Australia has temporarily extended the work visa of some international graduates to 4-6 years
In Australia, the work visa for international graduates is the Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485). In normal times, it lasts 18 months (i.e., 1.5 years). However, the pandemic and the labor shortage have made the Australian government temporarily extend its validity. As of July 2023, graduates of select bachelor's degrees can work in Australia for 4 years instead of 2, those of select master's degrees can stay for 5 instead of 3 years, and all Ph.D. graduates can stay for 6 years post-graduation.
To which bachelor's and master's degrees does this extension apply? It applies to over a hundred degrees in IT, engineering, healthcare, agriculture, food science and education. These are all fields that are severely affected by labor shortages in Australia. The country needs expat dentists, high school teachers, data scientists, civil engineers and midwives to contribute to its economy. PhD-holders are welcome to stay for a long time regardless of their area of study – even if it's something that's niche and not in demand.
There is no information yet as to how many years the Australian government will keep that extension in place. It is assumed that when the country is no longer struggling with a labor shortage, it will be reduced. After the Subclass 485 visa expires, expats can apply for a 6-month extension and then for another work visa like the Skilled Independent Visa or the Employer Nominated Scheme Visa.
The UK's Graduate Visa allows graduates to take any job or be self-employed
The UK's Graduate Visa was introduced in 2021. It replaces another post-study work visa that existed between 2004-2012. The Graduate visa differs from other countries' visas in one advantageous aspect: it doesn't require graduates to immediately get sponsored by a local company/employer or have a traditional job matching their degree.
As soon as graduates get this visa, they can take their time to find any job of their choice or even decide to be self-employed. They just need to be able to support themselves financially. Many international graduates have been joining the aged care sector, for instance, despite having degrees in vastly different fields. An experienced doctor could set up his/her own practice. A law graduate could start a home-based catering business – it doesn't matter. It's only after the end of these 2 years that they need a government-recognized employer if they apply for the Skilled Worker Visa to remain in the UK for more time.
Is this visa in danger of being restricted? The UK's Home Secretary Suella Braverman and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak wish to add debilitating restrictions to the Graduate Visa, notably by shortening its duration to a mere 6 months and preventing family reunification for visa holders not working in priority fields. However, they have been facing strong opposition from within their own party, so their restrictive reforms are unlikely to pass – at least soon.
Canada's PGWP allows international graduates to work for 1-3 years
Canada is known to be one of the most immigration-friendly countries at the moment. Indeed, the country aims to welcome 465,000 new economic migrants in 2023 and 485,000 in 2024.
The special work visa for international graduates is called the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). The length of its validity is calculated on a case-by-case basis, but this varies between 1-3 years and doesn't exceed the number of years the applicant studied in Canada. So, if someone studied for a 2-year Master's degree in Canada, they'll get a 2-year PGWP.
What's interesting is that this visa can also be granted to those who did a 1-year diploma or certificate instead of a degree in Canada. That is rarely the case in other countries. However, these can't be certificates/diplomas for language proficiency (e.g., ESL courses) or general self-improvement classes (“hobby” courses as opposed to professional ones). They also can't be from non-Canadian institutions located in Canada.
Students must have studied mostly full-time and must apply no longer than 180 days after their graduation date. When their PGWP is close to expiring, expats need to apply for a more long-term work visa. Canada has plenty of those on offer, with the Express Entry for Skilled Federal Worker and the Provincial Nominee Program being popular ones. It's best to work with an employer on one's PGWP because self-employment will not count as Canadian work experience when they apply for another work visa later.
Other countries: the US, Ireland, Germany, France and New Zealand
All of these countries are also popular with international students, and they also have a permit for post-study work. Their validity tends to be shorter than in the other countries talked about previously. In France, it lasts 1 year. In the US, it lasts 1-3 years, depending on whether the degree studied for was a STEM one or not. In Ireland, it's between 6 months and 2 years. In Germany, it's 1.5 years. In New Zealand, it can last for up to 3 years, like in Australia, all depending on the applicant's profile.
In France, non-EU students who don't have a job offer right after graduating can apply for the APS (Autorisation Provisoire de Séjour/Temporary Resident Permit). It gives them 12 months to find a job. In the US, the Optional Practical Training (OPT) is a 1-year work permit. Anyone who graduated with an American degree can get it, but those in 22 designated STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) fields can apply for a 24-month extension, bringing their overall stay to 3 years. After this, they'll have to get an employer-sponsored visa to remain in the US.
In Ireland, international students getting a postgraduate degree are granted a longer Post-Study Work Visa than those obtaining a bachelor's degree. Those graduating with an ordinary 3-year bachelor's get a 6-month permit, while those getting a 4-year honors bachelor's get 12 months. Meanwhile, those obtaining a postgraduate diploma, master's degree or PhD get a 24-month work permit. Once this permit expires, the expat can remain in Ireland by getting a General Employment Permit or Critical Skills Employment Permit.
How about Germany? Of course, EU graduates have the right to work there, but non-EU graduates need to obtain an 18-month Post-Study Work Visa. During these 1.5 years, they can take up any kind of employment, even jobs unrelated to their degree. Once this visa expires, they'll have to apply for another work visa like the EU Blue Card.
In New Zealand, even those with certificates and diplomas instead of degrees can get a post-study work visa. However, they'll get a visa of 1-2 years, whereas those with degrees will get 3 years. This 1-3 year work visa also allows your spouse to apply for a work visa of their own and allows your children to study on domestic fees in New Zealand. You can apply for a more long-term employer-sponsored visa once your post-study work visa nears its end.
