🎓 Post-Study Work Calculator
How long you can stay to find a job after a 1-year or 2-year course in Canada, the UK, Australia, the USA, Germany, New Zealand and Ireland, how many hours you can work while studying, and the regional bonus points in Australia and Canada.
1-year vs 2-year master's: time to find a job
Indian graduate, non-STEM, coursework master's, applying in 2027.
| Country | 1-year master's | 2-year master's |
|---|---|---|
| 🇨🇦 Canada | 3 years | 3 years |
| 🇬🇧 UK | 1 year 6 months | 1 year 6 months |
| 🇦🇺 Australia | Not eligible | 3 years |
| 🇺🇸 USA | 1 year | 1 year |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | 1 year 6 months | 1 year 6 months |
| 🇳🇿 New Zealand | 3 years | 3 years |
| 🇮🇪 Ireland | 2 years | 2 years |
The pattern: only Canada (for diplomas and bachelor's) and Australia tie post-study time to how long you studied. Canada gives every master's 3 years; Australia needs about 2 years of study before any 485. Everywhere else the qualification, not its length, decides.
How much can you work while studying?
| Country | In term | In scheduled breaks | Typical hourly pay (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇨🇦 Canada | 24 hours a week | full-time | C$17.95 an hour (Ontario minimum wage from 1 October 2026 (British Columbia: C$18.25 from 1 June 2026)) |
| 🇬🇧 UK | 20 hours a week | full-time | £12.71 an hour (National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over from 1 April 2026) |
| 🇦🇺 Australia | 48 hours a fortnight | unlimited | A$26.44 an hour (national minimum wage from 1 July 2026) |
| 🇺🇸 USA | 20 hours a week | full-time | $15 an hour (example on-campus wage; the federal minimum is $7.25 and many states and universities pay more) |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | 140 full or 280 half days a year | counts toward the same days | €13.9 an hour (statutory minimum wage from 1 January 2026; a mini-job pays up to €603 a month) |
| 🇳🇿 New Zealand | 25 hours a week | full-time | NZ$23.95 an hour (adult minimum wage from 1 April 2026) |
| 🇮🇪 Ireland | 20 hours a week | 40 hours a week (Jun–Sep, mid-Dec–mid-Jan) | €14.15 an hour (national minimum wage from 1 January 2026) |
Breaking these limits can cancel your visa and count against later applications. See what these hours earn, and how much of your fees they cover, in our student work calculator.
Small towns and regional study: the extra points
🇦🇺 Australia
- +5 points on the skilled migration points test for at least 2 years of study at a regional campus.
- A second 485 for 1 more year (Category 2: Perth, Adelaide, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Canberra, Newcastle, Wollongong, Geelong, Hobart) or 2 more years (Category 3: other regional areas), if you studied there and then lived in regional areas for 2 years on your first 485.
- +15 points with a state or family sponsorship on the regional 491 visa.
🇨🇦 Canada
- No extra CRS points in Express Entry for a small town.
- Rural Community Immigration Pilot: 14 communities (Pictou County; North Bay, Sudbury, Timmins, Sault Ste. Marie, Thunder Bay; Steinbach, Altona/Rhineland, Brandon; Moose Jaw; Claresholm; West Kootenay, North Okanagan Shuswap, Peace Liard). Graduates of a local public college or university can skip the work-experience requirement: a program of 2+ years with 16 of the last 24 months in the community, or a master's or higher with the whole program there, graduated within 18 months. You still need a job offer from a designated employer.
- Atlantic Immigration Program: graduates of a 2-year program in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI or Newfoundland and Labrador who lived there 16 of the last 24 months before graduating need no work experience, only a job offer from a designated employer and CLB 5 (TEER 0–3).
- Ontario Workforce Priority stream (the only Ontario stream since 26 June 2026): 15 points for a job in Northern Ontario, 10 elsewhere outside the GTA, 5 in the GTA outside Toronto, 0 in Toronto.
- BC PNP: up to 25 of 200 points for job location and regional ties (15 for the district, plus a 10-point bonus for regional work experience or study). Check your score in our BC PNP calculator.
The UK, USA, Germany, New Zealand and Ireland give no extra post-study time or points for a smaller city, though living costs are lower there.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many hours can international students work while studying?
In term time: 24 hours a week in Canada, 48 hours a fortnight in Australia, 25 hours a week in New Zealand, 20 hours a week in the UK, Ireland and (on campus) the USA, and 140 full or 280 half days a year in Germany. Most countries allow full-time work in scheduled breaks.
How long can I stay after a 1-year master's?
Canada: 3 years (a master's always gets 3 years). UK: 18 months for applications from 1 January 2027 (2 years before). USA: 12 months of OPT, or 36 with STEM. Germany: 18 months. New Zealand: 3 years. Ireland: up to 2 years. Australia: a 1-year master's alone does not qualify for the 485, which needs 92 weeks of study.
How long can I stay after a 2-year course?
Canada: 3 years. Australia: 2 years for a coursework master's, or 3 years for Indian graduates. UK, USA, Germany, New Zealand and Ireland: the same as after a 1-year course, because their post-study visas depend on the qualification, not its length.
Do I get extra points for studying or working in a small town?
In Australia, yes: 5 points for regional study, a second 485 of 1 or 2 more years for living in a regional area, and 15 points with a regional 491 nomination. In Canada there are no extra CRS points, but the Rural Community Immigration Pilot and Atlantic Immigration Program waive work experience for local graduates, Ontario gives up to 15 points for a job outside Toronto, and BC PNP up to 25 for job location and regional ties.
Can a college diploma get a post-study work visa?
In Canada, yes, if it is at least 8 months long and in an eligible field of study (with CLB 5). In Australia, a diploma linked to an eligible occupation can lead to an 18-month 485 if you studied 92 weeks. The UK and Ireland generally require a degree.
Sources
Figures on this page were checked against these sources on 3 November 2026. Rules change: confirm on the official site before you apply.
- CIC News: PGWP rules and authorised leave
- SiLaw: PGWP length rules and field-of-study freeze (June 2026)
- Business Today: Australia extends post-study work for Indian graduates (AI-ECTA)
- Widen: second 485 for regional graduates (October 2026)
- Think Higher: regional study points guide 2026
- Immigration New Zealand: post-study work visa changes from 16 November 2026
- AECC: Ireland Stamp 1G (June 2026)
- CanadaVisa: Rural Community Immigration Pilot communities and graduate exemption
- Moving2Canada: Atlantic Immigration Program (August 2026)
- Moving2Canada: Ontario Workforce Priority stream (October 2026)