Work after study

Country cut

• United States

  12 months (36 with STEM)

• United Kingdom

  2 years (apply by 31 Dec 2026) / 18 months (from 1 Jan 2027); PhD 3 years

• Canada

  Up to 3 years (master’s at eligible DLIs)

• Australia

  2–3 years depending on qualification and location

• Germany

  18 months, full work rights during search

• Ireland

  12 months (bachelor’s) / 24 months (master’s)

• New Zealand

  Up to 3 years for eligible degrees

• Netherlands

  1 year

• France

  12–24 months depending on degree level

• Singapore

  No automatic multi-year PSW on the UK/Canada model

• United Arab Emirates

  Short job-seeker options; work is employer-sponsored

• Sweden

  Up to 12 months

• Italy

  Up to 12 months job-search conversion in recent rules — confirm at Questura

• Japan

  Job-hunting extension possible; work is status-of-residence based

• South Korea

  D-10 typically up to 6 months, extendable in some cases

• Malaysia

  No generous open PSW on the UK model

• Finland

  Up to 2 years in current Finnish law for degree graduates

• Switzerland

  Typically 6 months

• Spain

  12–24 months depending on pathway and year of rules

• Hong Kong SAR

  24 months (open work, recent IANG terms)

• Belgium

  12 months

• Denmark

  Up to 3 years after a master’s

• Norway

  Up to 12 months typical, then skilled work

• Austria

  12 months

• Poland

  About 9–12 months

• Portugal

  Up to 12 months typical

• Taiwan

  Job-dependent

• China

  Job-dependent

• Czechia

  Job-dependent; no generous open hunt

• Hungary

  Limited, not Ireland

• Saudi Arabia

  Job-dependent

• Qatar

  Job-dependent

• Thailand

  Job-dependent, tight

• Türkiye

  Job-dependent

• South Africa

  Job-dependent

Country notes