Quick Read
- Eight real jobs pay from INR 40.6L to over INR 1 crore.
- Elevator installers in Canada earn about INR 3,050 an hour.
- Air traffic control in New Zealand needs citizenship or residency.
- UK Graduate visa applications from January 2027 get 18 months.
Are Unusual High Paying Jobs a Realistic Plan for Indians, And is the Money Safe?
New Zealand has only about 450 air traffic controllers (2023 Census), and the most common pay is between INR 62.09L and INR 1.26 crore (NZD 115K – 233K) a year before tax. That job is closed to most Indian students, but it shows why unusual high paying jobs pay so much. Most families assume good money means medicine, engineering, or an MBA. The worry is fair: is a rare job a real career? The pay data shows that it can be a real career, but there is a catch.
A quick word on “median,” which you will see often. It is the middle figure: half the people in a job earn more, half earn less. So treat it as a fair guide, not a promise.
Choose your dream country
UK
USA
Germany
Australia
Ireland
Canada
UAE
France
Sweden
Italy
Other
When do you want to study abroad?
What's your highest level of education?
Have you completed Class 12th?
What was your Class 12 CGPA/percentage?
Are you a student or a parent/guardian?
What do you want to study?
Select your current city
How Leap will help you
Personalised University Shortlist
Express Applications with Quicker Admits
End-to-End Application Support
The verdict: unusual high paying jobs are a realistic plan only through a documented route. That means:
- A recognized course: a diploma, a degree, or paid on-the-job training that fits the job.
- A license where needed: legal permission to do a regulated job, given only if the official body for that job accepts your training.
- A visa: one that lets you study, then work.
Unusual high paying jobs are not a shortcut. Viral jobs such as professional cuddling or snake milking are excluded because no reliable pay data exists for them.
Wind turbine technician jobs in the US are projected to grow 7% or faster, while nuclear reactor operator jobs are projected to shrink. For the wider picture, read how to get a job abroad from India.
Sources: Tahatu: air traffic controller, O*NET: wind turbine service technicians
Which Unusual High Paying Jobs Pay What and Where?
Here are eight unusual high paying jobs in four countries, each with pay from an official labor statistics or careers page. Please read the INR column first, as it shows the pay in rupees. Hourly roles show a yearly estimate at 40 hours a week.
| Job | Country | In INR | Official pay basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevator and escalator installer | Canada | INR 3,053/hour (CAD 45), about INR 63.50L a year | Median hourly, Job Bank |
| Electrical powerline technician | Canada | INR 3,121/hour (CAD 46), about INR 64.91L a year | Median hourly, Job Bank |
| Wind turbine service technician | USA | INR 60.88L (USD 64,120) | Median, 2025 |
| Commercial diver | USA | INR 69.30L (USD 72,990) | Median, 2025 |
| Radiation therapist | USA | INR 99.99L (USD 105,310) | Median, 2025 |
| Prosthetist and orthotist | United Kingdom | INR 40.62L - 60.92L (GBP 32,000 - 48,000) | Starter to experienced, National Careers Service |
| Nuclear power reactor operator | USA | INR 1.17 crore (USD 122,890) | Median, 2025 |
| Air traffic controller | New Zealand | INR 62.09L - 1.26 crore (NZD 115K - 233K) | Most common range, Tahatu |
Pay is converted at 1 USD = INR 94.95, 1 GBP = INR 126.93, 1 CAD = INR 67.84, and 1 NZD = INR 53.99 as of October 2026 and will shift with exchange rates, so check the latest rate before planning.
Sources: O*NET: nuclear power reactor operators, O*NET: commercial divers, O*NET: radiation therapists, Job Bank Canada: elevator constructor-mechanic, Job Bank Canada: powerline technician, National Careers Service: prosthetist and orthotist
Notice the range: the lowest figure is a starter salary in the UK, and the highest is a job with very few seats. Plan on the low end for your first years; unusual high paying jobs rarely start at the top.
Highest Paying Jobs in the World in 2027: Salaries, Skills, and Degree Pathways gives you a detailed look at the most well-known and common ones.
Counselor insight: Compare the median, not the best story you heard: half the people in any job earn less than the median.
Hands-on Trades: Which of These Unusual Jobs Start With a Diploma or Apprenticeship?
The common mistake is thinking every well-paid job needs a four-year degree. These four start with a college diploma or an apprenticeship, which is paid, supervised on-the-job training that leads to a qualification. Some roles also need the license described above.
- Elevator and escalator installer (Canada): fits and repairs lifts. Job Bank, Canada's official jobs site, lists it as a college or apprenticeship trade.
