Prison Break marked Vance's first appearance on American television. He previously starred in the long-running Australian medical drama series All Saints. His additional Australian credits include the television series Stingers, The Secret Life of Us and Blue Heelers, as well as the feature Macbeth.

Vance's acting skills were finely honed in the theater, from his first job playing Paris in Romeo and Juliet in Oxford, followed by various roles in the London Fringe, Royal National Theatre and various other theater companies in the United Kingdom. His United Kingdom television appearances include Kavanagh QC, Peak Practice, The Bill, Doctors and Family.