Who's Hiring Foreign Workers in 2026? Data from 9,800+ Open Positions

9,819 Visa Sponsorship Jobs Are Open Right Now

If you're looking for a job abroad with visa sponsorship, the data is in your favour: we're tracking 9,819 open positions from 537 employers across 6 countries — and the number keeps growing. From software engineers in San Francisco to truck drivers in Alberta, pharmacists in London to caregivers in Auckland, the opportunities span every profession and skill level.

This article breaks down who's hiring, where the jobs are, which roles are most in demand, and how to find and apply for these positions. All data is from our live visa sponsorship job database, updated daily.

Jobs by Country

The United States leads in total sponsored job listings, but every country in our database has active opportunities:

#	Country	Open Positions	Employers	Primary Visa
1	United States	4,287	218	H-1B / O-1 / L-1
2	United Kingdom	2,341	156	Skilled Worker Visa
3	Canada	1,456	89	LMIA Work Permit
4	Australia	892	47	Subclass 482 (TSS)
5	New Zealand	518	34	AEWV
6	Ireland	325	28	Critical Skills / General

The US has the most listings but also the most competitive process (H-1B lottery). Canada and NZ offer more predictable pathways. Browse all countries on our visa sponsorship hub.

Top Global Employers Hiring Now

These companies have the most open visa-sponsored positions across all countries:

#	Employer	Open Roles	Countries	Sectors
1	Amazon	312	US, UK, CA, AU	Tech, Logistics, Operations
2	Microsoft	278	US, UK, CA, IE	Tech, AI, Cloud
3	Google	234	US, UK, CA, AU	Tech, AI, Ads
4	Meta	187	US, UK, CA	Tech, AI, VR/AR
5	Deloitte	165	US, UK, CA, AU, IE	Consulting, Audit, Tax
6	Apple	156	US, UK, CA	Tech, Hardware, AI
7	NHS (UK)	143	UK	Healthcare
8	TCS	128	US, UK, CA, AU	IT Services, Consulting
9	Infosys	112	US, UK, AU	IT Services, Digital
10	Accenture	108	US, UK, CA, AU, IE	Consulting, Tech

Beyond big tech, notice the NHS (UK's healthcare system) at #7 — a reminder that visa sponsorship is not just a tech phenomenon. Deloitte and Accenture also sponsor heavily across multiple countries for accounting, consulting, and business roles.

Most Common Sponsored Roles

Software engineering dominates, but the data shows strong demand across healthcare, transportation, and professional services:

#	Role	Open Positions	Share	Top Country
1	Software Engineer	1,842	19%	US (924)
2	Data Scientist / Analyst	687	7%	US (342)
3	Registered Nurse	534	5%	UK (287)
4	Product Manager	412	4%	US (231)
5	DevOps / SRE	387	4%	US (198)
6	Pharmacist	298	3%	UK (167)
7	Accountant / Auditor	245	2%	UK (112)
8	Truck Driver	198	2%	CA (124)
9	Caregiver / Care Worker	176	2%	NZ (89)
10	Chef / Cook	152	2%	NZ (67)

81% of sponsored positions are outside software engineering. Healthcare, transportation, hospitality, and professional services collectively make up the majority. If you're not in tech, don't assume sponsorship isn't available for your field.

It's Not Just IT

One of the biggest misconceptions about visa sponsorship is that it's only for software developers. Our data tells a different story:

Healthcare

Nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists, and caregivers are in acute demand across every country we track. The UK's NHS alone has 143 sponsored positions open. New Zealand's aged care sector has issued thousands of AEWV grants. The US sponsors registered nurses through H-1B and the EB-3 green card category.

Transportation

Canada sponsors transport truck drivers through the LMIA program — with 45,380 positions approved since 2019. Australia sponsors heavy vehicle drivers under the TSS visa. If you have a CDL (US), Class 1 licence (CA), or equivalent, there are sponsored opportunities.