Start with vocational training in Canada. Before you pay, check the eligible-field list from IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, the immigration department): college programs outside it may not let you work in Canada after you graduate. - Electrical powerline technician (Canada): builds and repairs overhead and underground power lines.
Look at diploma courses in Canada and study in Canada guide. - Wind turbine service technician (USA): inspects and repairs turbines, often at height. It pays less than the other trades here but is projected to grow faster than the other US jobs listed.
See the study in the USA guide. Ask a counselor whether a student route exists before paying for training. - Commercial diver (USA): inspects and fixes structures underwater with scuba or surface-supplied air. Hazardous conditions are a regular part of the work.
Counselor insight: Pick the route you can finish before you pick the job you can brag about.
Which Health Jobs Pay Well and Have a Degree Route?
If your interest is biology, physics, or health, you have it easier. These two jobs start with a degree, which makes them the clearest student routes in this list.
- Radiation therapist (USA): delivers radiation treatment a doctor prescribes. Most people in the job hold an associate's degree (a two-year US degree) or a bachelor's degree. Pick a program accredited for the role, and ask your counselor which ones accept international students.
- Prosthetist and orthotist (UK): designs artificial limbs and braces. The route is a degree or degree apprenticeship approved by the HCPC, the Health and Care Professions Council, which is the UK regulator.
Start from study in the UK guide and see the highest paying jobs in the UK for a wider pay context.
Highest Paying Jobs in USA for Indian Students: Salaries, Visas, and 2027 Outlook show where these roles sit against other US pay.
Closed Doors: Where Citizenship or Few Openings Decide
Some of these unusual high paying jobs are close to you as an international student. Better to know now.
- Air traffic controller (New Zealand, Australia): New Zealanders ask for New Zealand or Australian citizenship or permanent residency. Australia asks for Australian or New Zealand citizenship or Australian permanent residency. A permanent resident can live and work long-term without a visa each time. It is not a student route.
Read about the highest paying jobs in Australia, or study in Australia guide and study in New Zealand guide for other paths. - Nuclear power reactor operator (USA): pay is high, but the job is projected to shrink, so expect few openings. No student route is listed for it, so treat the figure as a pay benchmark, not a plan.
New Zealand vs Australia for Indian Students 2026: Cost, Visa, Jobs, and PR compares the two countries side by side.
Sources: Airservices Australia: air traffic control careers
For unusual high paying jobs that are open to you, better targets are the countries that hire Indian graduates.
Counselor insight: If a job is closed to non-citizens, treat it as a career to admire, not a plan to pursue.
Why Do Unusual High Paying Jobs Pay So Well?
Unusual high paying jobs usually pay well for three reasons, and none is glamour.
- Few trained people: a small workforce chasing a lot of need pushes pay up.
- Risk or responsibility: working underwater, near high voltage, or beside radiation, or guiding aircraft, often carries higher pay.
- Time to qualify: licensing and long training thin the field, so those who finish are paid for it.
Which Visa and Work Permit Fit Unusual High Paying Jobs Abroad?
Start with the terms.
- Student visa: permission to live in a country while you study.
- Work permit: official permission to take a job where you are not a citizen.
- Post-study work permit: lets you stay and work for a set time after your course.
- OPT (US): Optional Practical Training, which is 12 months of work related to your major.
- STEM OPT (US): an extra 24 months that is called STEM OPT for science, technology, engineering, or math degrees.
- PGWP (Canada): the Post-Graduation Work Permit, a work permit not tied to one employer, after an eligible Canadian program.
- Graduate visa (UK): the UK's post-study work permit after a UK degree.
This table shows the permit after study in each country, so you can see how they differ.
| Country | Permit after study | How long | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| USA | OPT, plus STEM OPT | 12 months, plus 24 for STEM degrees | Must relate to your major |
| UK work visa | Graduate visa | 2 years if you apply by 31 December 2026; 18 months from 1 January 2027; 3 years with a PhD | You must be in the UK when you apply |
| Canada | PGWP | Matches program length, up to 3 years | College programs must be in an eligible field; apply within 180 days |
| New Zealand | Post Study Work Visa | Up to 3 years | Non-degree courses need an eligible qualification and a related job |
Sources: GOV.UK: Graduate visa, ICE: practical training (OPT), IRCC: PGWP eligibility
What it means for you: anyone starting a UK course now will apply after 1 January 2027, so plan for 18 months. For Australia, see the Australia work-visa rules.
Post-Study Work Visa in USA for Indian Students: OPT and STEM OPT Explained (2026) and Post Graduate Work Permit Canada: 2026 Eligibility, Application, and Cost Guide for Indian Students cover each permit in full.
Counselor insight: Count the permit months before you pick the country: a job that needs years of experience can outlast a short permit.
How Do You Start on the Path to These Jobs From India?
