Working Abroad After Graduation: OPT, Graduate Route, PGWP & 485

The US, UK, Canada and Australia each let international graduates work for a limited time after their course, with no job offer needed for the permission: US Optional Practical Training (OPT), the UK Graduate visa, Canada’s Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) and Australia’s Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485).¹²³⁴ None can be extended indefinitely, so final-year deadlines and the route to employer sponsorship matter as much as the permit itself.

Lengths range from 12 months to 3 years (as of October 2026), and the UK cuts its standard Graduate visa from 2 years to 18 months for applications made from 1 January 2027.¹⁵³⁴ Admissions and the student visa itself are covered in this category’s guide to planning study abroad from Japan.

Overview & Eligibility Framework: Why Post-Study Work Rights Matter

Post-study work rights (卒業後の就労, sotsugyo-go no shuro) bridge a student status and a sponsored work visa. They give you local experience and give an employer time to assess you before sponsoring.

Four Countries at a Glance

The table compares the main degree-graduate permission in each country; every length and fee is as of October 2026.

	US OPT / STEM OPT	UK Graduate visa	Canada PGWP	Australia 485 (Post-Higher Education Work)
Length	12 months; +24 months for STEM degrees¹	2 years (apply by 31 Dec 2026); 18 months (apply from 1 Jan 2027); 3 years doctoral⁵	Up to program length (8 months to under 2 years); up to 3 years (2+ years, or master’s of 8+ months)³	Usually 2 to 3 years; regional second visa 1 to 2 years⁴
Job offer needed?	No, but unemployment days are capped; STEM needs an E-Verify employer and Form I-983¹	No; any work except as a professional sportsperson²⁵	No (open work permit)⁶	No; unrestricted work⁴
Type of work	Directly related to your major¹	Any (employed, self-employed, voluntary)²	Any employer⁶	Any employer⁴
Key eligibility	F-1, one full academic year, DSO recommendation¹	In the UK on a Student visa; eligible course completed and reported by a sponsor with a track record of compliance²⁵	Eligible DLI program of 8+ months; language; field of study (non-degree); apply within 180 days⁷	Student visa now or in the last 6 months; CRICOS degree of 2+ academic years completed in the last 6 months; English; age⁸⁹
Government fee	Form I-765: $520 paper, $470 online¹⁰	£937 plus IHS £1,035 per year²	CAD 155 + CAD 100 = CAD 255; biometrics CAD 85 if required¹¹	AUD 5,750 base charge⁸
Extendable?	No (per-level and lifetime limits)¹	No²	No (one per person)³	No; separate regional second visa only⁸

What These Permits Are Not

None of these permits is permanent residence or a sponsored work visa, and each has a fixed end date and repeat limits.²³⁸

US: 12 months of OPT per higher educational level; at most two STEM extensions in a lifetime.¹
UK: no second Graduate visa (Appendix Graduate GR 1.4).⁵
Canada: no PGWP if you already received one.³
Australia: no second grant in the same main stream, except the regional second visa.⁸

Working holiday visas are a separate route for eligible Japanese nationals, covered in the working holiday guide.

United States: F-1 OPT and the 24-Month STEM Extension

OPT and STEM OPT together allow up to 36 months of post-completion work.¹ The rules below are the text of 8 CFR 214.2(f) as it stood on 14 September 2026, which still governs because the Duration of Status rule has been postponed by a court (as of October 2026).¹²¹

Post-Completion OPT: 12 Months, Filing Window and Unemployment Limit

Eligibility starts with one full academic year of lawful full-time enrollment at an SEVP-certified school, and the work must be directly related to your major.¹ One year or more of full-time Curricular Practical Training (CPT) during your studies removes post-completion eligibility.¹

The filing sequence has two clocks. Your Designated School Official (DSO) first enters a recommendation in SEVIS; you then file Form I-765 with USCIS no earlier than 90 days before your program end date, no later than 60 days after it, and within 30 days of the DSO’s recommendation.¹¹³ You may not start work before the start date on your Employment Authorization Document (EAD).¹¹³

Unemployment is capped at 90 days in aggregate, and the in-force rules give a 60-day departure period after studies and practical training end.¹ The Form I-765 fee is $520 on paper or $470 online, and premium processing for the OPT categories costs $1,780 (as of October 2026).¹⁰

The STEM OPT Extension: E-Verify Employers and the I-983 Training Plan

The STEM OPT extension adds 24 months if your bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree from an accredited US institution is in a field on the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List.¹ It can also be based on a prior STEM degree conferred within the last 10 years, and you can receive at most two extensions in your lifetime.¹

