ACET Global - Blog

11 Global Recruitment Challenges and How to Tackle Them

Fri, 03 Nov 2023 08:25:17 +0000

Gone are the days when organisations had to settle for local candidates even though they lacked the required skill sets. Thanks to the rapid evolution of technology, recruiting global candidates has become much easier now. Hiring international candidates serves as a strategic necessity for many organisations while they deal with talent scarcity and skill shortages in their local labour market. However, organisations may have to face certain international recruitment challenges in their hunt for top talent. In this blog, we’ll break down 11 challenges that you might face as an Australian employer and how to tackle them.

1. LABOUR LAWS AND REGULATIONS

Every country has its own labour laws and regulations. While hiring globally, employers should ensure that they comply with these laws, the country they are hiring from and the country their office is located. You should thoroughly research international employment laws and contract stipulations to carry out a compliant recruitment process.

Australia’s labour laws, for example, have undergone significant changes this year such as updates to the Fair Work Act on fixed-term and minimum-term contracts. As an employer, you must comply with each and every regulation so that there is no hindrance in the process for your organisation, the candidate or any other stakeholder.

How do I tackle this challenge?

If you’re seeking global talent, then you should actively monitor the existing laws and any changes in labour law legislation in your country and the countries you wish to hire from. However, we suggest that you partner with legal advisors and global recruitment experts who will guide you in every step of the recruitment process, saving time and effort.

2. VISA CHOICES AND SPONSORSHIPS

Hiring international candidates comes with certain obligations for the employer. One of them is obtaining and maintaining work visas for foreign workers. It’s one of the biggest international recruitment challenges due to the administrative obstacles and legal complications involved. It’s a time-consuming process, especially if you’re hiring overseas talent for the first time.

How do I tackle this challenge?

Ensure that you’re well-acquainted with the immigration laws and visa options before starting your hiring campaign. Classify the recruits’ employment status appropriately. Take the help of legal entities and immigration specialists so that they can assist you with the necessary guidelines while sponsoring and hiring international candidates.

3. VARYING COMPENSATION STRUCTURES AND TAX COMPLIANCES

Every organisation tries to offer equitable and fair compensation and benefits to their employees. However, if you’re hiring someone globally, then navigating the salary structures can get a bit tricky. More so if you’re hiring foreign employees who will work from their own country but for your company based out of your country. To attract the right talent, you should ensure that you conform to the local standards and pay expectations. You might also need to incur a corporate tax liability if you don’t have business operations in the country where your virtual employees are citizens.

How do I tackle such hiring challenges?

Your HR team should conduct thorough market research about the compensation structures. If you’re hiring foreign workers virtually, then you should collaborate with a trustworthy Employer of Record (EOR) in the country you’re hiring from. Alternatively, you may set up a subsidiary in that country if you frequently hire their local talent or intend to do long-term business there.

4. SETTING UP A LOCAL ENTITY

As mentioned above, setting up a local entity can be the solution to hiring talent from a foreign country. However, the process is often time-consuming and expensive and requires a lot of local expertise.

How do I overcome this challenge?

Understand the local financial regulations, business laws and administrative procedures of the countries you want to hire from. Seek legal advice from qualified professionals before setting up subsidiaries in foreign countries. A better alternative is to have an Employer of Record in the region to hire internationally without much hassle.

5. DIFFERENT TIME ZONES

Communicating and coordinating with potential candidates who live at the other end of the world, across different time zones can be difficult. Rounds that include any test or assessment won’t be a big barrier in the recruitment process. However, hiring over the internet may not be the ideal choice for all stages of the interview. Some roles might specifically require the candidate to attend an in-person interview with the employer.

How do I tackle this challenge?

It’s ideal to have a structured hiring process for international candidates. Have face-to-face interviews instead of having the entire hiring process online to evaluate the candidates more efficiently. You should also consider partnering with local hiring agencies and employing an HR executive in the field.

6. STIFF COMPETITION FOR TOP TALENT

The search for top talent is pretty competitive in all industries. Skilled and qualified candidates are often approached by multiple organisations and get hired quickly. Both local and global companies pursue them, further increasing the competition.

How do I tackle this hiring challenge?

Tackling such international recruitment challenges requires you to be prompt and agile. Make your hiring process faster and consider the candidates’ schedules while conducting interviews and assessments. Doing so will decrease the chances of your potential employees looking for other opportunities and create a pleasant candidate experience.

7. CULTURAL DIFFERENCES

International recruitment challenges aren’t limited to tax laws and visa applications. It also includes navigating cultural differences and accommodating diversity. Culture here refers to both social and work culture. Different countries have different cultures and working conditions. What is considered as professional in your country may not be deemed as professional in another country.

How do I tackle such hiring challenges?

