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11 Countries Where You Can Work While Studying On A Student Visa

When studying abroad, getting a part-time or full-time job can be a perfect way to keep your expenses running. Alas, the rules on working while studying abroad are not the same in every country or even every region. Take for example the European Union, where Some countries make it difficult for students to obtain a work permit, while others enforce working time limits and wage limits that are nowhere near enough even to break costs in the country.

Thankfully having the world’s 6th most powerful passport plays into our favor as Portuguese citizens. There are quite a few countries where you can work part-time as a student, often on a student visa, to cover your expenses while you study.

Here are the 8 European countries, and three countries outside Europe where you can study and work on student visas with minimum restrictions.

1. Sweden

1. Sweden

Sweden offers an internationally acclaimed academic program that focuses on innovation and growth. As for allowing students to work, the rules are pretty relaxed, if you’re an EU citizen.

As an EU citizen, there is no official cap on how many hours you can work each week as long as you have your residence permit (if you plan on staying longer than 3 months).

It can be hard to land part-time jobs and they typically require that you speak Swedish. Even so, students are eligible for internships to help boost their careers.

There's only one catch-you need to log in at least 40 hours of study per week to stay on your student visa.

2. France

2. France

The land of pastry offers a sweet deal when it comes to financial aid and independence for its students.

In addition to numerous scholarships, France gives every student the right to work on a student residence permit.

While, International students may hold an auxiliary job and work for 964 hours in the year, (which is the equivalent of 60% of the French legal working year), students of the EEA can work full time if they log in the minimum hours of study

You are also entitled to a minimum wage of about 8 euros an hour, that is to say, you'll earn a minimum salary of EUR 7700 per working year.

3. Netherlands

3. Netherlands

Whether you want to work during your studies whilst in the Netherlands, there are a few limitations that you face as a foreign student. International students with a valid residency permit are permitted to work full-time in season( June, July, and August) or part-time work not exceeding ten hours a week outside the season.

Students from certain countries may also have to apply for a work visa through their employer. EU / EEA / Swiss citizens are entitled to work as many hours as they want when studying in the Netherlands.

4. Germany

4. Germany

With its gorgeous castles, high-quality education, low university tuition & meritorious student scholarships Germany attracts students globally. Nevertheless, if you are not eligible for a scholarship, the German Government allows students to work part-time and full-time to assist with their expenses.

But international students can face some pretty strong restrictions. foreign students from other countries are allowed to work 120 full days, or 240 half days a year, and only with prior permission from the federal agency of Employment. Getting permission depends on the job vacancies in the labor market, which are limited. You are also not allowed to become self-employed.

On the other hand, You can gain free access to the German labor market as a student from the EU, EEA, and Switzerland. if you log in more than 20 hours a week, you contribute to insurance premiums, like other German students.

The current minimum wage stands currently at EUR 9.19 per hour but is reframed every 2 years.

Students may work a mini-job and receive up to EUR 450 a month without paying taxes. A certain amount will be deducted from your salary every month if you receive more than EUR 450 on a fairly regular basis. However, don't fret, students can retrieve this money by submitting a tax return at the end of each year.

5. Ireland

5. Ireland

You'll always find plenty to do in Ireland, from hiking in the vast Cliffs of Moher to participating in the multicultural heritage of Ireland. You can also find multiple jobs as a student in Ireland to help with your expenses.

If you are from a non-EEA region, you may still be employed in casual work if you have an Irish residency/student visa for one of the courses listed in the 'Visa Eligible Courses' list.

Casual work is characterized as up to 20 hours of part-time work per week, except for holiday periods when you can work full-time work, i.e. up to 40 hours per week. The holiday periods are pretty restrictive and are standardized to match summer & winter holidays, irrespective of the teaching calendar of the college.

As a European Economic Area ( EEA) student, you are free to work full-time or part-time in Ireland while you study, throughout the year.

As of February 2020, the Irish minimum salary has risen to €10.10 per hour.

Technical internships are another way to earn while gaining valuable work experience. The best part is that many undergraduate programs in Ireland have paid, compulsory internships. The program's internship or job placement portion cannot exceed 50% of the program duration.