The employer carries obligations too. It must use E-Verify, sign the Form I-983 training plan, offer at least 20 hours a week on terms commensurate with similarly situated US workers, and report your departure within 5 business days.¹ You submit self-evaluations at 12 months and at the end, and a new employer means a new I-983 within 10 days.¹

File up to 90 days before your OPT EAD expires, and within 60 days of the DSO’s STEM recommendation.¹¹⁴ Total unemployment rises to 150 days.¹¹⁴ If you file on time and your OPT EAD expires while the application is pending, the regulations continue your work authorization for up to 180 days.¹¹⁵¹⁴

The 180-day rule and the October 2026 EAD rule. The final rule ending automatic EAD extensions (FR 2026-20955), in effect since 14 October 2026, finalizes amendments to 8 CFR 274a.13 only and does not mention STEM OPT or F-1 students; the 180-day and cap-gap provisions sit in sections it does not amend.¹⁶¹⁵¹⁷ On our reading both provisions remain in the regulations, but no DHS statement on this point was found, so confirm with your DSO (as of October 2026).

Cap-Gap: Bridging OPT to an H-1B Start Date

Cap-gap covers the months between the end of OPT and an H-1B start date. If your employer files a timely, non-frivolous cap-subject H-1B petition requesting a change of status, your F-1 status and OPT or STEM OPT work authorization are extended automatically until 1 April of the fiscal year requested, or the petition’s start date if earlier (as of October 2026).¹¹⁵ The 1 April date comes from the H-1B modernization rule effective 17 January 2025.¹⁸

The extension ends early if the petition is rejected, denied, revoked or withdrawn, or if the change of status is denied or withdrawn, even when the petition is approved for consular processing.¹

Rules in Flux: What Is in Force and What Is Only Proposed (as of October 2026)

The table separates US rules in force from those postponed or only proposed; any status can change with a court ruling or final rule.

Item	Source	Status (as of October 2026)	What it means for a graduate
OPT fees	Proposed rule, FR 2026-20660, 8 Oct 2026, docket ICEB-2026-0100¹⁹	Proposed only. Comments close 9 Nov 2026.	Would require the school to pay $70,000 per student before the first OPT recommendation and $30,000 before any later one (including STEM). Not law; no effect unless a final rule is issued.¹⁹
Duration of Status (D/S) replaced by fixed admission period	Final rule, FR 2026-14439, 17 Jul 2026²⁰	Final, but effective date postponed nationwide by court order of 14 Sep 2026; government appeal filed 30 Sep 2026; district court summary-judgment briefing set for late October and early November 2026.¹²²¹	D/S and the current OPT rules still apply, including the 60-day filing window and 60-day departure period. If it ever takes effect, students would need an extension of stay for OPT and face shorter deadlines.²⁰¹²²¹
End of automatic EAD extensions	Final rule, FR 2026-20955¹⁶	Final; in effect since 14 Oct 2026.	Ends automatic extensions for renewal EADs in affected categories. Its text does not touch the STEM 180-day extension or cap-gap (our reading; see above).¹⁶¹⁵¹⁷
Weighted H-1B selection	Final rule, FR 2025-23853²²	In force since 27 Feb 2026; used for the FY2027 lottery.	Registrations at higher wage levels get more entries; entry-level offers get one.²²
$100,000 H-1B payment	Proclamations 10973 and 11069²³²⁴	Proclamation extended to 21 Sep 2027, but USCIS’s implementing guidance was vacated by a federal court on 8 Jun 2026; stay denied 24 Jul 2026; DHS says it is complying.²⁴²⁵²⁶²⁷	The vacated guidance had excluded a granted change of status inside the US (such as F-1 to H-1B). With the guidance vacated, neither collection nor that exclusion is settled law; DHS says it still plans to collect if the order is lifted.²⁵²⁶
$103,265 H-1B cap-petition fee	Proposed rule, FR 2026-17324²⁸	Proposed only. Comments closed 24 Sep 2026.	Would apply to every cap-subject petition, including the master’s cap, but not to cap-exempt employers.²⁸
Removal of the 60-day grace period for H-1B and similar workers	Proposed rule, FR 2026-18631²⁹	Proposed only. Comments to 10 Nov 2026.	Would remove the up-to-60-day grace period after a job ends.²⁹

In practice, the current OPT and STEM OPT rules, Duration of Status and the 60-day windows still apply, and none of the three proposals has legal effect yet.¹⁹¹²²⁸²⁹ Check the Federal Register and ask your DSO before each filing, because a court ruling or a final fee rule could change this quickly.

