Immigration and Education

To immigrate to another country, you can go there to study with a student visa and after graduation attempt to find work and stay there to live. Student visas are given to students of secondary schools, colleges, universities, and vocational schools. After graduation, the student can obtain a work visa for an internship or employment. To get a student visa, you must first apply to an educational institution and receive a confirmation of admission. After obtaining a visa, a student can enter the country and apply for a residence permit.

Countries for student immigration

The average cost of education does not include living expenses, meals, and medical insurance.

Best countries for graduate employment

Stages of student immigration

Preparation for immigration should begin as early as possible because it is not limited to simply applying for a student visa. Applicants to a foreign university usually require a language certificate. It is advised to start preparing for an international exam at least six months in advance, depending on the level of language proficiency. It is necessary to choose a place of study and find the exact list of required documents and deadlines way in advance, in order to not miss the application dates. This is important because some study programs are accompanied by scholarship competitions, the deadlines for which often come earlier than ones for the programs. When the university enrolls the student, he/she receives an admission letter. From the moment you receive it, you can apply for a student visa. The process usually goes without any issues and takes from 1 week, depending on the country of immigration. After obtaining a visa, a student can enter the country and apply for a residence permit.

Preparation for student immigration

1. Search for an educational institution and program;
2. Acquire language proficiency of at least B2;
3. Search for a source of funding / scholarship;
4. Pass language and entrance exams;
5. Translate education certificates;
6. Wait for admission and receive invitations from universities.

Obtaining a student visa

Obtaining a visa is the first bureaucratic procedure that every student must go through. At this stage of immigration, the host state decides whether the candidate is worthy to enter the country. Not only this is the most important stage of immigration, but also the most difficult one — to get a visa you need to provide more than a dozen documents that are correctly filled and translated into the country’s language and meet the requirements of the consulate. Here the candidate should be especially vigilant — the omission of even one required document will close the gates of the dream country because the host state must be sure of the immigrant's integrity. That is why you should not delay the preparation of documents or do it haphazardly. Visa processing can take a few days or weeks — you should submit documents early if you do not want to be late for the start of the academic year.

Documents for a student visa

• Passport valid for the duration of the study (and for 3-6 months after);
• Photos;
• Confirmation of enrollment;
• Evidence of funds to cover the trip, accommodation, tuition (bank statements, scholarship, etc.);
• Sometimes a motivation and recommendation letters;
• Other documents depending on the country.

Student visas in different countries

Life in the country after graduation

Often a foreign graduate can apply for a special work visa in the country where he received a diploma — a post-graduate visa. The purpose of such a visa is to give the graduate time to figure out what to do: find a job or start a business. On average, graduate visas are valid for up to 1.5 years, and obtaining them is the most convenient way to gain a foothold in the country after graduation. You can also apply for a visa for research or internships. Like a regular immigrant, a student has the right to apply for a work visa.

Ways to stay in the country after graduation

Work after university in Australia

Main article Immigration to Australia

A temporary graduate visa in Australia can be issued only once. The application may include the partner and children. You can apply for a visa and get it online, but you need to be in Australia while doing that. There are several types of visas:

• Temporary Graduate visa (485) Graduate Work Stream. This visa is issued for 1.5 years for those whose profession is on the Skilled Occupation List;
• Temporary Graduate visa (485) Post-Study Work Stream. This visa is issued for 2–4 years (2 for bachelor's, 3 for master's and 4 for doctoral graduates) for those who completed a course from the Commonwealth Register for Institutes and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS);
• Skilled–Recognized Graduate visa (476). This visa is issued for 1.5 years for graduates with an engineering qualification from the list of accredited institutions. A detailed description of qualifications and institutions can be found on the Australian Department of Home Affairs website.

Work after university in Germany

Main article Immigration to Germany

A foreign graduate of a German university can apply for a residence permit for a job search for a duration of 1.5 years.

To do this, you must contact the regional office for foreigners (Ausländerbehörde) at least three months before the expiration of the student temporary residence permit, otherwise an extension will not be granted. With such a residence permit, a graduate has the right to open a business in Germany. Permission takes effect after passing the last exam at the university.

Work after university in Canada

Main article Immigration to Canada

After graduating from a Canadian university, a student can participate in the Post-graduation work permit program (PGWPP), but only if this university is eligible for the program. Training should be full-time and take at least 8 months. Thanks to the professional experience that graduates receive in this program, they can immigrate to the country as professionals on a permanent basis. You can get permission to work on this program only once in a lifetime. You must apply for PGWPP at least 180 days before the end of the Study Permit. You can start working even before obtaining permission, but after graduation, if before that you had the right to work outside the campus without special permission^[30]. Current information can be checked on the official website.