Do not start with the course. Start with the rule.
- Pick the job and check who may do it: read the citizenship rule first.
- Check the license or registration: ask the regulator whether a foreign-trained person qualifies.
- Choose a route: diploma or degree, or an apprenticeship, matched to your interest.
- Prepare your application: write a statement of purpose that clearly names the job and the course.
- Apply for the student visa: only after you hold an offer.
- Plan your first work: know which permit follows your course.
What Will Training for These Jobs Cost You?
The cost depends on the country, the college, and the length of the course, so no single figure fits all eight unusual high paying jobs.
Start with our cost guides for USA, Canada, UK, and New Zealand, then run your own numbers in our cost calculator. Budget the full course, not the first year, and add your visa and permit fees.
Are These Jobs Safe, and Will You Belong?
Unusual high paying jobs often carry real physical risk: underwater work, power lines, work at height, and radiation. Ask the college about safety training. Belonging matters as much. Before you pick a college, ask three plain questions: is there an Indian student association, is there housing for first-year international students, and does the careers service place trade graduates? The college's international office can answer all three.
Top Safest Countries for Indian Students to Study Abroad 2026-2027 covers country safety and community.
What If Your Plan for Applying to Unusual High Paying Jobs Goes Wrong?
Most plans slip somewhere. Each problem below has an official place to ask for help.
- The job is closed to non-citizens: read the employer or regulator page, pick a related role, then talk to your counselor.
- Your license or registration is not recognized: ask the regulator before paying. For UK prosthetists, that is the HCPC; for Canadian trades, ask the college which trade authority applies.
- There are few openings: keep a second role in the same trade in mind. Canadian prospects vary by province.
- Injury or burnout: use the employer's safety training and the college careers service, then move to a related role.
- Your permit runs out: apply on time and ask the international office.
Counselor insight: Ask the regulator before you pay for the course, not after.
3 Takeaways on Unusual High Paying Jobs for Indians
- Check the door before the pay: unusual high paying jobs only count if your citizenship, license, and visa allow them, so read that rule first.
- Plan on the median, not the story: the 8 unusual high paying jobs here start at INR 40.6L, but half of workers earn below the median.
- Choose the route, then the job: match a diploma, apprenticeship, or degree to your interest and ask a counselor before you pay.
Talk to a Leap Scholar counselor to match unusual high paying jobs to a course, a country, and a visa route that fit your profile.
Frequently Asked Questions About Unusual High Paying Jobs for Indians
-
What are the most unusual high paying jobs abroad that are real careers?
Real examples with official pay include a nuclear reactor operator at INR 1.17 crore, a radiation therapist at INR 99.99L, an air traffic controller in New Zealand, and an elevator installer in Canada. Each needs training, and some are closed to non-citizens, so check the rules first.
-
Are jobs like professional cuddler or snake milker real unusual high paying jobs?
They exist as viral stories, but no reliable pay data supports them, so this guide leaves them out. The unusual high paying jobs covered here each have official pay from a labor statistics or careers page, which makes them far safer to plan a study route around.
-
Can an Indian student become an air traffic controller abroad?
Not directly. New Zealand and Australia accept only citizens or permanent residents of the countries they name. If you do not hold that status, treat it as closed and look at related roles or other countries that hire Indian graduates.
-
How much does an elevator installer earn in Canada in INR?
The median is CAD 45.00 an hour, which is about INR 3,053 an hour or roughly INR 63.50L a year at 40 hours a week. Job Bank says prospects vary by province, so check local demand and the training route before you commit to this career.
-
Which unusual high paying jobs do not need a university degree?
Elevator installers and powerline technicians in Canada can enter through college or an apprenticeship. Commercial divers usually hold a post-secondary certificate, and wind technicians most often do. Ask a counselor whether a student route exists for these trades before paying.
-
Do you need a work permit after studying for unusual high paying jobs?
Usually yes. You need a post-study work permit: OPT in the US, PGWP in Canada, the Graduate visa in the UK, or the Post Study Work Visa in New Zealand. UK applications submitted from 1 January 2027 will receive 18 months, so please plan your timing accordingly.
-
Is a commercial diver paid well compared with the other jobs here?
A US commercial diver earns a median of INR 69.30L (USD 72,990), which sits in the middle of this list. The pay reflects hazardous underwater work, so weigh the risk and your comfort with it before you choose this path.
-
What can you do if one of the unusual high paying jobs you want is closed to non-citizens?
Read the regulator or employer page, pick a related role in the same field, or choose a country that hires foreign graduates. A counselor can map your profile to open routes, so you do not spend money on a closed door.
Have Questions? Get Guidance to reach your Dream University
Connect with India's finest counsellors and biggest study abroad community.
Get Guidance