J-1 Exchange Students and Fulbright Grantees: Academic Training, Not OPT

Exchange students (交換留学, kokan ryugaku) and grantees on J-1 rather than F-1 status get Academic Training instead of OPT.³⁰ It must be directly related to your major and approved in writing in advance by the responsible officer, and training after your studies must start within 30 days of completion.³⁰

Academic Training is often shorter than OPT. Undergraduate and pre-doctoral training may last up to 18 months or the length of your full course of study in the US, whichever is less; postdoctoral training is capped at 36 months in total.³⁰

The bigger trap is the two-year home-country rule in section 212(e) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. If your program was financed in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, by a US government agency or by the government of your country of nationality or last residence, or another listed ground applies, you cannot obtain H or L status or permanent residence until you have spent 2 years in that country after leaving the US, unless you get a waiver.³¹ A J-1 holder subject to the rule also cannot change status inside the US (except to A or G status), closing the F-1 style switch to H-1B.³²

Japanese government funding can trigger the rule as well as US funding; whether a particular scholarship counts depends on its terms, covered in the scholarships guide.

United Kingdom: The Graduate Visa (18 Months from 2027, 3 Years for PhDs)

Eligibility: Apply in the UK Before Your Student Visa Expires

You apply from inside the UK, before your Student visa expires. You need Student or Tier 4 permission, a course successfully completed on that visa, and a higher education sponsor with a track record of compliance that has reported your completion to the Home Office; you need not wait for graduation.²⁵ Qualifying courses are UK bachelor’s and postgraduate degrees and listed professional courses, and a course longer than 12 months needs at least 12 months of study in the UK.²⁵

You may stay in the UK while the application is pending, but travelling outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man before a decision withdraws it.² Decisions usually take up to 8 weeks (as of October 2026).²

Conditions are light: no job offer, sponsor or minimum salary, and any work except as a professional sportsperson, but no public funds.²⁵ If a government or international scholarship agency paid both your fees and living costs in the 12 months before you apply, you need its written consent (Appendix Graduate GR 1.5).⁵

Length: The 1 January 2027 Cut-Off

The application date, not your completion or award date, decides the length. Under Appendix Graduate GR 8.1, bachelor’s and master’s graduates get 2 years if they apply before 1 January 2027 and 18 months if they apply on or after that date, while PhD and other doctoral graduates keep 3 years (as of October 2026).⁵ The change was made by Statement of Changes HC 1333, laid on 14 October 2025, and the visa starts on the day your application is approved.²³³

Costs (as of October 2026): the application fee is £937 and the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is usually £1,035 per year, which comes to £1,152.50 for 18 months, £2,070 for 2 years and £3,105 for 3 years.²

The Graduate visa cannot be extended, but you can switch to another route such as Skilled Worker from inside the UK.²

Dependants and Switching

Partners and children can apply as your dependants only if they were dependants on your Student visa (children born in the UK during your Student or Graduate visa also qualify).² Their permission ends with yours, and new dependants can join only after you switch to a route such as Skilled Worker.² For Japanese nationals, the Youth Mobility Scheme is a separate alternative, covered in the working holiday guide.

Canada: The Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) and the Path to Express Entry

Eligibility: DLI, Program Length, Language and Field of Study

The PGWP is an open work permit for graduates of an eligible program at a designated learning institution (DLI) lasting at least 8 months (900 hours in Quebec), studied full time in every semester except the last.⁷³ Since 2024 two further conditions apply, and they are keyed to different dates.⁷

Language is keyed to your PGWP application date. If you apply on or after 1 November 2024, you need Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) or NCLC level 7 in all four abilities as a bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral or other university graduate, or level 5 as a college, polytechnic or other non-university graduate (as of October 2026).⁷

Field of study is keyed to your study permit application date. If you applied for your study permit on or after 1 November 2024 and are graduating from a non-degree program, the program must be in an eligible field; bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral graduates are exempt (as of October 2026).⁷ IRCC has frozen the field list for 2026, and a field no longer listed may still qualify depending on when you applied for your study permit.³⁴

Distance learning shortens the permit: for most applicants since September 2024, time studying outside Canada is deducted from the PGWP length (as of October 2026).⁷

Length of the PGWP and the One-Per-Lifetime Rule

Length follows the program. A program of 8 months to under 2 years gives a PGWP of up to the program length, 2 years or more may give 3 years, and since 15 February 2024 a master’s degree of at least 8 months may give 3 years.³ Validity cannot exceed your passport’s expiry date.³

You get one PGWP in your life. IRCC states that you cannot get a PGWP if you already received one after an earlier program, so using it on a short diploma before a master’s can cost you the longer permit.³

