There are various paid work programs for students abroad.
Most of them are linked to study programs, meaning that with a student visa you can work legally.
There are also paid internship opportunities in some countries.
Both student visa work programs and paid internships are offered in specific countries.
Not all countries allow legal work for students, nor do they offer paid internships.
The main opportunities for both programs are in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina and Chile.

Students must be enrolled in a course to be able to work legally.
The course conditions will vary according to the country.
The same school that the student will be studying at is responsible for organizing the work.
For this, the student must have an intermediate level of the language.
The jobs are all in the hospitality industry, in hotels, cafés and restaurants.
The school organizes job interviews for the students and prepares them for the interviews and the job market.
There are tips on courses that can help, posture, appropriate vocabulary and expressions.
The schools have partnerships with employment agencies that guarantee jobs.
Students work between 20 and 40 hours a week.

The salary received is enough to cover personal expenses such as food, transport and accommodation.
An intermediate language level is essential, but other hospitality skills also help, such as gastronomy courses, bartending, barista, sushiman, among others.
The better the level of language and skills, the better the level of work.

The student enrolls in a course and obtains a work permit.
The course must also meet certain criteria according to the country chosen.
In this case, the student arranges the work abroad themselves.
The work permit is for 20 hours a week during the study period and 40 hours a week during school vacations.
In this format, the student doesn’t necessarily have to work in hospitality.
They are open to looking for opportunities in other areas, including their own.
For obvious reasons, in order to work in your area, it is essential that the student has an intermediate/advanced level of the language.
Those who have basic English end up in the hospitality industry, which is the industry that most accepts students who are learning the language.
The salary is calculated per hour of work.
The amount received is enough for the student to stay in the country, taking into account basic costs such as food, transportation and accommodation.

This option does not require the candidate to be enrolled in any course.
These are just work programs, known as Work and Travel.
Esse programa é oferecido nos EUA, na época das férias universitárias de dezembro.
A duração varia entre 3 a 4 meses.
Os trabalhos são todos na indústria da hospitalidade, em lanchonetes, restaurantes e cafés como: McDonald’s, Hungry Jacks, Pizza Hut, Starbucks.
Outros locais de trabalho são hotéis, cassinos e estações de esqui.
As funções costumam ser de caixa, garçom, auxiliar de limpeza, camareira, entre outros da área.
Os estudantes podem ser selecionados para qualquer lugar nos Estados Unidos.
É possível indicar preferências de cidades, mas a colocação dependerá da disponibilidade de vagas.
Os estudantes ganham de USD 7 a USD 12 por hora.
A carga horária média de trabalho é de 35 horas semanais.
As acomodações nem as passagens estão inclusas no programa, apenas o seguro e a colocação no trabalho.

The prerequisites for joining the program are:

• Be between 18 and 28 years old;
• Be a currently enrolled university student;
• Stay in the USA for the duration of the program; and
• Be able to speak, read and understand English at an intermediate level.

NOTE: Students in their last semester of college cannot participate in the program.

There are internship opportunities in different countries.
Each country or institution has its own peculiarities when it comes to organizing programs.
However, in general, internships are always combined with a language course.
The minimum duration of the program is 1 month, which can vary depending on the country.
The course is taken in parallel or before the internship program.
The areas are as varied as possible: marketing, administration, finance, engineering, journalism, IT, sports, architecture, communication, biology, among others.
Most internship programs are unpaid, but there are also options for paid programs.
In some cases, remuneration will depend on the candidates’ level of language and experience.
To apply for an internship, you must have an intermediate/advanced level of the language and be a student in the field.

Internship programs abroad are excellent options for those looking for an international experience.
Some of the advantages are: making your CV international; gaining experience with international professionals; having a reference from an international organization; differentiating yourself in the job market; experiencing a different culture and language; networking; revealing your potential and talent; and making friends from all over the world.

Here’s a list of the main countries that allow legalized work for language and other students, as well as a brief description of each law and its rules.

Germany

In Germany, university students can legally work 20 hours a week.
Language course students are not allowed to work, except those with a European passport.
Brazilian students can also take part in unpaid internship programs in various areas of the country.

