’s degree (including honours), two years for a master’s by coursework, three years for a master’s by research, and three years for a doctoral degree. Graduates of qualifications in areas of verified skills shortage — as defined by Jobs and Skills Australia — may be eligible for an additional two years. Indian nationals, under the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement, are eligible for additional time: one extra year for bachelor’s graduates, and no cap on extensions for STEM doctoral graduates.
The application cost is AU$1,945 for the primary applicant (as of July 2025), with subsequent temporary application charges for each dependant. Applicants must be under 35 years of age at the time of application — reduced from 50 under the December 2023 reforms — and must hold adequate health insurance (Overseas Visitor Health Cover). English language requirements were raised from IELTS 6.0 to 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each band (or equivalent) for applications lodged from March 2024.
The Subclass 485 visa can serve as a pathway to employer-sponsored permanent residency (Subclass 186, Subclass 494) or points-tested skilled migration (Subclass 189, Subclass 190), though the December 2023 Migration Strategy signalled a long-term shift in Australia’s migration programme away from points-tested pathways and toward employer-sponsored routes.
Canada: Post-Graduation Work Permit
Canada’s Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) programme has historically been one of the most generous post-study work pathways globally, offering up to three years of open work rights to graduates of eligible designated learning institutions (DLIs). However, the programme has been subject to significant reform since January 2024.
As of mid-2026, the PGWP remains available to graduates of most degree programmes (bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral) at public and eligible private institutions, as well as to graduates of certain diploma and certificate programmes at public colleges. The duration of the permit matches the length of the study programme, up to a maximum of three years. A programme of eight months to less than two years yields a PGWP of equal length; a programme of two years or more yields a three-year PGWP.
Reforms introduced in 2024 and elaborated through 2025 have narrowed eligibility. Graduates of programmes delivered through public-private partnership college arrangements are no longer eligible for the PGWP. Graduates of programmes at private institutions that license a public institution’s curriculum face additional scrutiny. In September 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced that, from November 2024, PGWP applicants from college programmes and non-degree university programmes would need to demonstrate Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 5 in English or NCLC level 5 in French; university degree graduates require CLB or NCLC level 7. Field-of-study restrictions apply to college graduates: only those from programmes linked to occupations in long-term shortage — broadly, STEM, skilled trades, healthcare, agriculture, and transport — are eligible.
Spousal open work permits, which previously allowed the spouses of most international students to work in Canada, have been restricted. As of mid-2024, only spouses of students enrolled in master’s, doctoral, or specific professional degree programmes (such as law and medicine) are eligible for an open work permit.
Time spent on a PGWP in skilled employment can contribute to eligibility for permanent residency through the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) under Express Entry, or through Provincial Nominee Programmes. Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores for Express Entry draws have remained elevated — typically 500 or above through 2024 and 2025 — making PGWP work experience a practical necessity for most international graduates seeking permanent residency.
United States: Optional Practical Training
The United States’ Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme provides temporary employment authorisation for F-1 visa holders during or after their studies. Unlike the post-study work visas of the UK, Australia, and Canada, OPT is not a separate visa but a period of work authorisation appended to the student’s F-1 status.
The standard post-completion OPT period is 12 months. Graduates of programmes designated as STEM-eligible — which includes most engineering, computer science, mathematics, and natural science degrees — may apply for a 24-month STEM OPT extension, bringing the total period of post-study work authorisation to 36 months. The STEM OPT extension requires the employer to participate in the E-Verify programme and to provide a formal training plan.
OPT applications are adjudicated by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and cost US$470 for online filing (US$520 for paper filing), with typical processing times of two to five months. Unlike the UK’s Graduate Route, OPT has an unemployment limit: 90 days of cumulative unemployment during the initial 12-month period, with an additional 60 days allowed during the STEM OPT extension period.
OPT is not a direct route to permanent residency. Graduates who wish to remain in the United States beyond OPT must secure another immigration status — most commonly an H-1B specialty occupation visa — before their OPT expires. The H-1B programme is subject to an annual numerical cap of 85,000 visas (65,000 under the regular cap plus 20,000 for holders of advanced degrees from US institutions), allocated through a lottery. The registration rate for the H-1B lottery has consistently exceeded the cap by a factor of three to five, meaning that many international graduates who secure employment and employer sponsorship nonetheless fail to obtain an H-1B visa and must leave the United States or pursue other immigration routes.
