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Vietnamese workers: where do you fit when Australian firms build blended teams?

News · 2026-09-04 · 3 min read

You may read news about Australian companies sending work overseas. Some people say this takes jobs from local workers. But the real story inside many businesses is simpler. They cannot find enough skilled people. So they build teams in two places on purpose: some staff in Australia and some staff overseas. This is called a blended team.

What is a blended team?

A blended team has onshore staff and offshore staff. Onshore means in Australia. Offshore means in another country. Both groups work together for the same business. Most employers do not choose one or the other. They use both.

Why do businesses do this?

Recent research found that skills shortages now hurt money, not only hiring. Employers said service got worse. Customers left. Deadlines were missed. Some businesses even turned down new work because the team was too small or lacked the right skills.

Small businesses face a special problem. Hiring a first admin or operations person in Australia can cost well into six figures once superannuation, leave and other costs are added. Superannuation is the retirement money an employer pays for a worker. For a new business, that can be too much. An offshore hire may be the only way to fill the role. Then the owner has more time to grow the business.

What does AI change?

Some people think AI will end offshore jobs. The research does not show that. Offshore teams use AI tools as fast as onshore teams, or faster. Some of the fastest-growing offshore jobs are in AI and automation. These include data analysts, automation specialists and AI engineers.

Simple, repeated tasks are the ones that machines now do. Jobs that need judgement are growing. That means understanding information, understanding the customer, and using AI tools in a sensible way.

Why do the rules matter?

Most employers say the rules for offshore work have become much stricter. Only a quarter feel confident that they follow them. Many do not know which standards apply. The rules cover how workers are classified, how data is handled, what the contract says and how local employment law applies.

As a worker, you can protect yourself. Read your contract slowly. Ask who your employer is. Ask how data will be kept safe.

How can you get ready?

• Practise explaining your decisions, not only your tasks.
• Learn AI tools and be ready to show how you used them.
• Keep your English clear and polite in writing.
• Prepare certified English translations of your Vietnamese certificates if an employer asks.

Stay safe

Online job offers can be risky. Deal only with licensed organisations and real employers. Never pay an unlicensed broker. Be careful with anyone who asks for money upfront to "secure" a job. Also remember that a remote job for an Australian business is not a visa to live in Australia. They are two different things.

#blended teams #remote jobs #ai skills #australian employers #vietnamese workers