Work Study Regulations by Country
What are the work / study / internship regulations for international students?
Often students want to be able to work in order to earn extra money or to get work experience.
There are various different types of regulation around this and it can differ by country. We have
put the information in a summary below.
This has been updated on 26th May. This is intended as a general overview guide only. Rules are
constantly changing and this may not be accurate, please check with the official source for the
latest information and / or consult with a lawyer or visa agent. If you notice any inaccuracies
please let us know so we can check and update the information.
| Color | Region | On-Campus Work | Off-Campus Work | Internships | Legal Min. Wage (USD) | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🟠 | China | Yes, Intl students can do paid part-time work studies with registration and (8 hours per week) | Yes, Intl Students can do paid part-time work-studies with registration and limited hours (8 hours per week) | Yes Intl students can take paid internships but they must be registered | $1.80-$3.90 USD (varies by city and province) | Working Policy Internships |
| 🟠 | Japan | Yes, but limited hours (28 per week) and must apply for a work permit | Yes, but limited hours (28 per week) and must apply for a work permit | Yes, can apply through the university or search yourself, to be paid it is required to register | $5.60-$7.30 USD (varies by prefecture) | Working Policy Internships |
| 🟠 | Korea | Yes, on-campus jobs offered | Yes, part-time work is permitted but must obtain permission | Yes, but unpaid while on a student visa | $7.70 USD | Working Policy Internships |
| 🟠 | United States | Yes, on-campus jobs offered | Some restrictions on off-campus work, not allowed to work off-campus during the first year | Yes, internships permitted if you get permission from the university and meet conditions | $7.25-$15.00 USD (varies by state) | Working Policy Guide to Working Internships |
| 🟠 | Canada | Yes, permit sometimes needed and unlimited working hours | Yes, permit sometimes needed | Yes, internships allowed if you have a permit | $9.24-$12.52 USD (varies by province) | Working Policy |
| 🔴 | Mexico | No, not permitted | No, not permitted | Internships are not very common and often unpaid | $1.00 USD | Working Policy |
| 🟠 | Brazil | Yes | Yes | Yes, unpaid on the VITEM IV visa but can be paid if you're on the VITEM V visa. | $0.98 USD | Working Policy Internships |
| 🟠 | UK | Can work less than 20 hours, and must meet conditions | Can work less than 20 hours, and must meet conditions | Yes, paid and unpaid internships are permitted. Sometimes students get academic credit for internships | $10 USD | Working Policy |
| 🟠 | France | Yes, can work 670 hours during the school year and 300 during the summer | Yes, can work 964 hours a year *(slight exceptions for Algerian students) | Yes, paid if longer than 2 months | $11.50 USD | Working Policy |
| 🟠 | Germany | Yes | Yes, but limited hours based on country of origin | Yes, generally paid if longer than 3 months | $10.40 USD | Working Policy Internships |
| 🟠 | Italy | Yes, part-time 20 hours a week | Yes, part-time work up to 1,040 hours per year. Non-EU students need a work permit + job offer from Italian company | Yes, Curricular internships permitted | No legal minimum wage, wages generally begin at $7.00 USD | Working Policy Internships Finding Jobs |
| 🟠 | Spain | On-campus jobs not common | Yes, 20 hours per week with a work permit | Yes, mostly unpaid and can be regulated by the university, must have proper visa | $6.00 USD | Working Policy Internships |
| 🟠 | Israel | Yes, some campus jobs available | Yes, but in limited fields and must obtain a work permit (this includes remote work while you are based in Israel but working for a foreign company) | Yes, but primarily unpaid | $6.98 USD | Working Policy Working Remotely |
| 🟠 | United Arab Emirates | On-campus jobs not common | Yes, only with work permit and only 4 consecutive hours at a time | Yes, paid and long-term internships are the most common. Some "free zones" in Dubai have their own rules for recruitment. | $23.00 USD for graduates | Working Policy Internships Internships |
| 🟠 | South Africa | Yes, students can work part-time up to 20 hours a week | Yes, students can work part-time up to 20 hours a week (usually as waiter, receptionist, etc) | Primarily unpaid volunteer work. Students who are required to intern by their program will have to apply for a work visa which is very difficult to get | $1.50 USD | Study / Work Policy Visa Rules |
| 🟠 | Australia | Yes, up to 20 hours a week both paid/unpaid with student visa with work permit | Yes, up to 20 hours per week both paid/unpaid with student visa with work permission | Yes but very limited, unpaid and limited hours while on a student visa | $14.50 USD | Working Policy Visa Information Internships |
| 🟠 | New Zealand | Not common | Yes, up to 20 hours a week on a student visa | Yes, can be paid or unpaid | $11.00 | Working While Studying Working Policy |