Post Study Work Visa

Different countries have different rules regarding the procurement of such post-study work visa. Some countries which are rather lenient about allowing foreign students to stay back after their graduation and work alongside the local people, have a fairly easy process and is pretty achievable with some paperwork at most.

Others, which are strict about maintaining their job market integrity, can make life difficult for you by complicating and twisting the VISA process, to the extent, where you can no longer ask for one yourself, but rely on your future employer (if any) to “Sponsor” your work Visa.

1. Australia

• Students with a Bachelor Degree: 2 year
• Students with a Master’s Degree Coursework: 2 years
• Students with a Master’s by Research Degree: 3 years
• Students with a Doctoral Degree (Ph.D.): 4 years

2. Canada

• The PGWPP offered is never more than the length of your course duration. That is, if someone does a master’s degree for 9 months in Canada, he/she can be eligible for a work permit no more than 9 months in duration.
• Course Duration < 8 months: No work Permit
• Course Duration > 8months and < 24 months: Work Permit no longer than the course duration.
• Course Duration > 24 months: 3 Years of Working Permit may be issued.

3. France

• Student –> Employee for those students who can prove an employment contract in relation to their study course.
• Student à Auto-Entrepreneur for students who want to start their own company. Field of work must be related to the study course followed and the viability of the company must be proven.2.For Indian Students only, there is, however, very good news. Due to the recent bi-lateral student exchange program signed by our very own PM Narendra Modi, Indian students under the ASP are eligible for a 24-month post-study temporary residence visa instead of the 12-month tenure. This is done to ensure the number of student exchange between the two countries.

4. Italy

• Students can only work up to 4 hours a day and 20 hours per week while on a study VISA and can work full time during Vacations. Anything more than that, and the student will have to convert his student visa into a work permit.
• For internship post-graduation in Italy, students will have to ask for a renewal of student residence permit, at the Questra, and this doesn’t guarantee automatic renewal. So beware while applying for an internship. Also, the internship period cannot be longer than 12 months.

5. Germany

• The study Visa for pursuing any higher education courses, such as Masters/PhD, is a 2 year permit given to the students, which can be even extended under special circumstances.
• The Study Visa can be further extended upon graduation to make it a work permit, for 18 months, during which time a student can either work in any employment to support him/her and at the same time, go for job hunting.
• The EU Blue Card, as the name suggests, is a pretty sophisticated card, which allows students, who are eligible for one, to get a PR (Permanent Residence) status after 33 months of being an EU Blue Card holder, or get the PR in 21 months, if he/she can show a German Language Proficiency equivalent to B1 level of CFER.
• The internship Visa is variable depending on the length of it, but has an upper limit of 12 months.
• For Entrepreneurs, if their business idea turns to be a profitable one and can be proved to be up and running, one can apply for a residence permit extension of 3 years and after that, apply for a PR.
• The Job Seeker Visa duration is of 6 months.

6. Netherlands

• Zoekjaar: 12 months of extension offered to students who have graduated from a Dutch university to look for jobs, post expiry of their study Visa.
• The Duration of the Student Visa is generally equivalent to the duration of the course plus an additional three months for the university’s administration processes.
• The duration of the high-skilled migrant Visa is for as long as you have a job in the Netherlands.
• In order to apply for the Dutch PR, a foreign national must have spent 5 continuous years in the Netherlands minimum

7. Switzerland

• The Long term Visa provided to students is generally given as per the course duration
• The extension of residency post completion of the degree is given to a maximum of 6 months.
• The work permit is valid for as long as the candidate is an employee of the Swiss Job Market.
• For PR, however, a long duration of 10 years or so have to spent in Switzerland to obtain it.

8. United States of America

• The OPT under the F-1 Visa allows students to stay back for 12 months in the USA to put their knowledge into practical application. A further 17 months extension is given to students of a STEM degree, thereby allowing a total of 29 months of stay back in the USA.
• H-1 B Visa is granted for an initial period of 3 years and a further extension of 3 years is allowed. However, you cannot increase the H-1 B Visa for more than 6 years and if you have to keep on working in the USA then you may as well apply for a US Green Card
• The O-1 and J-1 Visas are both term specific visas and as such allow the applicants of these Visas a fixed short term to stay and expiry of the Visa leads to deportation.

9. Singapore

• One to three months of stay back option is available to students. A student may be granted a short stay pass to stay a little longer. If the student wishes to stay longer to look for employment then they may also apply for a one-year, no-renewable social visit pass for a longer-term stay.

10. Spain

• The TIE is given to Spanish Students for 12 months initially, but it can be renewed for as long as the course duration takes, with an upper limit of 5 years.
• The length of the Work Permit is subject to your work contract length. The initial length of the Work Permit provided is 12 months and is renewable as long as the conditions are met.

11. Ireland/ United Kingdom

• 2 year PSW for one year masters students