Ashish started his career as a Software Engineer with Thomson Reuters Inc., building their flagship investment research solution – Thomson One. He then went on to take multiple executive roles in Program Management and AI before managing the Data Science and Engineering business in the Insurance vertical. Ashish is a university gold medalist in Biotechnology and later went on to study Bentley University’s flagship MBA in 2014 with a 100% scholarship. Ashish founded iSchoolConnect in 2017 to solve the pain point of many parents and children: getting unbiased, hassle-free admission in foreign colleges.
A recent survey conducted by iSchoolConnect revealed that 42% of undergrads and 49% of graduates considered the ‘Chance to pursue a career in the US’ a key factor when choosing between US universities. However, not all students are aware of the process they need to follow for securing a successful future in the US, or any other country abroad.
Securing admission at a university abroad is only the first step in ensuring that your life’s work is valued and accredited. It’s getting a visa – be it a student visa, an exchange visa, or a work visa – that’s tricky. The application process for these visas isn’t straightforward and requires students to be aware of the finer details. Additionally, there’s immense competition amongst aspirants looking to secure a work visa.
While profile building is something students can work upon themselves, the information needed to apply for these visas can be easily found if they refer to the right sources.
Why do I need a work permit?
A work permit, also known as a work visa, is a document authorized by the government of the country a student wishes to work in. Unlike the student visa, which lets students pursue education at a recognized institution, the work visa allows them to stay back and work in the country for a set number of years, given that they satisfy certain predetermined conditions – like having a job offer, being promised a salary above a certain amount, etc.
How to get a work permit after graduating from a university abroad?
These predetermined conditions, along with the period for which students are allowed to work, vary from one country to another. And so does the application process.
However, any student with a general idea of when and how to apply for a work visa will find it easy to navigate through the process-
- Check if you need a work visa at all. The relations of any country with another vary vastly, which affects the rules and regulations revolving around getting to work in the country. For example, if a student plans to work in Germany and is from the EEA/EU, US, Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, or the Republic of Korea, she can work in Germany without a visa and will only need a residence permit. Students from a third-world country, however, need to obtain a work visa before entering Germany. So the first step is figuring out if a student falls into a category that exempts them from applying for a work visa.
- Find out which work visa to apply for. Most countries offer more than one type of work visa, depending on factors such as the applicant’s skills, the nature of the job, the purpose behind working there, etc. Look at Canada – if a student is looking to do a regular job in the country, she will need to apply for an Employer-specific work permit. But if she wishes to freelance, she’s going to need an Open work permit.
- Make sure you fulfill the eligibility criteria. Getting a work visa after graduation is not a cakewalk. These eligibility requirements ensure that. But being aware of these conditions and confident about being able to satisfy them makes the application process a lot smoother. For example, if a student wishes to work in the UK after graduation, knowing that she must have a confirmed job offer before applying for the visa, work for a UK employer that’s been approved by the Home Office, have a ‘certificate of sponsorship’ from the employer, and be paid a minimum salary to qualify for a Skilled Worker visa will help immensely.
- Find out where you need to submit your application. This will depend on whether the applicant is in the country and switching from a different visa or applying from outside the country.
- Collect all the required documents. Go to the official government website and find out which documents are required in order to support the work visa application.
- Pay and submit your application. The information on the amount can be easily found on the official government websites.
In certain cases, applicants might be asked to share additional data, appear for an interview, provide biometric information, etc. It’s essential to be aware of these procedures before initiating the application process.
Applying and getting a work visa is a significant step in securing a successful career abroad. Most countries ease this process for students by allowing them to apply for a transitional visa which helps them stay back and look for a job in the country after graduation. Students possessing the kind of caliber international organizations are looking for can rest assured that securing a work visa won’t be as much of a hassle.