Hiring an employee from a different country can be a very complicated process when you don’t plan ahead. Even relatively minor issues with their paperwork could result in huge fines and fees if you aren’t careful. Here are a few tips and tricks that will help you hire amazing employees from different countries.
Carry Out Background Checks
Once you have narrowed down your choices to a few potential employees, you will need to conduct some background checks. Luckily, international background check services are more affordable than ever, and they will allow you to pull up quite a bit of information on your applicants. Many background check companies will also verify an individual’s identity by searching for birth certificates and other official documents.
Determine Which Immigration Program You Are Going to Use
There are many different visa programs to choose from, and each program has its own pros and cons. For employees who have unique skills or training, you should probably go with the H1-B visa for specialty workers. There are also specific immigration programs for those who work within certain industries. If you aren’t sure which immigration program to choose, then you need to speak with an immigration attorney. An experienced lawyer can help you navigate your way through this complex legal process.
Submit the Proper Applications
Before any visa paperwork is submitted, you will need to obtain a certificate from the US Department of Labor. During the certification process, the Department of Labor will make sure that hiring the foreign employee won’t harm job opportunities or wages for US workers. After you have that certificate, you will then need to submit the visa application to the Department of Homeland Security for final approval.
As an employer, it is your responsibility to ensure that all of your employees are legally allowed to work in the country. If you try to bypass any of these steps, then you could find yourself dealing with a time-consuming legal battle that ends up costing your company huge sums of money.
