Guide · Study and work · 3 min read
The best country to study and work for Nepali students: hours, years after, and pay.
If working during and after study matters most, compare three things: how many hours you can work while studying, how long you can stay after graduating, and how a job turns into a longer permit. On those, Australia (48 hours a fortnight, 2 years after) and Denmark (20 hours a week, up to 3 years after) lead our 10 countries, with Finland (an average 30 hours a week, 2 years after) close behind. Sweden cut student work to 15 hours a week in 2026.
The short version
- Most time after graduating: Denmark (up to 3 years), then Australia and Finland (2 years) and the UK (2 years if you apply by 31 Dec 2026).
- Most work during study: Australia (48 hours a fortnight) and Finland (average 30 hours a week). Sweden is now 15 hours a week for new permits.
- Language decides jobs in Germany, Finland and the Nordics. The UK, Australia and the Netherlands work mostly in English.
- No country gives PR for studying. A skilled job is what turns post-study time into a longer permit.
- Our graduates: 78.4% working in their field within 6 months; 86.4% started a post-study work visa.
The 10 countries, on work
| Country | Work during study | Time after graduating | Jobs mostly in English? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denmark | 20 hours a week; full-time June to August | Up to 3 years | Tech and research yes; many others prefer Danish |
| Australia | 48 hours a fortnight; unlimited in breaks | 2 years (bachelor’s, coursework master’s); 3 (research) | Yes |
| Finland | Average 30 hours a week; full-time in holidays | Up to 2 years | Tech yes; most part-time jobs prefer Finnish |
| United Kingdom | 20 hours a week at degree level | 2 years if you apply by 31 Dec 2026, then 18 months | Yes |
| Germany | 140 full days or 280 half days a year | Up to 18 months | Tech often; most others need German |
| Netherlands | 16 hours a week with an employer’s permit; full-time in summer | 12 months (orientation year) | Many |
| Belgium | 20 hours a week | 12 months (search year) | Some; Dutch or French helps |
| Sweden | 15 hours a week (new permits from June 2026); full-time June to August | Up to 12 months | Tech yes |
| Norway | 20 hours a week | Up to 1 year | Few outside tech and energy |
| Cyprus | Limited, named sectors | Limited | Some |
Pay while you study
| Country | Minimum or typical student pay |
|---|---|
| Australia | AUD 26.44 an hour minimum (from 1 July 2026) |
| United Kingdom | £12.71 an hour National Living Wage (from April 2026, age 21+) |
| Germany | €13.90 an hour minimum (from 1 January 2026) |
| Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Netherlands | No single statutory minimum in most; our alumni report about DKK 140, NOK 180, SEK 130, €12 and €14.40 an hour |
From post-study time to staying
| Country | The usual next step |
|---|---|
| Australia | A skilled job, then a points-tested, state or employer-sponsored visa |
| UK | A Skilled Worker job, at £41,700 or the new-entrant £33,400 floor |
| Germany | A job matching your degree; settlement after 2 years of skilled work for German graduates |
| Denmark | A job during the 3 years, then a work permit; permanent residence after years of residence |
| Finland, Sweden, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium | A skilled job leads to a work permit; permanent residence after years of residence |
The trade-off nobody puts in a table
The countries with the best work rules aren’t the cheapest. Australia costs the most of the 10 to start; Denmark and Finland charge tuition; Germany is cheapest but needs German for most jobs. The honest question is: which country gives you the best chance of a skilled job in your field, at a cost your family can carry?
From our files. Bikash Rana from Butwal came in set on Australia with a Rs 22 lakh budget. Australia was over his budget by about Rs 9 lakh in year 1; Denmark was inside it, and gives up to 3 years to find work after graduating. He’s doing an MSc in Software Engineering in Aarhus.
Our view
Choose the job first, then the course, then the country. 78.4% of our graduates who answered our 2026 survey were working in their field within 6 months, and that came from the course choice, not from the length of the visa.