6. Estonia

6. Estonia

Estonia, the digital country focuses its principles on innovation and focuses on making a student's life better. In Estonia, you require only a student visa to work during your studies. But what makes it interesting for an EU citizen is that you can live and work for an extra 9 months if you get your university approval after you complete your studies. There is no limit on how long you can work, given you have passing qualifications.

The average salary is around €1,310 / month before taxes and the average hourly pay is €7.56.

Recruitment is also easy, and you can search for a job that suits you through multiple online portals.

7. Denmark

7. Denmark

As an international student, you have the right to work while you are in Denmark

You study a student visa and you can also apply for a full-time job after completing your studies.

But as a non-EU / EEA student of higher education, the total work hours are capped to 20 hours a week.

On the contrary, if you are a Northern, EU / EEA or Swiss citizen, there are no restrictions on how many hours you can work in Denmark.

Upon graduation, Scandinavian, EU / EEA, or Swiss nationals can live and work in Denmark without limitations.

For a foreign student, The residence permit will be valid only for a further six months after the college program has been completed.

8. Finland

8. Finland

Finland is one of the best studies and workplace in the world. The Finnish labor market and Finland's jobs are focused on equity and justice, rendering the industry very lucrative for foreign job seekers. As an international student, you can work while studying, but the total hours are capped at 20 hours per week. If you're a member of the Nordic or the EU / EEA, you do not require any unique permission during your studies to work in Finland

The study residency visa helps you to work unrestrictedly if your work is relevant to your degree.

The average wage you will receive in Finland is about EUR 13 an hour.

BONUS: You can also avail many benefits as an EU student internationally, especially in the following countries.

9. Australia

9. Australia

Australia welcomes foreign students from all over the world to study and work abroad thanks to its comfortable lifestyles and top-notch academia. Australia is also a perfect place to work as a foreign student, especially as a European Union citizen, as all you need is a student visa.

But amidst the whooping number of visa applications, getting your visa approved can be a pretty tough ordeal. Thankfully, the EU has had a stellar track record in getting their visas accepted.

You can work up to 40 hours every fortnight during the term, and you can work endless hours during holidays.

You have the same employment security as everyone else working in Australia.

You’re going to take at least a minimum amount of pay per hour, no matter what work you do, and that's fantastic news as Australia has the world’s highest minimum at $19.84 per hour.

10. Canada

10. Canada

Canada has so much to offer in terms of education, especially if you intend to work during your studies or settle there after your studies. Yes, the Canadian visa refusal rates have seen a spike in recent years, but the refusal rates vary dramatically according to the country of origin.- and apart from the French, most EU students seem to be in the green.

As a part of the European Union, Portuguese citizens are eligible to work on-campus or off-campus as a study permit holder without having a work permit. You might be allowed to work on your school premises, without a work permit, if you are a full-time upper secondary student, have a social insurance PIN, and are not on official study leave. You can work in a hospital, clinic, library, or research center affiliated with your university, even if they are outside the campus. There is no cap on work hours for on-campus work.

You could work off-campus, even if you're a full-time student or a part-time student. You can work up to 20 hours a week, plus you can work full time through the summer & winter vacations.

You are entitled to a minimum wage of $11 per hour irrespective of off-campus or on-campus employment.

11. New Zealand

11. New Zealand

There are many reasons why New Zealand has grown into a popular destination for students. Lord of the Rings cityscapes, friendly locals, world-class universities, inexpensive schooling, and even student work flexibility — do we need to say more?

The visa acceptance rate for all EU citizens in NZ is pretty high, but Portugal students need a special mention for their 100% visa approval!

New Zealand student visas with work permits allow full-time secondary and tertiary school students to work up to 20 hours a week throughout the academic year and up to 40 hours a week through the summer vacation. If you're a student of the EEA and pursuing Master and Ph.D., you may work 40 hours a week throughout the year.

You will be entitled to a minimum wage of NZ $18.90 per hour, and if you earn less than NZ $14,000 per year, you will pay just 10.5 percent of tax cuts, and you will also be entitled to a tax refund. You can find part-time jobs through the student support of your university, or through the student job search website run by the state.

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