Our Terms & Conditions | Our Privacy Policy
For decades, Indian students considered the U.S. and the U.K. as the standard for foreign education and employment. Though these destinations continue to attract aspirants, there has been a noticeable shift in the last few years. Other study abroad destinations such as Germany, New Zealand, the UAE, France, Malaysia, Sweden, and the Netherlands are steadily rising in popularity. This has been due to interconnected factors such as flexible immigration policies, widening global career horizons, cheaper education, and deeper industry engagement. Let’s take a look at some of these destinations:
Germany: At the forefront of Science-related fields, it provides an 18-month post-study work visa. The Blue Card facilitates quick movement into the permanent residency phase for international graduates who have job offers in their field. Germany is almost free of tuition and has a booming economy, thus making it one of the most accessible and rewarding non-English-speaking destinations.
New Zealand: It promises international students who have completed their undergraduate degrees and above a three-year post-study work visa.
The UAE: Initiatives such as the Golden Visa and the growing number of free zones have made the UAE, especially Dubai and Abu Dhabi, attractive destinations for students looking to study abroad.
France: Allows stay up to two years after a Master’s degree and is a preferred destination for students of luxury management, fashion, culinary arts, and engineering courses.
The Netherlands: Gives international graduates a one-year orientation visa allowing them to find a job without work permission. Dutch employers are more open to international hired talent, especially in Tech, Design, and research-related jobs.
Sweden: Provides a one-year post-study visa and offers an inclusive working culture.
Spain: Grants a post-study residence permit of one year to graduates from recognised universities looking for work. Madrid and Barcelona are seeing many start-ups and MNCs in the creative, business, and tourism sectors.
Malaysia: Students can work on post-study terms if they have proper jobs that fill national skill gaps. A business hub in Southeast Asia, it is a rich source of internships and entry-level jobs in finance, logistics, and hospitality.
Financial planning
Financial sustainability remains a concern for international students, and part-time jobs play a crucial role in bridging the gap between living expenses and tuition. While most are student friendly, each destination has its own regulations.
Germany: Students can work part time for 20 hours during the academic year and work full-time on vacation.
France: International students can work up to 964 hours a year (approximately 20 hours a week) with minimum wages of about €11 per hour, which assists with rent and other utilities.
The Netherlands: Allows part-time work; however, those who are not from the EU require a separate work permit. Many choose university-related internships or freelance opportunities since they do not require employer sponsorship.
Sweden and Spain: Work permissions for part-time jobs are much more flexible and students can easily earn enough to cover their basic living expenses, especially in university towns.
New Zealand: Permits international students to work up to 20 hours during scheduled breaks, and students may work full-time.
Malaysia: A full-time student can work 20 hours a week but only in approved sectors such as restaurants, petrol stations, and mini-markets.
The UAE: Has recently relaxed norms and allows students to work part-time on campus and in certain industrial zones based on agreements with their university.
As globalisation ascends and digital transformation becomes all-pervasive, several destinations are going through sectoral booms. Here are the sectors to consider in each country:
Germany and the Netherlands: Engineering, automotive, ICT, and Data Science
France: Luxury, tourism, fashion, and sustainability.
Sweden: Green tech, Life Sciences, and innovation-based roles.
Spain: Digital marketing, hospitality, fintech, and creative industries.
Malaysia: E-commerce, logistics, and financial services.
The UAE: Real estate, finance, hospitality, and digital services are growing exponentially.
New Zealand: Agriculture, environmental science, healthcare, and education.
With students in India are reconsidering traditional study-abroad destination due to visa restrictions, higher cost of living and narrow job opportunities, these countries offer an attractive opportunity with with grants, internship opportunities, and easier visa conditions.
The writer isCEO of Aaera Consultants.
Published – May 04, 2025 08:30 am IST
Images are for reference only.Images and contents gathered automatic from google or 3rd party sources.All rights on the images and contents are with their legal original owners.
Aggregated From –
Comments are closed.