Work visas for Australia and New Zealand, step by step

What does "employer sponsorship" mean?

Sponsorship means an employer in Australia or New Zealand chooses you for a real job and supports your work visa. It is one of the safest legal ways to work in either country. The idea is simple once you see the order.

Remember this: first the job, then the visa. A business needs a skilled worker and cannot find one locally. It picks you. Next, it asks the government for permission to sponsor or hire you. Only then do you apply for your own visa, and that visa is linked to that one job. Each employer that advertises on JobsAbroad Vietnam is willing to sponsor a visa for the right person.

• In Australia the visa is the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482). The business becomes an approved sponsor and "nominates" your position, which means it asks the government to approve that job for a worker from overseas. After that, you apply. Later on, some people on a 482 can move to permanent residence through the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186).
• In New Zealand the visa is the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV). The business gets accredited (approved to hire from overseas) and passes a job check. Then it sends you a personal link to apply. Some jobs can lead to residence later, for example jobs on the Green List.

The two visas side by side

This table compares the main points, as of October 2026. Each figure links to its official government page. Rules change, so open the link and check again before you apply.

Start with a job that fits you

No job offer means no visa, so your search is the real first step. You can look at jobs with sponsorship in Australia, jobs with sponsorship in New Zealand or the full list of open jobs. Searches many of our readers use: Farm hand, Chef, Welder, Aged care.

Take your time with each job ad. Compare it with your own work history, papers and English. Missing something? It is often wiser to build that skill or get that certificate first, and then apply for a job where sponsorship is realistic.

Getting ready in Vietnam or in another country

You can apply for both visas from Vietnam. You can also apply from another country where you work today, such as Japan, Taiwan or South Korea. Many documents work for both Australia and New Zealand, so one list covers most of it:

• Passport: look at the expiry date. For New Zealand it must stay valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave.
• Police certificates: the Judicial Record Certificate No. 2 (Phiếu lý lịch tư pháp số 2), plus a certificate from other countries where you lived, such as the country where you work now. Australia and New Zealand have different rules on which countries count and how new each certificate must be. Each of our guides explains those rules, and both governments show how to get a certificate in every country.
• Skills papers: degrees, vocational and trade certificates, and licences. Add a skills assessment if your Australian occupation needs one.
• Work evidence: documents from your employers, for example reference letters, employment letters and payslips. A CV alone is not enough.
• A CV in English: clear and short, with each job, its dates and your main duties.
• English results, for example IELTS or PTE, if your visa needs them, from a test taken in person.
• English translations of every document written in Vietnamese or another language.

More detail for each country: Australia and New Zealand. Also check official Vietnamese government sources for any rules on citizens going to work overseas.

Protect yourself from scams

A fake offer often feels urgent and exciting. Knowing the official rules protects you, your savings and your family. Deal only with licensed organisations and real employers.

• Do not pay to get a job. Never pay an unlicensed broker, or anyone who asks for money upfront to "secure" a job or a visa. In New Zealand, employers and agents cannot charge job fees, and paying for an offer can lead Immigration New Zealand to decline your visa. In Australia, a sponsor cannot pass its sponsorship or recruitment costs to you, and paying for sponsorship can stop your visa.
• A "guaranteed visa" does not exist. Only the Australian or New Zealand government decides your visa.
• Choose licensed help, or apply yourself. In Australia, only registered migration agents and lawyers may charge for immigration help. In New Zealand, immigration advice must come from a licensed adviser or an exempt person. Plenty of people apply without any help.
• Pay government fees in the official system. In Australia that is ImmiAccount. In New Zealand it is the Immigration New Zealand online application.
• Be honest in every document. False or misleading information can lead to a refusal.

Official advice: Home Affairs on visa scams and INZ on immigration scams.

Frequently asked questions

Must I have a job offer before I apply for a visa?

Yes. In both countries the job comes before the visa. In Australia, your employer nominates your job first, and then you can apply for the Skills in Demand (482) visa. In New Zealand, your accredited employer must have an approved job check, and then sends you the link to apply for the AEWV.

Is Australia or New Zealand quicker?

Every case is different. As of October 2026, Home Affairs reports that the 482 Core Skills stream finishes 50% of applications in 4 months and 90% in 9 months. Immigration New Zealand decides 80% of AEWV applications within 5.5 weeks. These figures change, so look at the official processing pages.

Can I bring my husband, wife or children?

In many cases, yes. For Australia, your partner and dependent children can be part of your 482 application. For New Zealand, they apply for their own visas, and your pay and job decide which visas they can get.

Can I stay permanently after a sponsored job?

Sometimes. In Australia, many 482 holders apply for the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) after 2 years with their sponsor. In New Zealand, the Green List and the Skilled Migrant Category open a path to residence for some workers. It depends on the rules at the time you apply.

Someone asks me to pay for a sponsored job. Should I?

No. Never pay for a job offer, and never pay an unlicensed broker. Employers and agents in New Zealand cannot charge job fees, and sponsors in Australia cannot pass their sponsorship or recruitment costs to you. Your real costs are the government charges and personal costs such as English tests, medical checks and police certificates.

Can I apply from Vietnam, or from the country where I work now?

Yes. People outside Australia and New Zealand can apply for both visas. The section "Getting ready in Vietnam or in another country" above explains what to prepare, including your Judicial Record Certificate No. 2 and English translations.