Apply within 180 days of receiving confirmation that you completed your program, with a study permit valid at some point in those 180 days (as of October 2026).⁷ IRCC says your study permit must be valid when you apply if you want to work while waiting; check IRCC’s full conditions before starting work.⁶

Fees (as of October 2026): CAD 155 for the work permit plus the CAD 100 open work permit holder fee, and CAD 85 for biometrics where required.⁶¹¹

From PGWP to Permanent Residence: Canadian Experience Class

The PGWP is often the first step toward the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), an Express Entry program for permanent residence.³⁵ It requires at least 1 year (1,560 hours) of authorized, paid skilled work in Canada in NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 within the 3 years before you apply, plus an approved language test (as of October 2026).³⁵ Work while a full-time student, co-op terms and, generally, self-employment do not count, so qualifying experience usually comes from PGWP employment.³⁵

Plan skilled work and any permanent residence application around your PGWP’s fixed end date. Comprehensive Ranking System scoring, draws and provincial nominee programs are covered in the guide to skilled migration and points-based visas.

Australia: Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate Visa and Regional Extensions

Streams and Who Qualifies

The Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) has two open streams in the Migration Regulations 1994: Post-Higher Education Work for degree graduates and Post-Vocational Education Work for vocational graduates, while a third, the Replacement stream, closed to applications from 1 July 2024.⁸ You apply in one stream at a time, generally from inside Australia.⁸

Post-Higher Education Work requires that, in the 6 months before applying, you completed an Australian bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree or qualifying graduate diploma through CRICOS-registered courses taught in English and studied in Australia, over at least 16 calendar months and 2 academic years (as of October 2026).⁸ You must hold an eligible Student visa, or another substantive or Bridging A or B visa after holding one in the previous 6 months.⁸ Post-Vocational Education Work applies similar rules to vocational qualifications linked to a skilled occupation list, with a skills assessment.⁸

Age, English and checks (as of October 2026): you must be 35 or younger at application, or under 50 if you hold a Hong Kong or BNO passport or completed a research master’s or doctoral degree.⁸ English requires IELTS 6.5 overall with at least 5.5 in each band, or a specified equivalent, from a test taken within 1 year before applying; Japanese passport holders are not exempt.⁹ You also need health insurance and an Australian Federal Police check applied for in the previous 12 months.⁸

Length of Stay and the Regional Second Visa

The Regulations do not fix the length of a 485: the visa runs until a date the Minister specifies.⁸ Study Australia, the government’s study portal, says Post-Higher Education Work visas usually run between 2 and 3 years depending on your qualification, Post-Vocational Education Work visas up to 18 months, and stays for Hong Kong or BNO passport holders up to 5 years (as of October 2026).⁴ Check the Department of Home Affairs for the period that applies to your degree before planning around a specific end date.

The regional second visa (the Second Post-Higher Education Work stream) is open if your first 485 was based on study in a regional centre or designated regional area, you lived only there while studying and for at least 2 years before applying, and you keep living there.⁸⁴ Study Australia gives its length as 1 to 2 years depending on the location (as of October 2026).⁴

Fees (as of October 2026): the base visa application charge is AUD 5,750 for a first-time applicant, or AUD 2,265 for the regional second visa, with extra charges for family members.⁸

Transitioning to Employer Sponsorship: US H-1B, UK Skilled Worker and Australia Skills in Demand (482)

Every post-study permit ends, so the long-term plan is usually an employer-sponsored work visa and, later, a separate route to permanent residence. Points tests and salary thresholds are covered in the guide to skilled migration and points-based visas.

US H-1B: The Cap Lottery, Wage-Level Weighting and Change of Status

The H-1B cap is 65,000 a year, plus 20,000 for holders of a US master’s degree or higher.²⁵ Institutions of higher education, their affiliated nonprofits, nonprofit research organizations and government research organizations are not subject to the cap.²⁵

Registration happens in March. For fiscal year 2027, USCIS completed selections by 31 March 2026, and petitions could be filed from 1 April 2026 for at least 90 days.³⁶ A selected F-1 student can generally change to H-1B status without leaving the US, with cap-gap covering any break.¹²⁵

Selection is now weighted by wage level. Since 27 February 2026, a registration enters the lottery four times at wage level IV, three times at level III, twice at level II and once at level I, by the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) level of the offered wage (as of October 2026).²² For FY2027, Proclamation 11069 reports that the two highest wage levels made up about 46.3% of selections and the lowest level 17.8%, which matters on an entry-level salary.²⁴

Fees and payments are in flux: see the status table above for the $100,000 payment and the two proposals (as of October 2026).²⁶²⁸²⁹ Employment-based green cards are covered in the US destination guide.