Trades and Construction

New Zealand's top AEWV occupation is Builder's Labourer (11,681 grants), followed by carpenters, painters, and electricians. Australia sponsors electricians, plumbers, and welders. These are skilled trades with genuine shortages.

Hospitality

Chefs and cooks are among the most sponsored occupations globally. NZ issued 11,612 AEWV grants for chefs and cooks combined. The UK, Ireland, and Australia all sponsor qualified chefs. Restaurant managers and hotel supervisors also feature regularly.

Professional Services

Accountants, auditors, management consultants, and financial analysts are sponsored by the Big Four (Deloitte, PwC, EY, KPMG), major banks, and consulting firms. If you have a CPA, ACCA, or equivalent qualification, multiple countries will welcome your application.

Remote Work and Visa Sponsorship

Of the 9,819 positions we track, approximately 17% (1,669 roles) are listed as remote or hybrid. Key observations:

• Remote ≠ work from anywhere — most "remote" sponsored roles require you to reside in the sponsoring country for visa and tax purposes
• US tech leads remote sponsorship — most remote-eligible sponsored roles are US-based software engineering and data science positions
• Hybrid is growing — many companies now offer 2-3 days in-office, which satisfies visa physical presence requirements while offering flexibility
• Fully remote sponsorship is rare — very few employers sponsor workers who won't relocate at all. Expect to live in-country

How to Find Visa Sponsorship Jobs

1. Use ApplyWave's employer databases — browse verified sponsors by country: all countries, or filter by US, UK, Canada, Australia, NZ, Ireland
2. Set up Job Radar alerts — use our Job Radar tool to get email notifications when new sponsored positions matching your profile are posted
3. Target known sponsors — companies with sponsorship history are 5-10x more likely to sponsor than companies that have never done it
4. Search strategically on LinkedIn — add "visa sponsorship" or "H-1B" to your job search. Many companies tag their listings
5. Apply to multiple countries — don't limit yourself to one destination. The US might be competitive (H-1B lottery), but Canada, NZ, or Ireland might have the same role with a guaranteed visa pathway

Which Country Is Easiest for Sponsorship?

There's no single answer — it depends on your profession, experience, and preferences:

Factor	Best Country	Why
Broadest coverage	Canada	LMIA covers all occupations, 1.41M positions approved
Fastest processing	Canada (GTS)	2-week target for tech workers
Easiest for trades	New Zealand	Builders, carpenters, drivers are top occupations
Highest pay	United States	$153K-$541K for tech roles
Most sponsors	United Kingdom	119,000+ licensed Skilled Worker sponsors
Fastest to PR	Canada / NZ	2-3 years to permanent residency
Best for healthcare	United Kingdom	NHS sponsors nurses, doctors, pharmacists at scale

Read our detailed country comparison guide for a full breakdown.

Application Tips

1. Mention visa needs early — don't hide your visa status. Include "Authorized to work with visa sponsorship" or your current visa type in your resume header or cover letter opening
2. Tailor every application — use keywords from the job description. Companies sponsoring visas are investing significant money and time in you — they need to see an exact fit
3. Apply early in the cycle — US H-1B registration opens in March each year. UK sponsors have annual Certificate of Sponsorship allocations. Don't miss the window
4. Be flexible on location — willing to work in Columbus instead of San Francisco? Your competition drops by 80%. Many great sponsors are in secondary cities
5. Use your network — referrals are the #1 source of visa-sponsored hires at major companies. Join industry communities, attend meetups, connect with employees at target companies

What's Next

The global labour market continues to favour skilled workers willing to relocate. With 9,819 positions open today across 6 countries and 537 employers, there has never been more data available to make an informed decision about working abroad.

Start your search:

• Browse all visa sponsorship employers
• Compare the best countries for visa sponsorship
• See real salary data from sponsored jobs
• Set up Job Radar alerts for new positions
• Canada LMIA guide — the world's most accessible work permit program