Post-study work rights, compared

For most students this matters more than ranking. A degree you can stay and work on repays the loan; one you cannot changes the arithmetic completely.

Where things stand

These are the positions as we understand them for 2026 intakes. They are set by governments and change, sometimes mid-application. Confirm before you commit.

The conditions that actually decide it

The headline number is the easy part. What catches students out:

• Not every course qualifies. Canada’s PGWP in particular depends on the institution and the programme, and the rules have tightened. This must be checked before you apply, not after you enrol.
• Level matters. New Zealand and several others tie the entitlement to studying at degree level or above.
• Where you study can extend it. Regional Australia adds years that metropolitan study does not.
• It is a right to look for work, not a job. Germany’s eighteen months is a job-seeker permit. The UK Graduate Route lets you work but does not, by itself, lead anywhere permanent.

Think one step further

If your plan is to settle rather than gain experience and return, the question is not the work visa but what it converts into. Canada is the most transparent about this, a published points system connecting study, work and permanent residence. Australia and New Zealand have comparable routes. The UK and the US require an employer to sponsor you, which is a different kind of uncertainty.

Tell your counsellor which of the two you actually want. It changes the shortlist more than almost anything else you could tell us.