UK Skilled Worker: Switching from the Graduate Visa

Switching to Skilled Worker inside the UK requires a job offer from a Home Office licensed sponsor.³⁷ If you are under 26, studying or a recent graduate (including on a Graduate visa), you may be paid the “new entrant” rate of 70% to 90% of the going rate with a floor of £33,400, instead of the standard £41,700 or going rate, whichever is higher (as of October 2026).³⁷

Time on the Graduate visa counts toward the 4-year cap on new-entrant terms.³⁷ GOV.UK still lists settlement after 5 years as a Skilled Worker, but the government consulted on a longer “earned settlement” baseline until February 2026 and no outcome was found (as of October 2026).³⁷³⁸

Australia: Skills in Demand Visa (482) and Employer Nomination (186)

The Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage visa on 7 December 2024, keeping the subclass number.⁴ Its Specialist Skills and Core Skills streams require at least 12 months’ full-time-equivalent work in the nominated occupation or a related field in the 5 years before applying, plus an approved nomination by an approved sponsor; a Labour Agreement stream also exists.⁸ Study Australia says eligible 485 holders who meet the work experience requirements may apply while in Australia.⁴

Home Affairs sets the 482 income thresholds, so check its current figures before accepting an offer. Permanent routes include the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) and the points-tested subclass 189 and 190 visas, covered in the guide to skilled migration and points-based visas.⁸

Decision Tree: Graduation to Work Permit to Permanent Residence

The flowchart shows the usual route in each country; dotted lines mark a return to Japan (as of October 2026).

flowchart TD
    G["Graduation abroad"] --> US["US: OPT 12 months / STEM +24"]
    G --> UK["UK Graduate visa (2 yrs to 31 Dec 2026, 18 months from 1 Jan 2027, 3 yrs doctoral)"]
    G --> CA["Canada: PGWP (one per person)"]
    G --> AU["Australia: 485 Post-Higher Education Work"]
    US --> H1B["H-1B lottery (weighted), cap-gap to 1 April"]
    UK --> SW["Skilled Worker (licensed sponsor)"]
    CA --> CEC["Canadian Experience Class or provincial nominee"]
    AU --> AU2["Regional second 485 (if eligible)"]
    AU --> SID["482 Skills in Demand"]
    AU2 --> SID
    H1B --> PR1["Green card (separate process)"]
    SW --> PR2["Settlement (rules under review)"]
    CEC --> PR3["Canadian permanent residence"]
    SID --> PR4["186, 189 or 190 permanent visa"]
    JP["Return to Japan"]
    US -.-> JP
    UK -.-> JP
    CA -.-> JP
    AU -.-> JP
    H1B -.-> JP
    SW -.-> JP
    CEC -.-> JP
    SID -.-> JP

Step-by-Step Administrative Procedure & Timeline

Final-Year Timeline by Country

The table runs from about 6 months before your program ends to your first job (windows as of October 2026).

When	US (F-1)	UK	Canada	Australia
About 6 months before program end	Confirm program end date; check whether your degree is on the STEM list¹	Confirm your course qualifies and when your provider will report completion²⁵	Check the field-of-study rule (non-degree) and book a language test (CLB 7 or 5)⁷	Choose your stream; book an English test (valid 1 year); plan the AFP check⁸⁹
Around completion	DSO recommendation; file I-765 from 90 days before to 60 days after the program end date, within 30 days of the recommendation¹¹³	Apply after completion is reported and before your Student visa expires; the date decides 2 years or 18 months²⁵	Keep your completion confirmation; the 180-day window starts⁷	Apply within 6 months of completion while holding, or within 6 months of holding, a Student visa⁸
During the permit	Unemployment limit 90 days (150 with STEM); STEM filing up to 90 days before the OPT EAD expires; H-1B registration in March¹¹⁴³⁶	Find a licensed sponsor and switch to Skilled Worker in the UK²³⁷	Build 1 year of skilled work for the CEC³⁵	Build 12 months’ experience for a 482; regional second visa after 2 years of regional living⁸
First job	Social Security Number	National Insurance number (you can start work before it arrives if you prove your right to work)³⁹	Social Insurance Number (SIN)	Tax File Number (TFN)

Japan-side paperwork runs separately: the moving-out notification (Tenshutsu-todoke 転出届) has its own guide.