Australia

Students enrolled in any type of full-time course, lasting at least 12 weeks, can legally work in the country.
Work is permitted for 20 hours a week.
During school vacations you can work full time, i.e. 40 hours a week.
Another option is an internship or trainee program.
These are available to students between the ages of 18 and 30, who are currently studying or have graduated within 2 years.
The program can be done for a maximum of 26 weeks.
It is permitted to take an English course in Australia before the traineeship, but the duration of the course cannot exceed 20% of the total time of the traineeship, hence the visa.
This program is offered under visa category 416.
For more information, visit: http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/specialist-entry/416/

Argentina

Students can take part in paid internship programs in a wide variety of areas.
The programs last from 3 to 6 months and can be done in the cities of Buenos Aires and Córdoba.
It is recommended to take a Spanish course for at least 1 month before the internship.
There are also options for volunteer programs and unpaid internships.

Canada

Students enrolled in language, technical, undergraduate, postgraduate, master’s and doctoral programs can legally work 20 hours a week.
There are some particularities depending on the type of course.
Language course students are allowed to work only after completing the course, in a specific program called Work and Study.
The rules of this program allow work for exactly the same period as studies, e.g. in a 6-month program, the first 3 months are for the course and the following 3 months for work.
In an 8-month program, 4 months of study and then 4 months of work, and so on.
The minimum duration of this program is 6 months, as this is the minimum time needed to apply for a study permit.
For technical, undergraduate and postgraduate courses, students can legally work for the first 6 months of the course, but only on the campus of the institution they are studying at.
After the first 6 months, students can work elsewhere, always for 20 hours a week.
Canada also offers unpaid internship programs.
It is also compulsory to take a language course before the internship, for the same period as the internship.
The main difference with the rules for work programs for language students (Work and Study) is that the minimum duration of internships is 8 weeks.

Chile

The rule is exactly the same as in Argentina.
Students can take part in paid internship programs in a wide variety of areas.
The programs last from 3 to 6 months and can be done in the city of Santiago.
It is recommended to take a Spanish course for at least 1 month before the internship.
There are also options for volunteer programs and unpaid internships.

Costa Rica

The rule is also the same in Argentina and Chile.
Students can take part in paid internship programs in a wide variety of areas.
The programs last from 3 to 6 months and can be done in the cities of Heredia and San José.
It is recommended to take a Spanish course for at least 1 month before the internship.
There are also options for volunteer programs and unpaid internships.

United States

In the USA, only students enrolled in higher education programs lasting at least 9 months can legally work 20 hours a week.
Work is only permitted within the campus of the institution where the candidate is studying.
Authorization from the educational institution is also required.
Work must not interfere with the full timetable of studies.
For off-campus work, a special government permit is required.
The other type of paid work in the USA is called Work and Travel, which has already been detailed above.
There are also paid and unpaid internship programs.
Remuneration will depend on the assessment of the company offering the internship, as well as the candidate’s CV and level of English.

France

To work legally in France, you must be enrolled in a higher education course lasting at least 6 months.
The work permit is 19.5 hours per week during your studies.
During vacations, full time work is permitted, up to 39 hours per week.
Foreign students must apply for a work permit from the French Ministry of Labor (Ministère Français du Travail).
Students generally work in the hospitality industry: cafés, restaurants and hotels.
The level of employment, and therefore the pay, varies according to the level of language knowledge.

England

Students enrolled in language courses at schools accredited by the British government for at least 6 months can legally work in the country.
However, in order to obtain a work permit, the student must have an intermediate/advanced level of English proven by proficiency exams.
IELTS, Cambridge (PET, FCE and CAE) and TOEFL are accepted.
Each test has different rules and scores, but the required score is the equivalent of B2.
The work allowed is 10 hours a week.
Students enrolled in technical courses at government schools are allowed to work 15 hours a week.
Students must leave Brazil with a visa that includes a work permit.

Ireland

Students enrolled in language, technical, undergraduate or postgraduate courses can legally work in the country.
Working 20 hours a week is permitted during the period of study.
Another program allows students on English and technical courses, after completing a minimum of 6 months, to work for a further 6 months in the country.
In this second semester of the program, you don’t have to study, you can just work full-time.
Work is allowed for 40 hours a week.

Japan

After 6 months studying in the country, foreign students can apply for a work permit, provided they are still enrolled in a course.
This rule applies to all types of course.

