Common questions from Tanzania
These are short replies to what readers in Tanzania ask us most often. The visa guides give the complete picture.
Do I have to live in Tanzania to apply?
No. We write mainly for readers in Tanzania, yet the vacancies are open to every nationality so long as your skills and experience suit the job.
What is meant by "employer-sponsored"?
It means the employer supports your application for a work visa, the Skills in Demand visa in Australia or the Accredited Employer Work Visa in New Zealand, and must follow government rules about pay and conditions while doing so.
Is an English test compulsory?
For Australia, normally yes. The 482 exempts only holders of passports from the UK, Canada, New Zealand, the US and the Republic of Ireland; a Tanzanian passport is not one of them, so most applicants sit an approved test. For New Zealand the grading of the job decides. Because employers and registration bodies sometimes add English rules of their own, read the advert and the visa guide too.
Will Australia or New Zealand accept my NECTA or VETA certificate?
It helps your case, though neither country counts it as automatically equal to its own licence, so be ready for your trade to be assessed again. Certain Australian occupations require a skills assessment, frequently from VETASSESS or Trades Recognition Australia, and trades such as electrical and plumbing work also call for a state licence. New Zealand requires occupational registration for some trades. The visa guides explain which rule applies when.
I am a registered nurse in Tanzania. Can I nurse as soon as I arrive?
Not on the strength of your Tanzanian registration, which does not carry over. Before practising in Australia or New Zealand you must be registered with that country’s nursing regulator; the advert says what the employer needs.
What police certificate will be asked for?
For your time in Tanzania the document is a police clearance certificate from the Tanzania Police Force. If you have also lived abroad for long enough, certificates from those countries can be required as well; the rules are in the visa guides.
Must my documents be translated?
Rarely, since official papers from Tanzania are usually in English already. You could still be asked for certified copies, and any document in another language, Swahili for instance, needs a certified English translation.
Is a working holiday visa available to me?
No, not for now: Tanzania has no working holiday arrangement with Australia or New Zealand. Our listings are sponsored vacancies, and any rule change would be announced on each government’s website.
When might I start work overseas?
That varies. Much depends on the country, your occupation, whether a skills assessment or registration is needed, and how fast you can collect your papers. Current official processing times appear in the visa guides.
May my family join me?
In most cases they may. Both visas have provision for a partner and dependent children, under whichever rules apply at the time you lodge.
Is there a cost to apply?
None. Applying for a job here is free. Should anyone ask for money for an offer or a visa, refuse: buying a job or sponsorship violates the rules in Australia and New Zealand and can lead to your visa being refused.
How do I apply?
Open the vacancy and choose "Apply by email", or choose "Ask on WhatsApp" if you have a question first. Add your CV along with your certificates or registration details.