US: F-1 and J-1 students are usually exempt from FICA (Social Security and Medicare) on OPT wages. The IRS states that nonresident alien F-1 and J-1 students, generally those present for fewer than 5 calendar years, are exempt on wages from USCIS-authorized employment, including practical training.⁴⁰ The exemption ends once you become a resident alien or change to a non-exempt status such as H-1B.⁴⁰

UK: National Insurance starts with your first job once you earn more than £242 a week from one job (as of October 2026).³⁹

Canada: CPP and EI are deducted from your pay. For 2026 the employee rates are 5.95% for CPP (on earnings between CAD 3,500 and CAD 74,600) and 1.63% for EI (up to CAD 68,900 outside Quebec) (as of October 2026).⁴¹⁴²

Australia: employers pay superannuation on top of your salary, and Study Australia says you can access it when you retire or permanently leave Australia.⁴³ The Australian Taxation Office sets the tax on a departing temporary resident’s super payment, so check its current rates.

Japan has Social Security Agreements with all four countries, but a local hire generally joins the host country’s system; see the guide to bilateral social security agreements. Japanese tax residency while abroad, voluntary National Pension (Kokumin Nenkin 国民年金) contributions and the 1 January rule for resident tax (Juminzei 住民税) have their own guides.

Returning to Japan or Staying Abroad: Weighing the Next Career Step

Because every post-study permit has a fixed end date, it can make sense to keep two tracks open: a sponsorship route in the host country and a job search in Japan.²³⁸ Privately run recruitment events are one channel for the second track; the Boston Career Forum, listed on CareerForum.Net, is one such event, and its organiser’s own terms set eligibility and dates.

If you return, Japan-side tasks follow, such as re-registering your residence and re-enrolling in National Pension and health insurance; see the moving-out notification and pension guides. Job hunting for overseas roles from Japan has its own guide.

Japanese Citizens vs. Foreign Residents: Critical Distinctions

Host-country rules key on your passport and immigration history, not on your residence in Japan. A Japanese national and a foreign resident of Japan on the same course are generally treated alike, and none of the official sources reviewed gives Japanese nationals special post-study treatment.²⁷⁸ The exceptions are passport-specific.

Issue	Japanese citizens	Foreign residents of Japan
Post-study permit eligibility	Standard rules for a Japanese passport	Depends on your passport; Hong Kong and BNO passport holders get longer 485 age and stay limits⁸⁴
Australia 485 English test	Required⁹	Exempt only with a Canadian, New Zealand, Irish, UK or US passport⁹
Working holiday alternatives	Available under Japan’s arrangements (see the working holiday guide)	Depend on your nationality
Keeping status in Japan	Right to return at any time	Status of residence, including Permanent Resident status, can lapse if a re-entry permit expires abroad

Foreign residents of Japan face a Japan-side risk. A multi-year study-and-work stay abroad can outlast a re-entry permit (up to 5 years) or a special re-entry permit (1 year), and letting it expire means losing your Japanese status of residence, including Permanent Resident status; see the guide to departure rules for Japanese citizens and foreign residents.

Common Pitfalls & Regulatory Compliance Risks

Missing OPT deadlines: the 60-day post-completion filing deadline or the 30-day window after the DSO’s recommendation.¹¹³
Too many days without work: over 90 days on OPT, or 150 in total with STEM OPT.¹¹⁴
Wrong STEM setup: an employer not in E-Verify, or no signed Form I-983.¹
Treating proposals as law: the OPT fee, H-1B fee and grace-period proposals have no legal effect (as of October 2026).¹⁹²⁸²⁹
Assuming the Duration of Status rule is in effect: it is postponed by court order and D/S still applies, although the default eCFR page shows the postponed text (as of October 2026).¹²²¹¹
Assuming the $100,000 payment rules are settled: the implementing guidance, including its change-of-status exclusion, has been vacated (as of October 2026).²⁵²⁶
J-1 grantees planning an H-1B without checking 212(e).³¹³²
UK timing errors: applying from 1 January 2027 and expecting 2 years, letting the Student visa expire first, or travelling before a decision.²⁵
Canadian PGWP gaps: a non-eligible field (college graduates), no language result, a missed 180-day window, or the one PGWP used on a short program.⁷³
Australian 485 timing: over the age limit, more than 6 months after completion, or an English test over 1 year old.⁸⁹
Expecting automatic permanent residence: no post-study permit converts on its own.²³⁸
Relying on outdated pages: check the date on any page you use; one Study Australia page still shows an old superannuation threshold.⁴³