New Zealand

Students enrolled in technical courses and higher education, with a minimum duration of 2 years, can legally work 20 hours a week.
For English students, the minimum duration of the course must be 6 months.
They must also have an IELTS certificate with a minimum score of 5.5.
In this case, students can work 20 hours a week for the duration of the course.
Another work program in New Zealand is Work and Holiday.
In this program, the candidate does not need to study.
They acquire a visa called Work and Holiday, which allows them to work in the country for up to a year.
The main rule of the program is that the candidate cannot work in the same job for more than 3 consecutive months.
During the work period, if the candidate wishes, they are also allowed to study, but the course may not exceed 3 months.
Every year, 300 job vacancies are made available to Brazilians for this program.
Applications always start in September.
The vacancies are very busy and usually end in less than a week.
The program’s prerequisites are: to be between 18 and 30 years old; to present proof of financial availability for the trip with a minimum value of NZD 4,200.00; to have a return ticket; to meet the health requirements; and not to have done this program before.

Other countries
Particularities about legislation, rules and types of work will always exist and vary from country to country.
Generally speaking, you can apply for work visas anywhere as long as you have a job offer from that country.
With regard to student work, the rules will always vary.
Many destinations also allow unpaid internship programs, requiring only an intermediate/advanced level of the language of the country in question and being a student in the field.

Most students who go to countries where work is legal work during their studies.
Generally, the jobs are in the hospitality industry, including restaurants, hotels and cafés.
This is because this is the industry that accepts students with a limited level of English, who are in the country precisely to learn the language.
The level of work arranged is proportional to the student’s level of English, but there are work options for everyone, even those who speak no English at all.
They will work in places where there is no need to have contact with the public.

Of course, the pay received by students always varies from country to country, but in all countries pay is calculated on an hourly basis.
Below are the minimum and maximum amounts received in the main countries that allow legalized work for students:

• Australia: AUD 25.00 to AUD 50.00 per hour
• Canada: CAD 20.00 to AUD 45.00 per hour
• New Zealand: NZD 25.00 to AUD 50.00 per hour
• Ireland: EUR 15.00 to EUR 25.00 per hour
  • England: GBP 15.00 to GBP 25.00 per hour

There are a few ways to look for work in countries that allow legalized work for students.
All of these countries are full of opportunities and if you have the discipline and perseverance to look for work, you will find it.
The normal timeframe for this varies from one week to one month, but some may take 1, 2 or 3 days less and others 40, 50 or 60 days more.
It all depends on your needs and willpower.

Here are some tips on how to get a job abroad:

• Referral of students already abroad

When they start the course, or even before, they will start to interact and make friends with students of different nationalities, including Brazilians.
These are students who have already been in their destination country for two, three or six months, with the same purpose, i.e. studying English and combining their studies with leisure and work activities.
It’s common for these students to recommend job opportunities to those who are arriving, which can be either at their own place of work or in other places that they find out about.
As it is normal for new students to come and go constantly, opportunities always arise for those arriving to replace those who are returning home.

• Employment agencies

There are several employment agencies abroad that specialize in jobs for students.
It is recommended that you visit these agencies and leave your CV there.
The agencies usually have a number of opportunities for temporary and other fixed-term jobs for students.
It is advisable to search the internet for specific agencies in the city where the student is staying.
The school can also recommend some of these agencies.

• Through school

Another common option for students to work abroad is through the support of the school itself, in which case the student is enrolled.
Generally, schools offer various types of support for their students, one of which is on how to get a job.
The efficiency and type of support varies according to the school, but in general, they all offer preparation services for students to get a job, in some cases even getting the job itself.
The schools give tips on how to behave at job interviews, help prepare the student’s CV, and in some cases even arrange job interviews for the students.
Some schools also offer language courses aimed at specific work situations, and professional training courses for the most common opportunities for students, such as: barista, bartender, waiter, childcare, among others, in order to train and qualify the student.
Schools may charge for some services and others may be free, depending on the school.

• Distributing CVs

The last and one of the most effective ways to get a job is to distribute CVs door-to-door.
In this format, we recommend printing between 10 and 50 CVs, depending on each student’s willpower.
Resumes can be distributed over the course of a week, strategizing how to do so according to the neighborhood(s) the student wishes to work in.
CVs should be distributed in cafés, restaurants and hotels.
It may also be worth distributing them in pubs, but in this case the chances of working at night are high, which would not be compatible with school and study hours.
It is advisable to wear all-black clothes, as this is usually the attire of the hospitality industry, which generally employs students.
It’s a basic black outfit, pants, shirt or dress, preferably a more elegant outfit, to make a good impression.
Other basic grooming habits are recommended, such as: hair, perhaps a gel, make-up, something lighter, but always a good look.
Finally, we also recommend that students memorize a few phrases when they leave their CV.
Phrases introducing yourself, stating your purpose in the country and showing interest and willingness to work.
It’s best to speak to the manager and always go in and out of the office smiling.