How Indian students can get work visas after studying abroad

Studying overseas is expensive. However, many countries offer a post-study work visa to international students. This helps these countries potentially attract skilled talent and fill the skill gaps in their labour market, besides giving students an opportunity to apply their newly acquired skills right after completing their education programme.

Some countries offer a pathway to permanent residency following such post-study jobs, but the requirements vary significantly for each. Some countries even offer post-study work options for students not pursuing a degree course, but these often don’t have the best terms and carry a risk of fraud.

Also, the immigration policies of governments can change without warning.

For Indian students looking to pursue a bachelor’s degree or higher, here are post-study work visa options offered by some popular countries.

United States

The US remains the top preference for several Indian students although it is among the most expensive destinations for overseas education.

Two kinds of authorisations: The US has a post-study work visa programme called Operational Practical Training (OPT). There are two types of OPTs: pre- and post-completion. The former allows you to work part-time while pursuing your studies, and the latter is for after your programme ends. However, remember that for pre-completion OPT, at least one academic year is mandatory.

Job offer: You don’t technically need a job offer in hand to apply for either pre- or post-completion OPT. But in the case of the latter, not securing a job within a stipulated time period can adversely impact your immigration status on the student F-1 visa. More on that later.

Length: If you graduate from a science, technology, engineering, mathematics programme that’s listed on the STEM Designated Degree Programme List, you can get a three-year OPT in the US. If you graduate from a non-STEM programme, you get a one-year OPT.

Restrictions: All OPT work must be directly related to your major area of study. In the case of pre-completion OPT work, if you have already worked part-time for one year (20 hours a week) alongside your programme, you are only allowed six months of post-completion OPT work. However, you can do pre-completion OPT after completing at least one full academic year.

Time window to get a job: Once a post-completion OPT is issued, you get 90 days to secure a job. If you can’t secure a job within that time period, your F-1 student visa will no longer be valid and you will have to return to your home country.

You don’t have any such condition for a pre-completion OPT, except that the days you work get adjusted against the post-completion OPT period you are eligible for. You can still take post-completion OPT authorization and work even if you had pre-completion authorization but didn’t actually work.

Time window to apply: Both STEM and non-STEM students have a 30-day window to apply for OPT after your district school official (DSO) enters a recommendation in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). You can submit your application to your DSO 90 days before you complete a full academic year for pre-completion OPT, or 60 days after your programme’s end date for a post-completion OPT.

Approval document:You can only start OPT work on receiving Employment Authorization Document (EAD).

Costs:The OPT only allows you to work in a job that is related to your study. The cost of applying for OPT is $400-450 ( ₹33,200-37,350).

Where to apply: Students can apply for OPT through the website of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Changing visa status: During your OPT, if your employer is willing to sponsor you, you can get an H1B visa, which is necessary for a US employer to employ foreign workers. However, this is not easy as there are stringent caps on the number of H1B visas that can be issued every year, and these are issued via a blank lottery system. There is no direct route to permanent residency (PR) or a US green card through the OPT.

Canada

Indian students in Canada can work after completing their education programme with a post-graduation work permit (PGWP).

Eligibility: To be eligible for PGWP, the student must have studied full-time in Canada in a programme of at least 8 months. The programme should be from a PGWP-eligible designated learning institution (DLI). The list is available on theCanadian government’s website.

Restrictions: PGWPs are open work permits, meaning that foreign nationals have the freedom to work for any employer in Canada. You can even be self-employed or work part-time.

Time window to apply: After completion of your programme, you have 180 days to apply for PGWP. You can start working as soon as you apply even as you await a final decision on your application, which usually takes 120 days. However, this is only allowed if you have submitted your application before the expiry of your student visa.

Job offer: There is no job offer required at the time of applying for PGWP.

Length of work permit: If you are an undergraduate student, the length of the PGWP will depend on the length of the programme. However, if you are a master’s or doctoral student, you can get PGWP of three years.

Costs: The cost of applying for PGWP is around Canadian $800 (nearly ₹50,000).

Family option: The PGWP allows the student’s spouse to apply for work permit in Canada. However, the spouse’s work permit will only get processed after the student’s work permit, who will be the primary applicant.

Changing visa status: Canadian work experience acquired via PGWP is also helpful for those looking for a Canadian permanent residency. A minimum one year of work experience is required, but along with this there are several other criteria that need to be fulfilled, as Canada follows a complex points system.

New Zealand

International students in New Zealand can work after completing their studies by applying for a New Zealand Post Study Work Visa (PSWV).

