Post-study work visas — stay and work after graduation
Most established Visa Atlas destinations have a post-study work visa. These routes let international graduates stay, gain professional experience, and in most cases bridge to a settlement route without re-applying from scratch.
Last reviewed 20 April 2026.
Who this is for
International students who are near the end of their qualification, or applicants choosing where to study with a view to staying afterwards.
Key claims
The UK Graduate visa gives 2 years of unsponsored work (3 for PhD holders) after a UK degree of bachelor’s or above, with no employer required and full flexibility to switch employer or self-employ.
Canada’s Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) is open to graduates of eligible Designated Learning Institutions and is issued for a length matching the programme (up to 3 years). PGWP experience counts towards Express Entry eligibility.
Australia’s Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) has a Post-Higher-Education Work stream (2–3 years by degree level, +1 year in regional areas) and a Post-Vocational Education Work stream.
Germany offers an 18-month residence permit for job search after graduating from a German university, during which the graduate can work without restriction.
The Netherlands Orientation Year (Zoekjaar) gives graduates 12 months to find a Highly Skilled Migrant role, during which the salary threshold drops from the HSM standard to a reduced graduate level.
Ireland’s Third Level Graduate Programme is 1–2 years (1 year for Level 8, 2 years for Level 9+) of Stamp 1G, switchable to Critical Skills Employment Permit with a qualifying role.
The US has Optional Practical Training (OPT) of 12 months for F-1 graduates, extendable by 24 months for STEM graduates. OPT is a work authorisation, not a visa, and the employer must later sponsor H-1B or another status for continued stay.
Post-study work visas are the lowest-friction on-ramp to settlement in most destinations. They avoid the sponsor-finding bottleneck during year one in-country and let graduates demonstrate domestic work experience that scores well in points-based systems.
Curated routes
Graduate visa
2 years unsponsored, 3 for PhD. Switchable to Skilled Worker without leaving the UK.
Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)
Up to 3 years of open work; the experience counts for CEC eligibility in Express Entry.
Job Seeker visa (§20 AufenthG)
18 months of unrestricted work after a German degree to land a qualifying role.
Orientation year (Zoekjaar)
12 months to find a Highly Skilled Migrant role at a reduced salary threshold.
Critical Skills Employment Permit
Third Level Graduate Programme (Stamp 1G, 1–2 years) bridges directly to Critical Skills Employment Permit.
Frequently asked questions
Which destination has the longest post-study work visa?
Canada’s Post-Graduation Work Permit at up to 3 years, and Australia’s 485 Post-Higher-Education stream at up to 3 years (plus +1 regional), tie for the longest open post-study work period. The UK Graduate at 2 years (3 for PhD) is shorter but completely unrestricted.
Do I need a job offer to apply for a post-study work visa?
In the UK, Canada, Australia, and Germany, no job offer is required — the post-study visa is open-work. The Netherlands Orientation Year is also no-offer. US OPT requires the applicant to be in F-1 status and intend to work in their field, but does not require a pre-arranged offer to be granted.
Which countries let post-study work experience count toward permanent residence?
Canada (CEC), Australia (191/189 points for local experience), Germany (Niederlassungserlaubnis requires 24 months of skilled employment), and Ireland (Stamp 4 after 2 years of CSEP) all count post-study work toward settlement. The UK Graduate visa on its own does NOT count toward ILR; you must switch to Skilled Worker.