Which Countries Are Best to Work and Settle in After Finishing Your Studies?

Here’s our 2025 evaluation of study destinations with the friendliest post-study visas and PR paths.

Key findings: Best study-to-stay destinations

• Canada is the clear winner (35/45). A 3-year open PGWP and Express-Entry draws that reward Canadian study keep it firmly in first place.
• Germany and Mauritius (31 points each) share second place, with Spain, Finland, and Brazil tied on 30. Each offers at least an 18-month search visa and a PR track that can be finished within 5 years.
• Europe offers students many safe bets. 10 EU/EEA countries score 27+ (Germany, Spain, Finland, Austria, Ireland, Sweden, Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, Luxembourg, Estonia). All provide a full year – or more – of unrestricted work time.
• Recent reforms propelled new “winners”:
  • Mauritius – 3-year Young-Professional permit and PR in as little as 3 years
  • Brazil – 2-year Graduate Residence (Sept 2024) convertible to PR after 2 years
  • Saudi Arabia – new Premium Residency tier for STEM and healthcare graduates
• Degree subject still matters. STEM, health, and IT graduates can unlock longer PSWs or lower salary bars in countries such as Australia (6-year STEM stay in regional areas), Germany (points bonus on the Opportunity Card), and the UAE (10-year Golden Visa for top-ranked STEM grads).

Cite this report:

Sokolova T. (2025). Which Countries Are Best to Work and Settle in After Finishing Your Studies?. educations.com. https://www.educations.com/industry-reports/which-countries-are-best-to-work-and-settle-in-after-finishing-your-studies

Data overview

To evaluate the countries, we looked at the length of Post-Study Work visas (PSW), the clarity and speed of the path to permanent residence (PR), job market access, and eligibility requirements. We assigned each factor a score from 1 to 10 and then added or subtracted up to 5 points based on recent policy changes.

🥇 Elite stay options – top 10%

9 countries: Canada, Germany, Mauritius, Finland, Spain, Brazil, Australia, France, Austria

Average profile

• PSW score ≈ 7.6/10 (roughly two-and-a-half years of open work rights)
• PR clarity ≈ 7.1/10 – settlement possible in ≤ 5 years, often faster
• Trend is positive (+1 on average), so rules are still moving in your favor

Why they lead

Long search visas pair with short PR clocks: Canada’s 3-yr PGWP + Express Entry, Germany’s 18-month visa + 12-month Opportunity Card, and Mauritius’ 3-year Young-Professional route with PR after three years. Fees are moderate to high but transparent.

Good fit for: students who want maximum breathing room to find work, and a commitment to stay long-term.

🥈 Very good

14 countries: Ireland, Netherlands, South Africa, Sweden, Taiwan, Norway, Luxembourg, Estonia, Denmark, Hong Kong, Malaysia, UAE, Poland, Saudi Arabia

Average profile

• PSW ≈ 6.4/10 (18-36 months)
• PR ≈ 6/10 – straightforward but usually requires five years of residence
• Trend still positive (+1.4), but fees or salary floors start rising

Why they rank here

You still get at least 18 months of open work time (Ireland’s 1–2 years Stamp 1G, US OPT + STEM, Malaysia’s 12-month Graduate Pass), but costs or employer sponsorship come into play later. Salary thresholds in Norway or the UAE, pull the total down a little.

Good fit for: students with solid job prospects who don’t mind higher costs but still want a generous search period.

⚖️ Workable

17 countries: Japan, Belgium, Croatia, Qatar, Georgia, Bahrain, Lithuania, Greece, Czech Republic, US, Bulgaria, UK, New Zealand, South Korea, Panama, Romania, Latvia

Average profile

• PSW ≈ 5.9/10 (about 12 months)
• Costs and labor tests are now noticeable
• Trend only +0.4 – reforms are mild

Why they’re “workable”

You have a one-year window (New Zealand 12 months, Czechia 9 months) to find a job and switch status. Quotas, proof-of-funds, or language requirements can slow you down, but the legal path exists.

Good fit for: students willing to job-hunt quickly or those with in-demand skills on shortage lists.

