Countries
The 9 countries we research for South African graduates.
United Kingdom
English-speaking and familiar, but harder than it has been in years.
16 of 23 fields rated 4 or 5 · 6 visa routes IEIreland
English-speaking, EU, and strong in tech, pharma and financial services.
17 of 23 fields rated 4 or 5 · 4 visa routes NLNetherlands
No occupation list and no labour market test — just a salary threshold and an IND-recognised employer.
5 of 23 fields rated 4 or 5 · 4 visa routes DEGermany
Large engineering, IT and industrial job market, essentially free public universities, and an unusually open job-seeking route (the Opportunity Card).
12 of 23 fields rated 4 or 5 · 4 visa routes USUnited States
The biggest prize and the longest odds.
13 of 23 fields rated 4 or 5 · 6 visa routes CACanada
Still the most transparent points system in the world, and it rewards young, educated, English-speaking applicants.
15 of 23 fields rated 4 or 5 · 5 visa routes AUAustralia
A coherent system: employer sponsorship via Skills in Demand, or points-tested PR via subclass 189/190/491.
19 of 23 fields rated 4 or 5 · 6 visa routes NZNew Zealand
A small market, but an unusually clear ladder: an accredited employer gets you in, the Green List can lead straight to residence, and the Skilled Migrant Category needs only 6 points.
18 of 23 fields rated 4 or 5 · 5 visa routes AEUnited Arab Emirates
Easy to get a job visa, hard to stay for good.
13 of 23 fields rated 4 or 5 · 6 visa routes