13 Top countries for international students to study and work in 2026

Every year, millions of students go abroad for higher education. Studying abroad brings enormous opportunities for international students, from earning global degrees, gaining knowledge, being competitive in the job market, to getting global exposure, but pursuing education abroad can be costly for many international students.

This is why thousands of international students prefer applying to countries where jobs are available, so that they can work while studying, either to support their education fees, gather work experience, or earn some extra money. No worries, in this blog, we have mentioned the 13 top countries for international students to study and work in 2026.

13 top countries for international students to study and work in 2026 are:

United States of America (USA)

The USA is among the top two countries in the world for its world-class education facilities and scholastic excellence. With top-tier faculty, state-of-the-art facilities, modern laboratories & technologies, and cutting-edge research facilities, the USA offers a comprehensive range of courses. The country is the top choice for international students to study courses like technology, medicine, business, and many more. 

Every year, thousands of international students come to the USA for higher studies, and many of them seek job opportunities either while studying or after graduation. There are plenty of student job opportunities in the U.S. that international students can take advantage of. Students in the U.S. can work up to 20 hours per week during the semester and up to 40 hours during the semester break. International students also have the opportunity to work in the USA after graduation through an H-1B visa.

Australia

Australia has always been one of the top study destinations for international students. Some of the global top-notch universities are located in this booming economy. Students from every corner of the world come to Australia for higher education, all thanks to its high-quality education and excellent job opportunities. The country is renowned for its pursuit of engineering, computer science, nursing, health management, tourism & hospitality, and so on.

Australia allows students to work up to 48 hours per fortnight during the academic term, but interestingly has no restrictions on working during the semester breaks. The minimum wage rate in Australia is approximately AUD $24 per hour. After graduation, international students can work there with a Temporary Graduate Visa, also known as Subclass 485.

United Kingdom (UK)

Historically, the UK has always been the top destination for international students seeking to study abroad with work opportunities due to its unparalleled academic excellence. Holding a British degree is a sign of social respect and a status symbol. The UK takes pride in accommodating universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, and Imperial, which are globally considered to have the highest standard of education. From medicine, nursing, business, computer science, to history, arts, and archeology, the UK takes pride in offering an impeccable faculty.

The UK attracts thousands of international students from every corner of the world each year. Global students are allowed to work as part-timers for up to 20 hours per week during the academic term and as full-timers during the semester breaks. After completing their education, if the international students want to stay back in the UK to work, they have to apply for the Graduate Route Visa.

Is it possible to study in UK without IELTS for international students? 

Canada

Canada is one of the top study abroad countries with high job opportunities. The country accommodates some of the top universities in the world, and in general, the standard of education in Canada is one of the top-notch in the world because of its government’s huge support in building a modern and top-tier education system. Canada is one of the top multi-cultural countries in the world and globally renowned for wholeheartedly welcoming foreigners, including international students.

Canada is one of the most favourite study destinations in the modern day. Students are allowed to work up to 20 hours per week during the semester, but can work as full-timers during the semester breaks. The minimum wage rates of Canada range between CAD $15–$18.50 per hour, depending on the province. This vibrant country also allows international students to work after completing their education by offering a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). 

Germany

In the last decade, Germany has become one of the top study destinations for international students. The country has a global reputation for its excellence in science, engineering, technology, business, and medical sectors. It is also one of the top economies in the world and has managed to achieve this position consistently. Germany can be one of the best countries for international students in 2026 because of the country’s academic excellence and enormous work opportunities.

Germany is a thriving economy and has many opportunities for international students to work as both part-timers and full-timers. During the semester, the students can work up to 20 hours per week and up to 40 hours per week during the semester breaks. Students earn around €12–€18 per hour, depending on the city and job type. Germany allows international graduates an 18-month residence permit to stay and look for a job related to their field.

France

Another best European countries for international students in 2026 is France. France is one of the top countries in the world to study fashion, engineering, culinary, history, arts, and so on. The French universities offer top-tier education to their students with a wide range of courses and experienced faculty. Students can work as part-timers during the academic term and full-timers during the semester breaks. 

Netherlands

The Netherlands is one of the most beautiful countries in Europe and is considered one of the top destinations for studying business, computer science, health science, and engineering. The country’s quality of education is unmatched because of its scholastic excellence, cutting-edge research facilities, modern labs, and whatnot. International students in the Netherlands can work up to 16 hours per week during the semester as part-timers, but are only allowed to work as full-timers in the summer (June, July, & August). International students can apply for a 1-year “Orientation Year” (search year) residence permit after completing their education.

Ireland

Ireland is a top study destination in Europe among global students. The country has pioneered in its education sector with a wide range of subjects in business, engineering, computer science, healthcare/life sciences, etc. Ireland is among the top European countries for providing top-notch education and offers job opportunities to international students, whether as part-time or full-time students. Students are allowed to work up to 20 hours during the semester and up to 40 hours during the breaks, and the minimum wage rate is approximately €13 per hour. International students can also stay back in the country after the completion of their programme through the Third Level Graduate Scheme.

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

In recent years, the UAE has become one of the top affordable countries to study and work for international students. UAE is heavily investing in the education sector, for which thousands of international students from every corner of the world are choosing this country to pursue their higher education, especially students in the tourism & hospitality and business sectors. International students are allowed to work as part-timers up to 20 hours during the semester and full-timers up to 40 hours during the breaks while studying.   

Malaysia

Malaysia is another top affordable country to study and work for international students. The country accommodates some of the top universities in the world, like Monash. Malaysia is popular among international students to study subjects like tourism & hospitality, music, business, healthcare, nursing, etc. The Malaysian government allows students to work up to 20 hours per week during the academic term and during the semester breaks and festive holidays. Graduates can apply for an Employment Pass (EP) to work in Malaysia after completing their course.

Singapore

From providing the best standard of living to providing one of the best education systems in the world, Singapore is way ahead of its Asian neighbours. From business, economics, architecture, to engineering, computer science, and hospitality, the country has pioneered in all programmes. Singapore is a booming economy, which is why there are many job opportunities for international students. Students can work up to 16 hours per week during the academic terms and are allowed to work as full-timers during the semester breaks.  

Japan

Japan is globally famous for its excellence in almost everything, from its massive technological development, education quality, business, to living standards. Japan is way ahead of its time when it comes to science, technology, and healthcare. International students mostly prefer Japan as their study destination to study engineering, science, computer science, health science, business, etc. Students are allowed to work up to 28 hours per week during the semester and 40 hours per week during the semester breaks. 

China

Among other Asian countries, China is also another top destination to pursue higher education; and in recent years, the popularity is increasing drastically among thousands of international students. From studying business, engineering, computer science, to nursing, and health sciences, the world’s second-largest economy offers one of the best education in the world with promising job opportunities. International students are allowed to work between 8–20 hours per week as part-timers depending on the city or university. But during the semester breaks, they are allowed to work as full-timers. Graduates can apply for a Work Z Visa after completing their course.

Our Take

These are the 13 top countries for international students to study and work in 2026. Studying in any of the countries above can take your career to the next level and will be a life-changing experience. However, the permission of working hours and minimum wage rates mentioned above vary from time to time. So, if you are yearning to apply to a global university in 2026, you can directly contact BWBS Education Consultants for proper guidance and a hassle-free admission process. Our experienced counsellors can show you all the lucrative scholarships for international students in 2026 that these countries are offering.