Student Visas in Europe 2026: Work Hours by Country
How many hours can you work on a European student permit? The answer ranges from Sweden's 15 hours a week to no weekly cap at all, and four countries changed their rules in the last two years. Here is every major destination side by side, taken from each government's own pages.
Quick answer
Across twelve popular European study destinations, the most generous term-time work rights for non-EU students are in Spain (30 hours a week), Finland (an average of 30 hours a week over the year) and Portugal (no weekly hour figure in the rules; notify AIMA first). Germany counts days instead of hours: 140 working days a year, and student-assistant jobs at your university don't count. The tightest are Switzerland and Sweden (15 hours a week) and the Netherlands (16 hours a week, only with an employer-held work permit). Denmark allows 90 hours a month, but since May 2025 only on state-approved programmes. After graduation, the longest job-search permits are Denmark (up to 3 years), Finland (up to 2 years) and Germany (up to 18 months). Every figure below links to the official source, checked in September 2026.
Work hours on a student permit, country by country
This is the rule for students from outside the EU/EEA on a residence permit for higher education. EU citizens study and work under free-movement rules instead. "Term" means the teaching period; where a country allows more work in holidays, the second column says when.
| Country | During term | Holidays / summer | Stay after graduating to find work | Detailed guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | Up to 20 h/week, with an employment permit from the AMS (no labour-market test) | — | 12 months | Austria |
| Denmark | 90 h/month (state-approved programmes only) | Full-time June–August | Up to 3 years (state-approved programmes) | Denmark |
| Finland | Average of 30 h/week, counted over the year | More in some weeks, as long as the yearly average stays at 30 | Up to 2 years | — |
| France | 964 hours a year (60% of full time) | Spread as you like within the 964 | 12 months (master's-level graduates) | France |
| Germany | 140 working days a year; student-assistant jobs don't count | Days can be used in breaks | Up to 18 months | Germany |
| Ireland | 20 h/week | 40 h/week in June–September and 15 December–15 January | 12 months (level 8), up to 24 months (level 9+) | Ireland |
| Italy | 20 h/week | Up to 1,040 hours in 52 weeks | 12 months | Italy |
| Netherlands | 16 h/week, only if your employer holds a work permit (TWV) for you | Full-time June–August (with TWV) | 1 year (orientation year) | Netherlands |
| Portugal | No weekly hour figure in the rules; notify AIMA first | — | Check AIMA for your case | Portugal |
| Spain | 30 h/week | — | 12 months | Spain |
| Sweden | 15 h/week (permits decided from 11 June 2026) | No limit June–August | Up to 12 months (12–18 after a PhD) | Sweden |
| Switzerland | 15 h/week, starting 6 months into your course | Full-time in holidays | 6 months | Switzerland |
Checked against the official pages listed under Sources on 25 September 2026. Rules change: confirm on the official page before you sign a contract.
Four countries changed the rules in 2024–2026
Most comparison tables online still show the old numbers, because four of these countries rewrote their student work rules within two years. Germany raised its annual allowance to 140 working days (§ 16b(3) of the Residence Act) — the older "120 days" figure still appears on many guides, including some official portals that haven't caught up. Denmark switched on 1 July 2024 from 20 hours a week to 90 hours a month, then on 2 May 2025 removed work rights, family permits and the post-study job-seeking permit for anyone who applied for a programme that isn't state-approved. Spain's new immigration regulation (Royal Decree 1155/2024) lets students work up to 30 hours a week alongside their studies. And Sweden, which used to have no cap at all, introduced a 15-hour weekly limit during semesters for permits decided from 11 June 2026, alongside minimum credit requirements for extensions. If a guide you're reading predates these dates, treat its numbers as stale.
Where you can work the most while you study
Spain is the clearest: 30 hours a week during your studies, as long as the job is compatible with your course. Finland allows an average of 30 hours a week, calculated over the whole year, so you can work more in some weeks and less in others; Migri stopped allowing unlimited holiday work, so the average is the only rule. Portugal's rules for higher-education students set no weekly hour figure: you may work as an employee or self-employed alongside your studies, after notifying AIMA. Germany counts working days, not hours: 140 a year, and jobs as a student assistant at your university (studentische Nebentätigkeit) don't count toward them at all, which is why German students chase campus jobs. France counts student work by the year, not the week: 964 hours.
Where the limits are tightest
Switzerland is the strictest: non-EU students may work at most 15 hours a week in term time, and only from six months after the course starts, with the university confirming the job won't delay your studies. Sweden now also caps term-time work at 15 hours a week (with exceptions for jobs at your own university), though June–August is unlimited. The Netherlands allows 16 hours a week or full-time in June, July and August — but only if your employer has obtained a work permit (TWV) for you, which not every employer is willing to arrange. In Austria the employer applies to the Public Employment Service (AMS) for a permit covering up to 20 hours a week; no labour-market test applies at that level. The practical lesson: in these four countries, the job has to fit the permit, and some employers simply won't hire a student who needs paperwork.
