The 12-month permit after graduation
When you finish a degree at a Lithuanian university you can apply for a temporary residence permit for 12 months to look for a job or start your own business. During those 12 months you may work without a separate work permit. Apply before your study permit expires; the last study permit is normally issued for six months longer than the course, which leaves time to do it.
- State fee: €220 for a decision within one month, or €440 for an urgent decision within 15 days.
- Who qualifies: graduates who studied on a residence permit. Students who were in Lithuania on a national visa cannot get it.
Moving to a work permit
To stay beyond the 12 months you need a job that qualifies for a work-based residence permit. Graduates of Lithuanian universities have an advantage: for five years after graduation they can get a work permit without the usual requirements on professional qualification and work experience. Before the 2026 amendments this window was ten years.
Jobs that need a university degree and pay above the threshold set by law may qualify for the EU Blue Card, which is easier to move with inside the EU. Your employer usually handles the application.
Family and long-term plans
Master's and doctoral students can bring a spouse and children from the start of their studies under the 2026 amendments, and graduates on a work permit can sponsor family as well. Study permits are capped at eight years in total, so a long chain of courses is not a route to staying.
Permanent residence normally requires five years of continuous legal residence and exams in Lithuanian and the constitution. It is a realistic goal for graduates who build a career in the country, not a quick step after the degree.
Jobs and salaries
The best prospects are in IT, software, data, engineering and shared-service centres in Vilnius and Kaunas, logistics around the port of Klaipėda, and some finance roles. Hospitality and general business graduates without Lithuanian find it much harder. The minimum wage in 2026 is €1,153 a month, about ₹1.2 lakh, before tax. Graduate salaries in IT and engineering are usually well above it, but the gap between fields is large, so check job portals for your own field before choosing a course.
Using the degree in India
Lithuanian degrees follow the European credit system and are issued with a diploma supplement in English. Private employers in India accept them directly. For admission to an Indian university, government recruitment and some state registrations you may need an equivalence certificate from the Association of Indian Universities (AIU). Keep your diploma, transcript and diploma supplement, and get them apostilled in Lithuania before you leave.
Medical graduates follow a separate route. To practise in India you must meet the NMC's Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations 2021 and clear the screening exam. See MBBS in Lithuania.