STEM OPT holders who are selected in the H-1B lottery benefit from the “cap-gap” provision, which automatically extends their F-1 status and work authorisation through to 1 October of the fiscal year for which the H-1B petition was approved, bridging the period between OPT expiry and H-1B start date.
Germany: Job-Seeker and EU Blue Card Pathways
Germany offers international graduates a structured post-study pathway under the Residence Act (Aufenthaltsgesetz). Graduates of German higher education institutions are entitled to an 18-month job-seeking residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis zur Arbeitsplatzsuche) upon completion of their studies. During this period, graduates may take any employment to support themselves while seeking a role commensurate with their qualifications. There is no minimum salary threshold for employment during the job-seeking period.
Once a graduate secures a position that corresponds to their qualification level, they may apply for a residence permit for qualified employment (Aufenthaltserlaubnis für Fachkräfte mit akademischer Ausbildung) or, if the salary meets the relevant threshold, an EU Blue Card. The standard EU Blue Card salary threshold for 2026 is €43,800 (reduced to €39,800 for occupations in shortage sectors, including IT, engineering, medicine, and natural sciences). Settlement permit (Niederlassungserlassnis — equivalent to permanent residency) eligibility for graduates of German universities is accelerated: graduates may apply after two years of employment on a residence permit for qualified employment or 33 months on an EU Blue Card (reduced to 21 months with German language skills at B1 level).
From June 2024, the Skilled Immigration Act (Fachkräfteeinwanderungsgesetz) reforms introduced an “opportunity card” (Chancenkarte) points-based system that may also be available to graduates of foreign universities seeking work in Germany, but the primary pathway for graduates of German universities remains the 18-month job-seeking permit described above.
Other Major Destinations
New Zealand. The Post-Study Work Visa entitles graduates of Level 7 bachelor’s degrees and above to three years of open work rights. Graduates of Level 4–6 diplomas may be eligible for a shorter visa if their qualification is on the Green List of in-demand occupations. The visa does not require a job offer at the time of application, but applicants must have held a valid student visa and have completed an eligible qualification in New Zealand. The application fee is NZ$700.
Ireland. The Third Level Graduate Scheme (Stamp 1G) allows graduates of Irish higher education institutions at Level 8 (honours bachelor’s) and above to remain in Ireland for 12 months (bachelor’s graduates) or 24 months (master’s and doctoral graduates) to seek employment. Time on a Stamp 1G can contribute toward the five-year residency requirement for naturalisation but does not, on its own, count toward the two-year Critical Skills Employment Permit pathway to permanent residency. Graduates securing a Critical Skills Employment Permit or General Employment Permit may transition to Stamp 4 status (permanent residence equivalent) after the qualifying period.
Netherlands. The Orientation Year (Zoekjaar) permit entitles graduates of Dutch higher education institutions (and graduates of top-200 internationally ranked universities outside the Netherlands) to 12 months of unrestricted work rights. The application fee is €228. Once the graduate secures qualifying employment, they may transition to a highly skilled migrant permit (kennismigrant), which carries a reduced salary threshold of €2,631 per month for zoekjaar graduates (versus €3,672 for the standard kennismigrant permit) as of 2026. After five years of continuous legal residence, including time on the zoekjaar permit and kennismigrant permit, graduates may apply for permanent residency or naturalisation.
France. Graduates of French higher education institutions at master’s level and above may apply for a 12-month temporary residence permit (autorisation provisoire de séjour — recherche d’emploi) to seek employment. Graduates of professional bachelor’s (licence professionnelle) programmes and certain other qualifications may also be eligible. Once employment is secured, graduates may apply for a change of status to a work permit (autorisation de travail) or the EU Blue Card equivalent (passeport talent). Nationals of 18 countries — including India, China, the United States, and the United Kingdom — may also be eligible for the simplified talent passport procedure.
Singapore. International graduates of recognised Singaporean higher education institutions may apply for a one-year Long-Term Visit Pass for job-seeking after their student pass expires. Successful job seekers typically transition to an Employment Pass (minimum salary S$5,600 for new applicants as of January 2025, with higher thresholds for older applicants and financial services roles) or an S Pass (minimum salary S$3,150). Singapore does not provide a dedicated post-study work visa with open work rights; the graduate must secure employment before changing immigration status.