Eligibility: To be eligible for PSWV, the student needs to complete a Level 7 degree programme, which typically means a graduation degree or higher.

Length: The PSWV allows an international student to work for three years after graduating with a bacehlor’s, master’s or doctoral degrees.

Time window to apply: The student needs to apply for the Post Study Work Visa within three months after the student visa expires. Masters and doctoral students have a longer window of six months.

Job offer: There is no job offer required at the time of applying for PSWV.

Restrictions: The PSWV granted to Level 7 or higher level-students is an open work visa, which means the students can work for any employer.

Costs: The total cost of applying for PSWV in New Zealand works out to just NZ$700 (about ₹36,000). However, applicants also need to show proof of certain capital available for self-maintenance in New Zealand.

Family option: The New Zealand government also allows post-study work visa holders (with bachelor’s degree or higher) to support the work visa application of their spouse, as well as allow children of a PSWV holder to study on a student visa.

Changing visa status: The PSWV can also open up a pathway to getting a permanent residency in New Zealand if you meet the eligibility criteria under its point system, including working for an accredited employer for a minimum one year or six months of contract.

Australia

Australia offers temporary graduate visa (subclass 485) to students after completion of their studies.

Eligibility: A bachelor’s degree or higher on a programme registered with the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students.

Length:You can stay in Australia for 2-3 years by securing a temporary graduate visa.

Time-window to apply: Student needs to apply for the visa six months before expiration of student visa.

Job offer: No job offer is required at the time of applying for the temporary graduate visa.

Restrictions: The temporary graduate visa is an open work visa, which means the students can work for any employer.

Costs: The total cost of applying for a temporary graduate visa is AU $1,945 (or about ₹1 lakh).

Family option: You can also include your family members, spouse and children in your temporary graduate visa application.

Changing visa status: The temporary graduate visa can open a pathway to securing a permanent residency in Australia as it is one of the criteria for Australia’s points system.

United Kingdom

International students in the UK can apply for the UK graduate work visa, which allows students to stay in the UK and work after completion of their education programme.

Eligibility: Students who have completed a bachelor’s course or a postgraduate degree or some other eligible course in the UK on a student visa or a tier 4 (general) student visa can apply for the graduate visa.

Length: A graduate visa lasts for two years. If you have a doctoral degree, it will last for three years.

Time window to apply: You must apply before your student visa or tier 4 (general) student visa expires. You can stay in the UK while you wait for a decision.

Job offer: No job offer is required at the time of applying for the graduate visa.

Restrictions:With a graduate visa, you can work in most jobs, look for work, be self-employed, or even do voluntary work.

Costs: The application fee is £822 (about ₹90,000). There is also an annual healthcare surcharge of £1,035 ( ₹1.13 lakh) for each year that you will be in the UK.

Family option: If your partner and children joined you in the UK as ‘dependants’ on your student visa, they can apply to stay as dependants on your graduate visa.

Changing visa status: The graduate visa does not count towards indefinite leave to remain in the UK, which is the UK’s equivalent of a permanent residency.

France

International students pursuing a master’s degree in France can apply for a post-study work visa—Talent passport—after completing their education programme.

Length: The Talent passport is a long-term work visa that can last for up to four years, but no later than the employment contract.

Job offer: You need a job offer to apply for a Talent passport, with a minimum annual gross salary of €42,406 (nearly ₹40 lakh).

Time window to apply: You must apply at least four months before the expiry of your existing visa/permit or at the latest, two months before the expiry.

Costs: A stamp duty and tax of €225 (about ₹20,000) is levied once the application is accepted.

Family option: Family members of Talent passport holders—spouse and minor children—can get a residence permit.

Changing visa status: The Talent passport is renewable. After five years of residency in France, an individual can apply for permanent residency.

Germany

When it comes to Germany, you need to apply for a residence permit after your education programme ends.

Eligibility: You need to have a degree in Germany.

Length: You can extend your stay in Germany after completing your education programme by applying for a residence permit for jobseekers, which offers a validity of up to 18 months.

Job offer: You need not have a job offer in hand when submitting your application.

Family option: You can get your family to Germany during your education programme on a family reunification visa.

Changing visa status: You can work in any occupation but only when you find a ‘qualified employment’ position, which is typically linked to your higher education. You can then convert your residency permit to a residence permit for skilled workers, or the EU Blue Card.

If you graduated from Germany and had stayed back for more than two years after your education programme, you can apply for a settlement permit.