One transparent formula, with the awkward exceptions left visible
This is a comparison of legal earning capacity during study, not take-home pay, average pay, job availability or return on investment.
The current adult statutory minimum, even where younger workers legally receive less.
The normal in-session weekly cap, or the annual pool where the country uses one.
Weekly rules use hours × 52 ÷ 12. Annual pools use permitted annual hours ÷ 12.
Native monthly gross × the 22 Sep 2026 exchange rate used in the dossier.
Composite counselling pattern, details anonymised: a parent sees Rs. 1.43L and treats it as a monthly scholarship. The student then reaches the destination, needs time to secure a job, loses shifts around exams and pays tax and transport from gross wages. The right comparison is not tuition minus the legal ceiling. It is the full no-job budget first, with actual work income treated as later relief.
Monthly ceiling, gross, using the locked 22 Sep exchange snapshot
Open any country to see the study pathway, work permission, wage input, calculation and official links. Named institutions are examples, not endorsements and not a claim that every course carries identical work rights.
Australia · about Rs. 1.9L a month
Australia sits alone at the top of this comparison.
🇦🇺 Australia48 hours per fortnight in sessionRs. 1.88LA$2,749.76 gross⌄
24 hours/week × 52 ÷ 12 × A$26.44, converted at Rs. 68.4325/A$.
Most Student visa subclass 500 holders after the course starts. Research master's and doctoral students have no hour cap after commencement.
An eligible course with a registered Australian provider, for example the University of Melbourne or UNSW, followed by a Confirmation of Enrolment and student visa.
Scheduled course breaks can allow unlimited hours. Jobs and award rates vary, so A$26.44 is a comparison floor, not a forecast of actual shifts.
New Zealand, Germany and the UK
These three are within about 1% of one another and their order changes with small rupee movements. They are permanently presented as one band, not as a fixed sequence.
🇳🇿 New ZealandUp to 25 hours per weekRs. 1,42,731NZ$2,594.58 gross⌄
25 hours/week × 52 ÷ 12 × NZ$23.95, then converted at Rs. 55.01/NZ$.
Students whose individual visa conditions grant work rights. Course type, level and duration matter.
A qualifying full-time course, for example at the University of Auckland or University of Otago, followed by a student visa carrying work conditions.
Eligible students may work full-time in scheduled breaks. Self-employment is not allowed, and the job must have an employment agreement.
🇩🇪 Germany140 full days per year, 8-hour modelRs. 1,42,715€1,297.33 gross⌄
140 full days × 8 hours ÷ 12 × €13.90, then converted at Rs. 110.01/€.
Third-country students may use the 140 full-day or 280 half-day account. An alternative 20-hour lecture-period route also exists.
Admission to a recognised institution, for example TUM or RWTH Aachen, plus the appropriate student residence status and proof of resources.
Student assistant roles can be treated differently. This comparison uses the annual-day account so holiday hours draw from the same modelled pool.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom20 hours per week in term timeRs. 1,41,895£1,101.53 gross⌄
20 hours/week × 52 ÷ 12 × £12.71, then converted at Rs. 128.82/£.
Degree-level students sponsored by a compliant higher education provider. Below-degree and part-time study can have lower or no work rights.
A qualifying full-time degree, for example at the University of Manchester or University of Birmingham, with a Student visa and compliant sponsor.
Full-time work is permitted outside term time. Self-employment and several professional activities remain restricted.
Ireland and Canada
Two similar monthly ceilings, with different visa conditions and holiday rules.
🇮🇪 Ireland20 hours per week while studyingRs. 1.35L€1,226.33 gross⌄
20 hours/week × 52 ÷ 12 × €14.15, then converted at Rs. 110.01/€.
Students with valid Stamp 2 permission on an approved programme. Course and immigration status must remain compliant.
An approved ILEP programme, for example at Trinity College Dublin or University College Dublin, followed by the correct student permission.
The cap becomes 40 hours in June to September and 15 December to 15 January. Proof of funds must not rely on casual work.
🇨🇦 Canada, Ontario24 hours per week off campusRs. 1.25LC$1,830.40 gross through 30 Sep⌄
24 hours/week × 52 ÷ 12 × C$17.60, converted at Rs. 68.381/C$. From 1 October, C$17.95 gives about Rs. 1.28L.
Eligible full-time students at a designated learning institution, in a programme at least six months long that leads to a credential.
A qualifying programme at a DLI, for example the University of Toronto or University of Waterloo, plus a study permit with work conditions and a SIN.
Unlimited off-campus hours may be allowed in scheduled breaks. Ontario is one province, so this is not a Canada-wide wage figure.
Netherlands and France
Both sit near Rs. 1.1L in this monthly gross model.
🇳🇱 Netherlands16 hours per week, employer permit requiredRs. 1.14L€1,039.31 gross⌄
16 hours/week × 52 ÷ 12 × €14.99, then converted at Rs. 110.01/€.
Higher education residence permit holders whose employer obtains a TWV work permit, as stated by IND.
Full-time study at a recognised sponsor, for example TU Delft or the University of Amsterdam, with annual academic progress.
Choose up to 16 hours weekly or full-time in June, July and August. The employer permit can make hiring less straightforward.
🇫🇷 France964 hours per yearRs. 1.09L€988.90 gross⌄
964 annual hours ÷ 12 × €12.31, then converted at Rs. 110.01/€.
Foreign students with the appropriate student residence status. Algerian students are governed by separate rules.
