A mere two-hour drive from the Canadian border, Seattle can often feel more Canadian or European in its outlook than its US counterparts. Forward thinking, foodie and with a dry humour that’s often in contrast to its wet weather reputation – both students and grads looking for jobs will feel instantly at home in the Emerald City – so-called due to lush greenery you’ll find here.

Go indoors and there are art galleries, music bars, coffee houses, microbreweries and on-trend sustainable restaurants seemingly on every corner. While outdoors you'll find beachfront parks, waterfront walks and access to some of the most astounding scenery in North America that reign supreme.

From the towering Space Needle to the snow-capped peak of the mighty Mount Rainier, Washington State’s largest city stands head and shoulders above the rest. Added to that, you’re just a stone’s throw from a whole host of national parks, ski slopes and within easy reach of Portland, one of the most liberal cities on the planet.

Seattle is an ideal place to gain experience in financial services – one of the finest in the whole of the US thank-you-very-much), business management and IT. Graduates or student using their 1-year Grad USA visa to pursue careers in clean technology and renewable energy will be at the cutting edge here – but that’s not all you can get stuck into here.

Aeronautics and higher education are big industries here too, with the prestigious University of Washington being one of the city's largest employers. The sciences play a major role in Seattle's job market too, including biopharmaceuticals and health-related industries. Bioengineering gets a boost from the Seattle-based Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, meaning the city that gave the world Microsoft continues to support research and development.