Staying after you graduate
The permit to stay and look for work is often worth more than term-time hours. (Full comparison: post-study permits by country.) Denmark offers graduates of state-approved programmes a job-seeking permit of up to three years, during which you can keep working 90 hours a month plus full-time summers. Finland grants up to two years (you need €800 a month for the period) and lets you split it into up to three parts within three years. Germany extends your permit for up to 18 months to look for a job. Ireland's Third Level Graduate Programme (Stamp 1G) gives 12 months after an honours bachelor's and up to 24 months after a master's or PhD — within an overall limit of seven or eight years on the student pathway. The Netherlands' orientation year, Spain's job-search permit, Italy's permit to search for employment, Austria's job-search confirmation and Sweden's post-study permit all run for about 12 months; France gives 12 months to master's-level graduates. Switzerland is shortest at six months, and even then the job must be of "overriding scientific or economic interest" before you can get a work permit.
Bringing your partner or children
Family rules vary more than work rules, and some are conditional. Spain lets students be joined by a spouse and children under 18 for the duration of studies. The Netherlands allows a spouse, registered partner or minor children, subject to conditions. Portugal allows family reunification with a spouse and minor or dependent children. Denmark allows a spouse or partner and children under 18 — but only on state-approved programmes since 2 May 2025. Ireland generally does not allow students to bring family members. France allows reunification in principle but warns students that meeting the conditions can be difficult. Full comparison: bringing your family on a student visa, by country.
How to choose, by what matters to you
- You need to earn a real share of your costs: Spain (30 h/week), Finland (30 h average) and Portugal (no weekly hour figure) give you the most room; Germany works if you can land a campus job, since those don't count toward the 140 days.
- You want to stay and work after the degree: Denmark (up to 3 years, state-approved programmes), Finland (up to 2 years) and Germany (up to 18 months) give the longest runway.
- You're moving as a family: look at Spain, the Netherlands, Portugal and state-approved programmes in Denmark first; Ireland is generally closed to student families.
- Your programme is at a private college in Denmark: check whether it is state-approved before you accept the offer — since May 2025 it decides your work, family and job-seeking rights.
- You'll need the local language: every one of these countries runs daily life, and most jobs outside tech, in its own language. Language Lab teaches the language for the move itself — landlords, doctors, offices — in 50 languages.
Key takeaways
- Most room to work: Spain 30 h/week · Finland 30 h average · Portugal no weekly hour figure (notify AIMA).
- Tightest: Switzerland 15 h/week after 6 months · Sweden 15 h/week (from 11 June 2026) · Netherlands 16 h/week with an employer TWV.
- Germany counts days: 140 working days a year; student-assistant jobs don't count.
- Denmark: 90 h/month — but non-state-approved programmes lost work rights in May 2025.
- Longest stay-back: Denmark up to 3 years · Finland up to 2 years · Germany up to 18 months.
FAQ
Which European country lets international students work the most hours?
Among the major destinations, Spain allows 30 hours a week, Finland allows an average of 30 hours a week over the year, and Portugal's rules set no weekly hour figure for higher-education students who notify AIMA. Germany counts 140 working days a year instead of hours, and campus student-assistant jobs don't count toward that limit.
Is it still 20 hours a week in Denmark?
No. Since 1 July 2024, students with a part-time work permit may work 90 hours per month during the study period and full-time in June, July and August. Cards issued earlier still say "20 hours per week", but the monthly rule applies. Since 2 May 2025, students who applied for programmes that are not state-approved get no work permit at all.
Can I still work unlimited hours as a student in Sweden?
Only if your permit was granted before 11 June 2026, and only until you extend it. Permits decided from 11 June 2026 allow at most 15 hours a week during semesters, with no limit in June, July and August and exceptions for work at your own university.
Do these limits apply to EU citizens?
No. EU/EEA and Swiss citizens studying in another EU/EEA country work under free-movement rules and don't need a work permit. The limits in this guide apply to students from outside the EU/EEA on a study residence permit.
What happens if I work more than allowed?
You risk losing your permit or being refused an extension. Sweden's new rules name revocation explicitly, and in Denmark illegal work can lead to a warning, a fine or revocation of your student permit. Keep your own log of hours if you have more than one job.
Sources (official only)
- Austria, Italy, Spain (family, job search), Germany (job search), France, Netherlands, Portugal (family): European Commission — EU Immigration Portal, student pages
- Germany, 140 working days and student-assistant exception: § 16b Residence Act (AufenthG)
- Spain, 30 hours a week: Ministry of Inclusion — Hoja 4 bis
- Portugal, work alongside studies: AIMA — residence permit for higher-education students (Art. 91)
- Denmark, 90 hours a month and 2 May 2025 rules: nyidanmark.dk — higher education; job seeking: nyidanmark.dk — 3-year job seeking
- Finland: Migri — working during studies; Migri — seeking work after graduation
- Ireland: Immigration Service Delivery — student FAQ; Third Level Graduate Programme
- Netherlands, orientation year: IND — residence permit for orientation year
- Sweden: Migrationsverket — new rules from 11 June 2026; looking for work after studies
- Switzerland, 15 hours and 6-month wait: Ordinance VZAE, Art. 38; job search after graduation: SEM — FAQ working
All figures verified against the official pages above on 25 September 2026. Information, not legal advice.