Japan. International graduates of Japanese universities may apply to change their status of residence from “Student” to “Designated Activities” for up to 12 months for job-seeking purposes. Once employment in a field related to the graduate’s studies is secured, the graduate may change to an “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services” status or other appropriate work status. Japan’s Highly Skilled Professional points-based system provides a fast track to permanent residency for graduates earning 70 or more points.
South Korea. International graduates of Korean universities may apply for a job-seeking visa (D-10) valid for up to 24 months (extended from 12 months in 2024 for graduates of certain universities). Graduates securing employment may transition to an E-7 (special ability) visa. South Korea’s points-based permanent residency system awards points for Korean university degrees, Korean language proficiency, and income.
FAQ
Which country offers the longest post-study work visa?
Australia offers the longest standard post-study work visa, with up to four years for doctoral graduates (three years base plus potential extensions of one to two additional years for graduates in shortage occupations). However, Australia reduced the age cap for the 485 visa from 50 to 35 in 2024, which is more restrictive than Canada’s PGWP (no age limit beyond the general requirement to have completed study within 180 days of applying). The longest unconditional post-study work visa without a job offer or field-of-study restriction is Canada’s three-year PGWP for graduates of two-year programmes.
Do post-study work visas count toward permanent residency?
This varies significantly. In Canada, time on a PGWP in skilled employment counts directly toward the Canadian Experience Class, and many provinces count PGWP experience toward provincial nomination pathways. In Australia, time on a Subclass 485 visa in skilled employment may earn points toward points-tested skilled migration and may be counted by some states for state nomination. In the United Kingdom, time on the Graduate Route does not count toward the five-year qualifying period for Indefinite Leave to Remain — graduates must switch to a Skilled Worker or other eligible visa. In the United States, OPT does not provide a direct path to permanent residency; graduates must secure an H-1B or other sponsored status. In Germany, the 18-month job-seeking period does not count toward the settlement permit qualifying period, but subsequent employment on a skilled worker permit or EU Blue Card does.
Can I bring dependants on a post-study work visa?
In the United Kingdom, Graduate Route applicants who were accompanied by dependants on their Student visa may continue to have their dependants accompany them on the Graduate visa, but those who did not have dependants on their Student visa cannot add dependants when applying for the Graduate Route for the first time. This restriction, introduced in January 2024, effectively means that international students who began a taught master’s programme in 2024 or later cannot bring dependants on a Graduate visa, since dependants of taught master’s students are no longer permitted on the Student visa. Australia and Canada allow dependants to accompany the primary visa holder on post-study work visas, though Canada restricted spousal open work permits for certain categories of students in 2024.
What happens if I cannot find a job during my post-study work visa period?
In the United Kingdom, the Graduate Route does not require employment — graduates may remain in the UK for the full two- or three-year period regardless of their employment status, though they must be able to support themselves without recourse to public funds. In Australia, the Subclass 485 visa does not require employment and carries no unemployment limit. In the United States, OPT carries an unemployment limit of 90 days (plus 60 additional days during STEM OPT), after which the graduate loses F-1 status and must depart. In Canada, the PGWP does not require employment and has no unemployment limit. In Germany, the 18-month job-seeking permit permits any type of employment while seeking a qualified position; failure to find qualified work within 18 months may lead to non-renewal of the residence permit.
References
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UK Home Office (2024). Graduate Route: Immigration Rules Appendix Graduate. London: HM Government. Accessed 16 May 2026.
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Australian Department of Home Affairs (2025). Temporary Graduate visa (Subclass 485): Eligibility and Conditions. Canberra. Accessed 16 May 2026.
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Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (2024). Post-Graduation Work Permit Program: Regulatory Changes and Eligibility. Ottawa: Government of Canada. Accessed 18 May 2026.
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US Citizenship and Immigration Services (2025). Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 Students. Washington, DC: Department of Homeland Security. Accessed 18 May 2026.
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German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (2025). The EU Blue Card and Residence Permits for Qualified Professionals. Nuremberg: BAMF. Accessed 17 May 2026.
Last updated: 2026-05-29