❗ Challenging

14 countries: Thailand, Portugal, Chile, Costa Rica, Italy, Cyprus, Serbia, Colombia, Nigeria, Singapore, Hungary, Malta, Switzerland, Peru

Average profile

• PSW ≈ 4.2/10 – often only 6-9 months or none at all
• Trend is flat (slightly negative)

Pain points

Short stay-back windows and strict employer tests (labor-market checks in Italy, Chile’s contract requirement). You need an offer in hand or a niche skill.

Good fit for: graduates in a sector with guaranteed offers (e.g., medical residencies) or those studying primarily for the qualification, not for settlement.

🚧 Sponsor-dependent

17 countries: Egypt, Mexico, Argentina, Slovenia, Botswana, Ghana, Kazakhstan, Vietnam, Turkey, China, Israel, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Oman, Kuwait, Morocco

Average profile

• PSW ≈ 2.7/10 – essentially no open stay
• Trend negative (-0.7) – policies have tightened or stayed restrictive

Reality check

You must move straight into employer sponsorship or investment visas. Without a pre-arranged job, staying is unlikely.

Good fit for: students funded by an employer back home or those who plan to leave after graduation.

Field-specific opportunities

🔬 STEM degrees

Australia gives regional STEM graduates up to 6 years of post-study work, Germany‘s new Opportunity Card awards extra points for a STEM diploma, and the UAE now grants a 10-year Golden Visa to top-ranked-university STEM students (GPA ≥ 3.5). If your major sits in science, tech, engineering, or maths, these 3 destinations stretch the visa clock or trim the salary rules in your favour.

🩺 Healthcare and nursing

Canada runs Express-Entry “category draws” that invite nurses and doctors at lower points, New Zealand‘s Green List lets many medical roles jump straight to residence, and Saudi Arabia has cut the Premium Residency fee for specialists. Graduates in medicine, nursing, or allied health often move directly into shortage lists and skip labour-market tests.

💻 IT and tech

In the Netherlands, tech graduates moving from the 12-month Zoekjaar into a work permit can meet a lower salary floor; Malaysia‘s DE Rantau pass gives remote tech workers a renewable 12-month visa; and Finland’s Business-Finland “Digital Permit” processes in about 2 weeks. Programmers, data scientists, and cybersecurity graduates should flag these perks.

💰 Finance and fintech

Mauritius extended its 3-year Young Professional permit to fintech roles and lets holders apply for PR after those 3 years. Luxembourg waives the labor-market test for many finance graduates, while Ireland‘s Critical Skills list is stacked with financial analysis and compliance jobs, meaning a 2-year work permit converts to Stamp 4 (PR-style) on renewal.

🎓 Teaching and research

US university researchers are cap-exempt on the H-1B; Japan‘s Global-Talent fast track lets PhD holders get PR in one to 3 years; and the UK keeps secondary-school maths and science teachers on its Shortage-Occupation List despite higher salary thresholds. If you’re heading for academia or education, these destinations spare you the usual work-permit scramble.

Conclusions

🚀 Start with the right tier

If you want the smoothest path from study to settlement, focus on the Elite (≥ 29 pts) and Very good (26-28 pts) bands. These countries give you at least 18 months of open work time and a clear PR ladder you can finish in 5 years or less.

⏳ Match the visa time to the PR time

Check that the post-study work period is long enough to earn the skilled-work months each country asks for. Germany’s 18-month graduate visa plus 24 months on a Blue Card meets its 42-month settlement rule; Canada’s 3-year PGWP covers the 1-year work experience required for Express-Entry.

🎓 Check where you have an advantage

STEM, health-care, and IT graduates often get extra visa years or lower salary thresholds. If you’re in one of these fields, countries like Australia, Germany, and the UAE reward you with longer stays and faster residency.

🔄 Keep an eye on policy shifts

Immigration rules can shift mid-degree. The UK is reviewing its Graduate Route, and Canada is debating PGWP caps. Before applying, scan the latest government notices or embassy updates to confirm nothing has changed.

💰 Count the hidden costs

Visa fees, health surcharges, and proof-of-funds requirements add thousands of dollars in some countries (UK, US) and only hundreds in others (Canada, Finland, Mauritius). Factor these numbers into your decision, not just the headline visa length.