You should acquaint your organisation with the culture and customs of your international employees. Investing in such cultural awareness will help your team build relationships and work more collaboratively and efficiently.

8. TALENT ACQUISITION AND MANAGEMENT

Talent acquisition and management can be especially challenging when you hire international candidates. Attracting and hiring talent from different cultural backgrounds and then managing them can become a daunting task if not undertaken with the right approach.

How do I overcome such hiring challenges?

Train your talent acquisition team for such challenges. Ensure that the team is sensitive towards the cultural nuances and diverse perspectives in the workplace. Adapt your hiring process, if necessary, to the local workplace culture of the candidates.

9. EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT AND RETENTION

Employees who have relocated to be part of your organisation will often take time to adjust to the changes. They are experiencing everything new – the country, the culture, the workplace and even the language sometimes. In such cases, employee engagement and retention become major challenges for employers.

How do I tackle such hiring challenges?

Your priority is to create a sense of belonging for your entire team. The foreign workers should feel as welcoming as the local employees. Raising awareness about their cultures, celebrating their festivals and providing them with necessary resources will make them feel that they’re part of their dream company. It will also increase employee engagement and retention.

10. BRAND AWARENESS

Most employers start searching for global talent without a proper strategy or appropriate employer branding. As mentioned above, competition for skilled talent is quite high. A potential candidate has a higher chance of choosing a company she knows about rather than an organisation she has never heard of.

How do I tackle this challenge?

You must stand out to increase your visibility in the talent market. Raise your brand awareness, focus on making your organisation employee-centric, diverse and inclusive and make your existing employees your brand ambassadors.

11. FINDING THE RIGHT TOOLS AND PARTNERS

Using the right tools to hire may seem like a general recruitment challenge. However, the intensity of the challenge doubles when you’re seeking international candidates. For example, advertising the vacant positions on job portals that aren’t popular in your target talent’s country can undermine all your hiring efforts. Similarly, finding the right overseas hiring partners is equally important for successful hiring.

How do I overcome this challenge?

Technology can be leveraged to solve some of the international recruitment challenges. Finding apt hiring tools is one of them. Using the right job portals, applicant tracking systems and people management suites is essential. To fill the vacant positions in your organisation, hire qualified staffing agencies that will find, hire and manage the ideal candidates for you.

ALL CHALLENGES CONSIDERED

You can overcome these international recruitment challenges easily by adopting a proactive and strategic approach. Stay up-to-date with emerging trends in the global recruitment landscape and seek professional help for a smooth recruitment process and positive candidate experience.

As global recruitment experts, we’ve helped multiple organisations resolve such challenges over the years. Contact us for comprehensive hiring solutions and follow us on LinkedIn for the latest updates and insights!

References:

KPMG, Outstaffer, Future Manager Alliance

Global Recruitment: How To Hire International Employees

Tue, 10 Oct 2023 14:50:43 +0000

Every employer wants the best talent for their organisation, even if it means hiring them from overseas. Global hiring has many benefits and isn’t a big challenge when done correctly.

According to the National Skills Commission Report on Skills Priority, 2022, Australia will be facing over 200,000 caring job shortages by the year 2050. And the shortage isn’t limited to caring jobs alone. Australian employers will face a surge in skill shortages and candidates with relevant work experience in many fields.

For most countries like the USA, Germany, Canada and Australia, global hiring has emerged as a strategic approach to address talent scarcity and staff shortages. Let’s look into why global recruitment is a good choice and how to do it right to get the right talent for your company.

WHY HIRE GLOBALLY?

Recruiting candidates across borders has many positives for both the candidate and the organisation. Here are the top advantages that you can experience through global hiring:

A broader talent pool

Global hiring will allow your organisation to get access to a vast and diverse talent pool. It helps you fill in the skill gaps that local talent in your country may not possess.

A diverse set of ideas

A diverse team will bring diverse perspectives, ideas and problem-solving skills. This in turn will increase the productivity of your entire workforce and lead to more efficient handling of challenges.

Knowledge of global markets

The international candidates will bring local market knowledge with them which will help your organisation tap into global markets. They will have insights into their local culture and consumer behaviours, helping your organisation adapt to the business environments of different regions in the world.

An attractive employer brand

Recruiting candidates internationally will build an inclusive culture for your organisation. Having a culturally diverse team will help you create a strong employer brand, increasing your chances of attracting top talent from around the globe.

BUT FIRST, WHY HIRE GLOBALLY?

Rome wasn’t built in a day! Similarly, you can’t simply go about hiring globally on a whim. Your team dynamics and your country’s labour laws are certain things that you should consider while planning for global hiring. Prepare yourself and your team to hire global talent by checking the following list:

Identify your requirements

The first step is to identify your organisation’s needs. Why do you want to hire global talent? Is it because of a talent scarcity in your country or a high attrition rate? Is it to tap into diverse skill sets or expand into the global market? Once you are thorough about your requirements, it’ll immediately become easier to plan for global recruitment.