References & Official Sources

eCFR, 8 CFR 214.2(f) (paragraphs (f)(5), (f)(10), (f)(11)), point-in-time version as of 14 September 2026 (in-force text while FR 2026-14439 is postponed), https://www.ecfr.gov/on/2026-09-14/title-8/section-214.2 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹ ↩²⁰ ↩²¹ ↩²² ↩²³ ↩²⁴ ↩²⁵ ↩²⁶ ↩²⁷ ↩²⁸ ↩²⁹ ↩³⁰ ↩³¹ ↩³² ↩³³
UK Home Office (GOV.UK), “Graduate visa” (all parts), updated 9 September 2026, https://www.gov.uk/graduate-visa ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹ ↩²⁰ ↩²¹ ↩²² ↩²³ ↩²⁴ ↩²⁵
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, “Post-graduation work permit: About”, modified 9 March 2026, https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/work/after-graduation/about.html ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³
Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Study Australia, Australian Government), “Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485)”, fetched October 2026, https://www.studyaustralia.gov.au/en/plan-your-move/your-guide-to-visas/temporary-graduate-visa-subclass-485 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹
UK Home Office, “Immigration Rules Appendix Graduate” (GR 1.4, GR 1.5, GR 4, GR 5, GR 6.1, GR 8.1, GR 8.2), last amended in line with HC 259 on 3 August 2026, fetched October 2026, https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-graduate ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, “Post-graduation work permit: How to apply”, modified 28 August 2026, https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/work/after-graduation/apply.html ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, “Post-graduation work permit: Who can apply” (eligibility), modified 24 June 2026, https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/work/after-graduation/eligibility.html ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹
Commonwealth of Australia, Migration Regulations 1994, Compilation No. 289 (F2026C01017, in force from 2 October 2026), Schedule 1 item 1229; Schedule 2 Subclass 485 (clauses 485.211 to 485.235, 485.513, 485.613) and Subclass 482 (clauses 482.221, 482.231), https://www.legislation.gov.au/F1996B03551/latest/text ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹ ↩²⁰ ↩²¹ ↩²² ↩²³ ↩²⁴ ↩²⁵
Commonwealth of Australia, Migration (English Language Requirements for Subclass 485 (Temporary Graduate) Visas) Instrument 2025 (LIN 25/089), F2025L00907, commenced 7 August 2025, https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2025L00907/latest/text ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶
USCIS, Form G-1055 Fee Schedule, edition 10/16/26, https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/forms/g-1055.pdf ↩ ↩²
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, “Fee list”, modified 21 September 2026, https://ircc.canada.ca/english/information/fees/fees.asp ↩ ↩²
US District Court for the District of Massachusetts, Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration v. US Department of Homeland Security, No. 1:26-cv-13799-FDS, Memorandum and Order on Motion for Preliminary Injunction (ECF No. 50), 14 September 2026, https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mad.305059/gov.uscourts.mad.305059.50.0_3.pdf ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶
USCIS, “Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 Students”, last reviewed 25 November 2024, https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/students-and-exchange-visitors/optional-practical-training-opt-for-f-1-students ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴
USCIS, “Optional Practical Training Extension for STEM Students (STEM OPT)”, last reviewed 30 January 2026, https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/students-and-exchange-visitors/optional-practical-training-extension-for-stem-students-stem-opt ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵
eCFR, 8 CFR 274a.12(b)(6)(iv)-(v), https://www.ecfr.gov/on/2026-09-14/title-8/section-274a.12 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴
US Department of Homeland Security (USCIS), “Removal of Automatic Extensions for Certain Employment Authorization Documents”, Final rule, FR Doc. 2026-20955, 91 FR 65306, 14 October 2026, https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2026-20955 ↩ ↩² ↩³
eCFR, 8 CFR 274a.13(d)-(e) (as amended 30 October 2025), https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-8/section-274a.13 ↩ ↩²
US Department of Homeland Security, “Modernizing H-1B Requirements, Providing Flexibility in the F-1 Program, and Program Improvements Affecting Other Nonimmigrant Workers”, Final rule, FR Doc. 2024-29354, 89 FR 103054, 18 December 2024, effective 17 January 2025, https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2024-29354 ↩
US Department of Homeland Security (ICE / SEVP), “Optional Practical Training Fees”, Notice of proposed rulemaking, FR Doc. 2026-20660, 91 FR 64566, 8 October 2026, docket ICEB-2026-0100, https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2026-20660 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴
US Department of Homeland Security, “Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission and an Extension of Stay Procedure for Nonimmigrant Academic Students, Exchange Visitors, and Representatives of Foreign Information Media”, Final rule, FR Doc. 2026-14439, 91 FR 44976, 17 July 2026, https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2026-14439 ↩ ↩²
