According to German-based global network InterNations, during a 2021 study made during one of the heights of the COVID-19 pandemic, 77% of international expats surveyed said that the pandemic had affected or delayed their travel plans. However, those same participants said they were still planning to move once restrictions were lifted.
Talented individuals are once again ready to move abroad for work. When this is combined with the rise of remote work (which is expected to increase by as much as 87% by 2025), it makes sense that employers should look at the benefits associated with overseas employees.
Whether you’re looking to transfer your current employees into a new market or you want to hire new team members in a foreign country, recruiting internationally still requires more forethought than recruiting locally.
The Ways to Hire an Overseas Employee
Hiring overseas requires having an entity to employ workers outside of your home country. What form that structure takes depends on your requirements. Two of the most common arrangements that you can make as an employer to hire overseas are to incorporate a new branch of your company in a foreign country or to utilize the services of a PEO/EOR provider.
Company Incorporation
It can be tempting to think that simply setting up a new branch of your company in a foreign country would be the best way to hire workers overseas. However, opening a separate legal entity in a foreign country can be complex and time-consuming. It would likely mean establishing a physical presence in that country or being obliged to set up and manage a whole range of structures that increase overheads and complications.
PEO/EOR vs Company Incorporation: The Advantages in Figures
Professional Employer Organizations (PEO) and Global Employers of Record (EOR)
Alternatively, you can consider using the services of a PEO or EOR company that operates in your target market. These HR outsourcing options provide your employees with everything they need to begin operations while avoiding company incorporation’s red tape and complexities.
A Global Employer of Record company can give you access to HR outsourcing options like compliance assurance, contractor management, payroll outsourcing services, or tax management. They may also act as a Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) provider, allowing you to continue work as usual while they take care of the recruitment and hiring processes.
PEOs and EORs allow you to hire workers in foreign countries in a fraction of the time it takes to establish yourself and hire internally. On average, a PEO services provider can get your employees in a foreign country operating in a matter of days instead of the months it can take to incorporate a new company and hire staff.
A PEO services provider can also allow you to complete the process for a fraction of the cost and allow for a much higher level of compliance assurance with all relevant aspects of local regulatory law.
The Steps Required
- Consider your needs
Why are you looking for an overseas employee? Are they going to be temporary or permanent? Are they going to provide you with a specific skill or kind of experience?
By being specific about your needs, you’ll be able to search more efficiently or give your Recruitment Process Outsourcing partner more information.
- Consider yourself
How will your new employee fit into your company structure? How hands-on are you going to be in terms of their day-to-day operations?
Your new employee will fit better into your overall structure if you know exactly how they’ll function as part of your team.
- Find the right candidate
Finding the right overseas employee may mean using recruitment platforms or networks with which you’re not entirely familiar. It can be helpful to have a local partner who understands where and how to find the best talent a foreign market offers.
- Understand local labor laws
The country you are hiring in may require many different things in terms of labor laws or regulations. The salary or benefit benchmarks that your potential employee may be looking for as part of their contract will require you to understand the local market in detail. Local laws may require you to provide specific documents to all employees, such as Canada’s ROE (Record of Employment). You need to be aware and familiar with every one of these requirements.
- Bring them onboard
Whether your new candidate will be the first hire for your new local branch, or whether you’d prefer to hire them through a professional EOR or PEO, you need to ensure that you bring on your overseas employees efficiently and securely
The 6 Advantages of Hiring Internationally
– Higher Candidate Quality
Hiring overseas gives you access to a much larger talent pool than would otherwise be possible.
– More Proficient Candidates
You and your team can gain access to new skills and experience to further your success.
– Employee Diversity
Overseas employees will provide you with new forms of insight and ways of thinking.
– Improved Problem Solving
They can also improve how your existing employees tackle a challenge, forcing them to think outside the box and work in new ways.
– Reduced Costs
Often, employees from foreign countries can also be hired at a fraction of the cost due to lower living costs, allowing you to save on salary.
– Geographical Flexibility
Today it’s also worth remembering that a successful team no longer requires such a close-knit office community to operate smoothly. You can be active worldwide while managing a remote-based team by hiring staff overseas.
How to Take Advantage of Global PEO/EOR Services
A PEO or EOR relationship allows you to operate in a foreign country without first establishing a separate physical entity in that country. As restrictions related to travel end, you can take full advantage of the growth of remote work while still maintaining a coherent company structure.
INS Global is a PEO services provider with over 15 years of experience helping companies expand and hire internationally. Our specialists have the local skills and knowledge necessary to help you achieve your goals and hire the best talent in the most efficient way possible.
Contact us today to learn more about how you can hire overseas using our RPO and PEO/EOR services.
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