Predetermine the regions or countries

To target your recruitment efforts effectively, determine the regions or countries where you want to hire from. Not every region might suit your global hiring needs. A specific region may have abundant tech talent while another may have cheaper costs for hiring and relocation. Hence, you should consider the different factors associated with each country or region and market your job openings.

Research about the region, its culture and laws

Every country has its own labour laws and labour market conditions. Before running a hiring campaign, research the region you want to hire talent from. Consider the legal and regulatory requirements such as visa sponsorship or work permits in that region. And sometimes, abiding by the law might not be enough! Research the culture of the region as it’ll help you build a welcoming and safe environment for your recruits.

Find a suitable hiring partner

The same hiring strategy may not work for two different organisations. Also, hiring candidates from different regions will require different strategies. Hence, you should consult global recruitment experts who will conduct the entire process smoothly for your organisation. Partnering with a global recruitment agency will get you access to top talent while saving money and time.

GLOBAL HIRING FOR AUSTRALIAN EMPLOYERS: HOW TO DO IT RIGHT?

While tapping into overseas talent as an Australian organisation, you should consider the regulations of both Australia and the country you are hiring talent from. If you’re hiring in Australia, make sure to fulfil these criteria for global recruitment:

Are you hiring virtually or on-site?

Depending on your requirements, you may hire virtually or in-office employees for your organisation. In the first case, you’ll need to partner with an Employer of Record (EOR) in the country you’re hiring from. An EOR allows your organisation to hire international employees without establishing their own legal entity in that country.

In the second case, you’ve to hire candidates who qualify to relocate and work in Australia. Learn more about the different working visas and immigration rules for hiring overseas employees. The Australian government offers a range of skilled visa options, making it easy for both candidates and employers. Choose the one that best suits your business and hiring needs.

What do you want to offer?

We’re not talking about the compensation here, rather it’s the type of employment that you’re willing to offer. As an Australian employer, you’ve two options to hire international candidates:

(i) A non-citizen residing in Australia with a visa that allows them to work in Australia. International students and people with working holiday visas fall under this category.

(ii) A skilled worker who lives overseas or temporarily in Australia. In this case, you’ve to sponsor them for a work visa on a permanent or temporary basis.

Do you need to run a Labour Market Test (LMT)?

For overseas hiring in Australia, you might need to test the local labour market and show that you couldn't find a suitable Australian employee. However, not all types of visas require you to run an LMT. We’ll delve deeper into LMT and its exemptions in our upcoming blog.

What are your employer obligations?

A global recruitment agency will have the knowledge of these regulations and legal complexities, making your hiring process faster and well-ordered. So, you should hire a global recruitment partner to guide you in every step of the process for successful global hiring.

THE FINAL WORD

If you’re an Australian employer trying to fill skill gaps in your team, then global hiring is the solution. It’ll not only help your organisation and the potential hires but also benefit your existing employees. Ensure that you follow all the government policies and prepare your team for any cultural differences before onboarding the recruits into your workforce.

To ensure a successful recruitment process, consult ACET Global and get a comprehensive hiring solution for your organisation. Connect with us on LinkedIn to stay updated on the latest global recruitment insights!

References:

Home Affairs , Australia, Join, Hirebee

Key Skills for Migration Identification and Development

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 05:51:30 +0000

Skills requirements may vary as per the standard norms for every country. The variation is because of the cultural and professional values of each county are different. Also, the skills needed by employers as per the job profile and individual competency are also unique. Education and professional skills can only be acquired with time and planning, however certain skills can be developed through training and expert guidance.

Migrating to a new country for a better life and career growth is a dream for many. The process is extensive with stringent eligibility criteria. One needs to put in a lot of effort and preparation for visa approvals and associated formalities. Therefore it becomes imperative for the aspirants to prepare themselves in the best possible way for the migration process.

If you aspire to move overseas please fill the enquiry form. You may also write to ACET at info@acetmigration.com or call their offices on:

Australia – 1300 00 8601
India – +91 – 7592 992 991
Dubai – +971 56 502 3499

ACET Migrations Services are tailor made for a smooth migration from native country to local transition in the host country. To know more visit our services page

A country’s labour market and its society are impacted by new migrants. The preparation and acquisition of skills needed to get visa approval are the efforts put by the migrant. Therefore it becomes important that the host country provides an encouraging environment to the migrants to utilize those skills. The countries should form their migrant policies to help them gain local experience and adapt. Opportunities, future prospects, equal work rights, family environment and inclusiveness offer favourable labour market conditions.
A collaborative approach will make the migration market stronger and encourage a longer association of the migrants with the host country. ACET Migration will be the trusted partner of your migration journey. Visit ACET and explore the world of new possibilities.