US District Court for the District of Massachusetts, same case, Defendants’ Briefing on Case Management (ECF No. 59), 9 October 2026 (notice of appeal 30 September 2026; 1st Cir. No. 26-2112), https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mad.305059/gov.uscourts.mad.305059.59.0_1.pdf; and Order on Certification of Administrative Record and Supplemental Briefing on Motions for Summary Judgment (ECF No. 61), 16 October 2026, https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mad.305059/gov.uscourts.mad.305059.61.0.pdf ↩ ↩² ↩³
US Department of Homeland Security, “Weighted Selection Process for Registrants and Petitioners Seeking To File Cap-Subject H-1B Petitions”, Final rule, FR Doc. 2025-23853, 90 FR 60864, 29 December 2025, effective 27 February 2026, https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2025-23853 ↩ ↩² ↩³
The President, Proclamation 10973, “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers”, 19 September 2025, FR Doc. 2025-18601, 90 FR 46027, https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2025-18601 ↩
The President, Proclamation 11069, “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers”, 18 September 2026, FR Doc. 2026-19554, 91 FR 60497, https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2026-19554 ↩ ↩² ↩³
USCIS, “H-1B Specialty Occupations”, last reviewed 21 September 2026, https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/h-1b-specialty-occupations ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶
USCIS, “Presidential Proclamation on Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers”, alert released 20 October 2025, updated 15 June 2026, https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/presidential-proclamation-on-restriction-on-entry-of-certain-nonimmigrant-workers ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴
USCIS, “H-1B FAQ”, alert released 21 September 2025, updated 28 July 2026, https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/h-1b-faq ↩
US Department of Homeland Security, “Fee for Certain H-1B Petitions”, Notice of proposed rulemaking, FR Doc. 2026-17324, 91 FR 54817, 25 August 2026, https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2026-17324 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵
US Department of Homeland Security, “Eliminating the Discretionary 60-Day Grace Period”, Notice of proposed rulemaking, FR Doc. 2026-18631, 91 FR 57807, 11 September 2026, https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2026-18631 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵
eCFR, 22 CFR 62.23(f) (Exchange Visitor Program, college and university students, academic training), https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-22/section-62.23 ↩ ↩² ↩³
Immigration and Nationality Act section 212(e), 8 U.S.C. 1182(e) (text read via Cornell LII mirror of the US Code), https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/8/1182 ↩ ↩²
Immigration and Nationality Act section 248(a)(3), 8 U.S.C. 1258(a)(3) (Cornell LII mirror), https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/8/1258 ↩ ↩²
UK Home Office, “Statement of changes to the Immigration Rules: HC 1333, 14 October 2025” and explanatory memorandum paras 5.25 to 5.26, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/statement-of-changes-to-the-immigration-rules-hc-1333-14-october-2025 ↩
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, “PGWP field of study requirement” (“PGWP field of study list freeze for 2026”), fetched October 2026, https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/work/after-graduation/eligibility/field-of-study.html ↩
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, “Canadian Experience Class: Who can apply”, modified 16 October 2026, https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/who-can-apply/canadian-experience-class.html ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴
USCIS, “FY 2027 H-1B Initial Registration Selection Process Completed”, alert, 31 March 2026, https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/fy-2027-h-1b-initial-registration-selection-process-completed ↩ ↩²
UK Home Office (GOV.UK), “Skilled Worker visa” (overview; “Your job”; “When you can be paid less”), updated 14 September 2026, https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵
UK Home Office, “Earned settlement” consultation, opened 20 November 2025, closed 12 February 2026 (23:59), https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/earned-settlement ↩
HM Revenue & Customs (GOV.UK), “National Insurance” (updated 30 September 2026) and “Apply for a National Insurance number”, https://www.gov.uk/national-insurance ↩ ↩²
Internal Revenue Service, “Foreign Student Liability for Social Security and Medicare Taxes”, last reviewed 18 August 2026, https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/foreign-student-liability-for-social-security-and-medicare-taxes ↩ ↩²
Canada Revenue Agency, “CPP contribution rates, maximums and exemptions” (2026), https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/businesses/topics/payroll/payroll-deductions-contributions/canada-pension-plan-cpp/cpp-contribution-rates-maximums-exemptions.html ↩
Canada Revenue Agency, “EI premium rates and maximums” (2026), https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/businesses/topics/payroll/payroll-deductions-contributions/employment-insurance-ei/ei-premium-rates-maximums.html ↩
Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Study Australia), “Tax and superannuation”, fetched October 2026 (contains an outdated superannuation threshold), https://www.studyaustralia.gov.au/en/work-in-australia/work-rights-and-responsibilities/tax-and-superannuation ↩ ↩²