Working in Australia or New Zealand: visa routes for overseas job seekers

Two employer-backed routes

The usual way in for a skilled worker without existing work rights is a job with an employer prepared to take on the visa process. That employer has its own approvals to obtain, and you have your own visa criteria to satisfy; neither replaces the other.

• Australia: the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) needs an approved sponsor and a nominated position.
• New Zealand: the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) needs an accredited employer, an approved job check and an application link from that employer.

Some adverts are open only to people already in Australia with work rights, so read each listing before you apply.

Side by side

Show employers what you actually do

Australian employers hire on duties, not titles. A “technician” in one country may be a supervisor in another. Spell out the machinery, software, project sizes, safety responsibilities and team you have handled, and give dates.

Start with jobs in Australia, compare jobs in New Zealand, or filter the full jobs board by occupation and location.

Paperwork to gather wherever you live now

Whatever your nationality, an overseas application rests on documents that line up with each other. Your name should appear the same way on every record, or you should be able to show why it changed. Start collecting early, because some offices in some countries are slow.

• Passport: confirm how long it remains valid and which nationality it shows. Visa options follow the passport you hold, not the country you live or work in today.
• Proof of your trade or profession: certificates, transcripts and, for trades, apprenticeship or logbook records under the names the issuing body uses. Many occupations need a formal skills assessment from the assessing authority named for that occupation.
• Licences and registration: regulated work such as nursing, medicine or electrical work needs Australian registration or a licence from the relevant authority, usually for the state or territory where the job is. Holding a licence at home does not transfer it.
• Work history: signed reference letters on letterhead that give your dates, weekly hours, duties and tools or systems used, backed by payslips, contracts or tax records where you have them. Ask referees before passing on their details.
• Police certificates: these can be needed from more than one country, covering each place you have lived for a significant time. Request them when the authority asks, so they are still current when assessed.
• English: a recent test result, or the documents that prove a specific exemption.
• Translations: anything not in English needs an English translation that meets the receiving authority’s rules. Keep the originals with the translations.

Alongside the paperwork, sort out your notice period, savings for the first weeks, health cover and somewhere to stay on arrival.

Working holiday visas depend on your passport

Australia’s Working Holiday Maker arrangements cover two visas: the Working Holiday visa (subclass 417) and the Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462). Which one, if either, you can apply for depends entirely on the passport you hold. Age limits differ between them and, for some passports, the 462 also asks for an education level, functional English and a letter of support from your government.

Some 462 countries have an annual cap on first visas; check the current status of country caps on the day you plan to apply. Holders of other passports have no working holiday option and should look at sponsored work instead.

New Zealand runs its own working holiday visas for young people from recognised countries, normally for up to 12 months, with separate rules for each country.

A working holiday is a short stay with limits on work, not a sponsored career move. For harvest and farm roles, Seasonal Jobs Australia is a separate search.

Red flags in an overseas job offer

A genuine offer names the employer, the work location, the duties, the pay and the hours, in writing. Measure anything you receive against the Home Affairs and INZ scam guidance. Applying to a job through JobsAbroad Australia costs nothing; government visa charges, tests, translations and medicals are paid separately.

Get ready to apply and interview

Your CV is the first thing an Australian employer reads, so keep it factual and specific. Build AI CV can help lay it out, and Talent Tabloid covers job-hunting topics. PractiseNow offers test practice and Interview Training lets you rehearse answers. If your occupation needs a skills assessment, Skills Assessment Australia explains the process; the assessing authority’s own rules still decide the outcome.

Interviews for overseas candidates may take place by video. Be ready to describe a typical shift, a problem you solved and how you work safely. To ask about a particular listing, get in touch and quote its reference.

Frequently asked questions

Can people of any nationality apply?

Yes. Listings are open to anyone who meets their requirements, although some ask for existing Australian or New Zealand work rights. Your passport then decides which visas you can use.

Do I need a job before applying for these work visas?

For the 482 and the AEWV, yes: both depend on an employer and a specific role. Working holiday visas do not need a job offer, but only certain passports qualify.

Will my qualifications be accepted as they are?

Not automatically. Employers, skills assessing authorities and registration or licensing bodies each make their own decision about overseas qualifications.

Which passports are exempt from the 482 English test?

Home Affairs lists passport holders from Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States. Other exemptions depend on study or the job itself.

Does applying through the site cost anything?

No. You still pay any government charges, tests, medical checks, translations or professional services you choose to use.