If you are planning to hire foreign workers for your company, there are a couple of things to keep in mind before moving forward. You need to follow the regulations and verify the tax forms. Before that, you must rethink if your business really needs someone from other nations or not. Outsourcing is a practical approach, as it is profitable and takes less time. You can consider other options as you seem fit for your business needs and goals.
Employers Guide to Hiring Abroad: Options
Hiring foreign workers abroad for your business can be an uphill task. But, it helps set foot in global markets and expand your business. Whether it’s establishing a foreign subsidiary or hiring foreign contractors, it’s essential to understand the regulatory requirements before moving forward. Here is a guide to hiring abroad, along with the options that work the best for your organization.
Foreign Independent Contractors
Hiring overseas contractors for your company could be beneficial for short-term projects. But it’s a risky process as you can get penalized if the contractor is conducting oneself as an employee. You need to monitor and manage them regularly to avoid such situations. As an employer, you also need to know the tax form to use for overseas contractors.
Establishing a Subsidiary Company
If you think establishing a sister company is the best solution to hire foreign workers, think twice! The probability of your business ramping up in a whole new territory can be minimal if you don’t have the right plan or use the right strategies. Operating a business outside your country is expensive and may not be the right approach most of the time. Business policies, regulations, operating costs, and decisions vary with location, and you need to ensure that all the guidelines are followed.
Foreign Business Process Outsourcing
There are hundreds of outsourcing providers in the market you can reach out to. Pick the right vendors and ensure their services align right with your business goals. If you think you need assistance in operating a segment of your business, you can outsource it quickly this way.
How to Hire Foreign Workers
Hiring foreign workers abroad for your business is not as easy as it seems. You need to follow the laws and procedures before jumping into the hiring process. Applying for a certification from the U.S. and getting it approved is crucial to moving forward with the next step. If you find hiring foreigners for your business is a tedious task, we are just one call away. With WeHG, you need not worry about hiring foreign workers for your business.
Table of Contents
We help you with:
Interviewing prospective foreign workers
We interview foreign workers once the certification – that you lack skilled and experienced workers in the U.S. and there is a dire need to hire foreign workers – gets approved by the Department of Labor.
We then head to the job portals and upload the job requirements as per your business needs and wait for candidates to apply.
Onboarding the resources
The hiring process may take longer as the ATS friendly resume and CVs may not be similar to the U.S. candidates, but we ensure the resources are onboarded on time. Once the candidates are hired, we take complete responsibility for the next steps.
Payroll and compensation
Once we onboard the candidates, we take care of the payroll, benefits offered, and compensation. You can focus on your business operations while taking care of everything until the employee stays with you.
Verify the Forms and Tax Laws
A bunch of forms need to be filled by the foreign worker post the hiring process. Whether the candidate is hired full-time or on a contract basis, forms need to be filled and verified thoroughly. Full-time candidates need to apply for a social security number. And a foreign employee working from home needs to fill the Form W-8 BEN. If you find any disparity in the employee’s details, you can report or send it back to the employee for review. Only after thorough verification, foreign workers can start working in your organization.
Can U.S. companies hire foreign workers?
U.S. companies can hire foreign workers based on their requirements, and there is no barrier to it. If the employees are working outside of the U.S., they need not pay U.S. taxes, too. Hiring managers should keep a check of the guidelines and tax laws while hiring foreign nationals, but if the hiring is for short time services, the employees need not worry about getting a work visa or paying taxes in the U.S.
Advantages of hiring freelance foreign workers in the U.S.
Your company doesn’t need to deal with taxes and medicare forms for the employees.
You also don’t need to file reports or certifications to the Department of Labor.
It is cost-effective and saves considerable time as there is no need for the on-boarding process physically or taking care of other infrastructure costs.
The IRS states that hiring foreign workers is legal and possible. There are no limitations concerning the hiring process.
Why Do Companies Hire Foreign Workers?
There are plenty of reasons. Some of them are as follows:
- Lack of skill may be one of the factors companies turn to foreign workers. And if there are circumstances where a U.S. citizen cannot perform, meeting the company’s standards and requirements, foreign nationals can take the position.
- Hiring foreign workers is cost-effective. If the company is looking for full-time candidates, it can be a daunting task, but hiring applicants on a contract basis can save time and cost. It is an effective way to fulfill the requirements without spending a lot.
- Expanding the business to global markets is another reason to hire foreign nationals. Outsourcing work can save time and money as well. Building relationships beyond the borders by hiring is a great way to expand.
- Often, interacting with clients from other nations can be difficult for Americans. The employee of the client’s origin is highly preferred to close business deals for better organizational relationships. A representative of the company needs to know the native language and cultural aspects to present the best, so companies hire foreign workers to interact with clients for better results.
- Having employees with different views from different countries on the same table can build the company. It can make headway and stay ahead of the game.
FAQ
How does a company hire someone overseas?
The company evaluates the need to hire for the job. Often the job requirements can be fulfilled by native employees, but if it is not up to the mark, hiring managers can turn to foreign workers and get them on-board. Once the need is confirmed, the company should apply for a certificate from the U.S. Department of Labor. If the certificate is approved, the company can proceed with the interview process and ensure all the documents and forms are filled and verified by the employee accurately.
If the company plans to outsource the work, it can do so by ensuring the rules are followed.
Can U.S. companies hire foreign workers?
Yes, U.S. companies can hire foreign workers if required. There are no restrictions to it. When U.S. employees lack skill and experience, companies can turn to hire foreign nationals for better results. If the company wants to expand the business globally, it can do so by hiring nations when there is a vacancy. It is totally legal to hire foreign workers for U.S. companies, as stated by the IRS.
Why do U.S. companies hire foreign workers?
U.S companies hire foreign workers for the following reasons:
- When there is a lack of skill, foreign nationals are hired to fit the demand.
- If a business process needs to be managed, companies can outsource it to third-party vendors who care for all the business strategies and processes.
- Hiring foreign workers on a contract basis for the short term is cost-efficient and less time-consuming.
- If the company plans to expand the business to global markets, it can hire foreign workers for better client interaction. Closing the deals is more manageable, with no language barriers.
Wrapping Up
Hiring employees overseas is a common scenario in the IT industries due to a variety of reasons. For an organization to function well, the employees set the brand value. For that very reason, hiring skilled employees is essential. When the requirements and the skillset are inversely proportional, hiring managers turn to candidates across borders. Following the tax rules and applying for the Department of Labor certification should be the first step before updating job portals about the requirements. For a business to flourish, having employees worldwide helps function and thrive well in the long run. Though hiring overseas is challenging, it is beneficial.