Admission and student residence status for an eligible course, for example at Sorbonne University or Université Paris-Saclay.
The 964-hour pool is annual, so holiday work uses the same pool. Gross SMIC rose to €12.31 on 1 June 2026.
USA, Texas · about Rs. 0.6L a month
The Texas example sits alone at the bottom of this comparison.
🇺🇸 USA, Texas20 hours per week, qualifying on-campus workRs. 0.60LUS$628.33 gross⌄
20 hours/week × 52 ÷ 12 × US$7.25, converted at Rs. 95.8225/US$.
F-1 students can generally take qualifying on-campus employment while school is in session, subject to status and school guidance.
An F-1 programme, for example at UT Austin or Texas A&M, with a Form I-20, valid status and coordination with the designated school official.
Full-time on-campus work can be allowed during breaks. Off-campus work normally needs separate authorization and should not be assumed.
Update the exchange rate before using these figures
Choose a country, then edit the wage, exchange rate or legal hours. The result updates instantly. It remains a gross legal ceiling, not expected take-home pay.
The weekly cap does not behave the same way everywhere
This table separates the in-session comparison rule from the holiday rule. It also names the paperwork detail most likely to surprise a student.
| Country | Rule used for comparison | Scheduled holidays | Permission catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 48 hours per fortnight | Unlimited in scheduled course breaks | Visa condition and course status control the right |
| New Zealand | 25 hours per week | Full-time if visa and course conditions allow | Check the eVisa, no self-employment |
| Germany | 140 full days/year at 8 hours in this model | Annual pool still governs this calculation | Alternative 20-hour lecture-period route exists |
| United Kingdom | 20 hours per term-time week | Full-time outside term | Course level and sponsor compliance matter |
| Ireland | 20 hours per week | 40 hours in named summer and winter periods | Valid Stamp 2 and approved programme required |
| Canada, Ontario | 24 off-campus hours per week | Unlimited in qualifying scheduled breaks | Study permit conditions and SIN required |
| Netherlands | 16 hours per week | Choose full-time work in June to August instead | IND confirms the employer must obtain a TWV |
| France | 964 hours per year | Holiday hours use the same annual pool | Separate rules apply to Algerian students |
| USA, Texas | 20 hours per week on campus | Full-time on campus during breaks | Off-campus work usually needs authorization |
The answer to the reel's holiday question: Germany and France are the two presented through one yearly pool, so the calculation does not switch from a weekly term-time cap to a separate holiday allowance. Germany also has an alternative lecture-period framework, which is why the exact route on the student's permission should be checked.
Canada break-duration note: the public IRCC work page confirms unlimited hours in scheduled breaks but does not state the annual 180-day total. University guidance citing IRCC operational wording says a single break is capped at 150 days and scheduled breaks total 180 days in a calendar year. This page treats that duration detail as Likely because the underlying IRCC instruction page was not directly opened in this research pass.
What changes at age 18: using the official youth rates with the same hours and exchange snapshot, the UK falls to about Rs. 1.21L at £10.85/hour, the Netherlands to about Rs. 0.57L at €7.50/hour, and Ireland to about Rs. 1.08L at €11.32/hour. The calculator lets you replace the adult wage with the age-correct rate.
A legal work right does not replace money you must show before study
The safe planning rule is simple: arrange tuition and required living funds independently of future wages. Official systems assess finances before or during the visa process, while employment begins later and is uncertain.
Build the no-job budget
Test whether the first academic year still works if the student earns nothing for several months.
Check the official amount
Use the immigration authority's current maintenance or financial-support page, not an agent's cached graphic.
Treat work as upside
Use actual earnings for living-cost relief after arrival, not as the amount that makes the visa plan viable.
Canada is the clearest wording: its financial-support page says the applicant must prove enough money without working in Canada. Ireland similarly says funds must support the stay without relying on casual work. Other systems ask for funds already held, a blocked account, maintenance evidence or institution-certified financial support.
What to do before using any number on this page
Open the visa source
Confirm that the student's exact course, institution and visa conditions carry the work right.
Use the correct age rate
UK, Ireland and Netherlands figures can fall sharply for an 18-year-old. Do not use the adult ceiling blindly.
Refresh currency
Update the rate before publishing or making a financial decision. Keep New Zealand, Germany and the UK together in the same band even if their internal order moves.
Questions the comparison cannot answer by itself
Does the number mean my child will actually earn this much?
Why do New Zealand, Germany and the UK share one band?
Why use an adult wage when many students are 18?
Why is the USA labelled Texas?
Why is Germany based on an 8-hour day?
Can a student use part-time income as proof of funds?
Official links and confidence labels
Primary official sources, checked 22 September 2026
Australia: Home Affairs, Study Australia and Fair Work Ombudsman. New Zealand: Immigration New Zealand and Employment New Zealand. Germany: Make it in Germany and BMAS. United Kingdom: Appendix Student and minimum wage rates. Ireland: Irish Immigration and Low Pay Commission. Canada: IRCC, IRCC financial support and Ontario minimum wage. Netherlands: IND and Rijksoverheid. France: Campus France and info.gouv.fr. USA: ICE SEVIS and US Department of Labor.
Exchange-rate method: the INR inputs are the locked 22 September 2026 editorial snapshot supplied with the reel dossier. The calculator exposes each rate so it can be refreshed. Assumptions: 52 ÷ 12 converts weekly limits to an average month; Germany uses 8 hours per full day; Texas represents the US example; Ontario represents Canada. This is informational research, not immigration, employment, tax or legal advice.
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