Learn how to hire international employees and keep your business compliant.

How to Hire International Employees (and Stay Compliant!)

Large enterprises source and hire international employees for tasks that can be performed remotely like customer service call centers, technical support, or back-office functions like data entry and bill processing. They do it for the potential cost-savings; skilled and suitably educated personnel in developing countries can draw more affordable wages than their counterparts in the U.S. This is also a potential solution for hiring into hard-to-fill positions.

Now companies of all sizes can benefit from a constantly improving international pool of talent. The available skills have expanded to include marketing, software development, accounting, and more. Companies have sprung up worldwide to help U.S. employers tap this talent and manage it on behalf of smaller clients.

Engaging an employment services company in-country can be critical for locating the necessary talent and assuring the labor laws of that nation are obeyed. Employer services in those countries should have the knowledge and operations necessary to succeed while staying compliant.

If you want to maximize the benefits of employing remote international personnel, having your own management “on the ground” to administer the employer/employee relationship is still critical. This is your best guarantee that you will realize the full value that a qualified international workforce can deliver. But it doesn’t have to mean establishing a legal entity or even a physical presence in that country.  

Benefits of Hiring International Employees

Many U.S. employers are surprised to discover the excellence of the international talent pool. The same technologies that enable remote work and learning have elevated the knowledge and skills base worldwide.

It is now possible to hire highly educated and well-skilled individuals at rates that might be considered modest by U.S. standards but represent a very good wage in their native country. These workers tend to come with a solid work ethic and high professional standards. Especially desirable are nearshore candidates in the western hemisphere whose workday corresponds to U.S. hours.

In addition to technical skills, English proficiency is higher than ever. As the international language of business, motivated individuals can possess an impressive mastery of English, enabling clear communication with managers, peers, and even customers. Depending on a company’s customer base, having bilingual personnel may be an added advantage.

International workers can be an ideal solution for small and medium-sized businesses in a range of business sectors:

Suitable roles for remote workers can include:

Challenges of Hiring International Employees

Managing an international workforce does present its own set of challenges. If you already have employees in multiple states, you know payroll can get complicated. That’s equally true for international hires. Just as in the U.S., there will be national, state, and local taxes associated with their earnings. There may be taxes associated with national healthcare and retirement funds. And, as with taxes of any kind, mandatory paperwork must be filed, records maintained according to law, and the requirements may change at any time.

Speaking of laws, every country has its own set of labor laws. These can mandate and proscribe total working hours, rest breaks, time off, workplace conditions, and more. Depending on the nature of the work, there may be special regulations, like those related to exposure to electrical emissions.

Since remote work tends to be computer-based knowledge work, it can often involve sensitive data like personal customer information or intellectual property, and access to sensitive systems. Such considerations are not necessarily different from managing any remote employee anywhere. But implementing the necessary controls across international networks may require special attention.

Likewise, consumer privacy and data-security regulations must be honored according to local law.   

5 Steps to Hire International Employees

If you think hiring remote international workers might fill your talent needs, here’s how to find and hire them:

  1. Identify the need, roles, and skill requirements: Unlike a conventional job description, you may need added focus on skills like language proficiency or cultural considerations that need to be clarified. Confirm to your own satisfaction that the requirements of the job can be filled remotely in another country.
  • Understand the legal and compliance considerations: You don’t need to become an expert in international employment law. But do enough homework to assure yourself that the move makes operational and economic sense.
  • Source international talent: This is a job for professionals. You need someone who knows the market and the pockets of exceptional talent that make a solution like this so attractive.
  • Evaluate candidates: Even if video interviews aren’t currently a part of your vetting process, you’ll need them here. This is also one more reason to have professionals managing the process on the other end.
  • Hire and onboard: Once again, in-country professionals can make sure everything is done according to local laws and customs. They can also help you devise culture-specific onboarding enhancements to make your new remote employee feel especially welcome and ready to contribute.

As with any remote worker, you will need to provide them with the necessary equipment and — if they will be handling the company’s data assets – make sure they are secured against all cyber threats.

Now that you know how to hire international employees, you can see that a Business Process Outsourcer like Solvo can simplify the process considerably. In fact, since the process will require consulting with an in-country expert under any circumstances, you may want to connect with Solvo before you even begin.

Simplify Global Hiring with Solvo: Tap Talented, Remote Employees Beyond Your Borders

If you’ve decided to enjoy the same salary cost-savings as much larger companies – and avoid the complexities of hiring outside the U.S. – talk to Solvo. They can handle everything for you, including standing between you and any legal liabilities regarding local labor law compliance.

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