Graduates from the provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island can also participate in the Atlantic immigration program. If a candidate does not meet the criteria for obtaining a post-graduate work permit, he can use other opportunities for labor immigration, for example, the Federal Skilled Worker Program and Provincial Nominee Program.

Work after university in the USA

Main article Immigration to the USA

Foreign graduates with an F1 visa to the USA can take part in Optional Practical Training (OPT). It should coincide with the area of training. The internship lasts up to 12 months and up to 36 months for graduates with a degree in STEM fields. To complete the post-completion OPT, you must ask your school to recommend an OPT candidate and fill out an I-765 petition at the US Citizenship and Immigration Services. Documents can be submitted 90 days before graduation and no later than 60 days after. If a student has already completed an internship under this program while studying (Pre-Completion OPT), then the admissible duration of his stay in the country under the Post-Completion OPT program after graduation will be reduced by the period that he has already "spent".

Work after university in Spain

An experienced traveler may have the impression that Spain is extremely loyal to foreigners, but this rule applies exclusively to tourists. Spain has strict requirements for students who are studying in Spain and wish to remain in the country to work after graduation. In Spain, there is no special visa for graduates, but it is possible to "renew" your status in accordance with the new goals of your stay. To renew student status (modificación de la situación de estancia por estudios) for work purposes it is needed to fulfill certain requirements:

• Consecutive living/residence in Spain for three years (one year for entrepreneurs). Two years spent studying for Master’s won’t be enough;
• Confirmation of the successful completion of studies / research;
• Education received without the use of both private and state grants and scholarships;
• The absence of a criminal record (which can be considered significant by Spanish law) neither in Spain nor in a home country;
• Availability of job-related professional qualifications;
• Filing an application for a change of status no later than 90 days before the expiration of a student residence permit;
• An agreement signed with the employer that guarantees continuous work and meets certain conditions for employment; or
• Evidence of funds / investments to open the business for entrepreneurial activity; or
• A research agreement signed by the employer.

To change the status of your stay, depending on the purpose, you need to inquire for detailed information about the documents and duration of consideration. You can do this on the official website in the section "Status Change" (modificación de autorización). In the process of updating the status of a student visa, you need to acquire an alien card.

Work after university in New Zealand

Main article Immigration to New Zealand

New Zealand provides excellent conditions for graduates of their universities: at the end of the university, you can apply for a post-study work visa, which allows you to stay and work in the country for 1-3 years depending on the degree, as well as apply for a work visa for your spouse / partner and give free education to minor children. You can apply for this visa only once, unless you complete another bachelor’s or higher degree.

Work after university in the Czech Republic

In 2014 the Czech Republic’s residence permit for employment purposes has been replaced by an employee card that allows you to live and work in the Czech Republic. The card can be obtained on the basis of a diploma of education and a contract with the employer. You can even work in several places — the main thing is that your working time has to be at least 15 hours a week. An application for card renewal can be submitted no later than 120 days before the expiration date. Highly qualified workers should apply for a blue card.

Work after a university in Poland

A graduate can obtain a temporary residence permit in order to search for a job for a period of 1 year. Graduates of full-time programs at Polish universities are exempted from the need to obtain additional work permits during this period. After a job is found, you can apply for a residence permit as a labor immigrant.

Work after a university in Finland

A graduate of a Finnish university can obtain a Finnish residence permit if he has a job offer or to seek employment. And there is no time limit — you can apply for a residence permit even several years after graduation^[44]. If necessary, the residence permit can be extended^[45].

EU blue card for employment

The EU blue card is a temporary permit for residence and work in one of the EU countries for highly qualified specialists. The blue card streamlines the process of labor immigration to EU countries — only the time of consideration, cost and some other conditions differ from country to country. On the other hand, the introduction of a blue card provides an influx of specialists with good qualifications that the EU needs. To receive a blue card you need to not only show high qualifications but also fulfill the minimum wage requirement, which each country sets on its own. The minimum salary under the contract should be at least 1.5 times the national average. Information about its size is most often published on official government websites, but is not always updated on time, so you should check the actual number yourself (for example, ask the consulate). With a blue card you can:

• Work in the country that issued the blue card and move freely throughout the European Union, except for Ireland;
• Change work after a certain time;
• Get permanent residence after a few years.

More information about getting a blue card can be found on the official website.

Blue card in different countries