How to navigate international background checks for global tech hires

As the global tech workforce becomes increasingly borderless, companies are no longer limited by geography when sourcing talent. Hiring software engineers in Bangalore, data scientists in Warsaw, or cybersecurity experts in São Paulo is now the norm. This trend brings significant opportunities, but also unique challenges, especially when it comes to conducting international background checks as you endeavour to build a trustworthy, high-performing global (and often remote) team.

Ensuring due diligence while remaining compliant with varying international laws can be tricky. Here's a comprehensive guide to help HR leaders and recruiters navigate international background checks effectively and ethically.

Why do international background checks matter?

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Background checks are crucial when building a reliable, global team – especially in tech, where employees often have access to sensitive data, intellectual property, and technology that, if misused, could have dramatic consequences. It not only helps with due diligence and compliance, but it mitigates any potential risk. A check allows you to validate candidate credentials and can also gather any information that could cause a conflict of interest. An international check goes one step further – it will allow you to conduct checks from across the world, so a person’s records can be pulled up and you can find out any history they have anywhere else in the world.

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Finally, conducting international background checks also protects your company’s reputation. In fact, having international background checks in place could even boost an organisation’s brand – you could be seen as more transparent and therefore trustworthy, as it means you only employ people you can vouch for.

Legal and cultural considerations

One of the perks of having a global team is diversity, but it comes with some considerations – culturally, people are different. In some countries, certain questions that could appear on a background check may be seen as intrusive (e.g. a credit check). Therefore, it’s important to exercise some cultural sensitivity and only conduct background checks that directly relate to a person’s job and are relevant in the tech industry. Before conducting a background check, it’s worth setting out and defining what checks are absolutely necessary – it’s bad practice to conduct any checks beyond a certain scope.

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There are some geographical considerations to take into account when it comes to how someone’s data is handled and data privacy. Make sure that you don’t overstep the mark and adhere to data privacy laws such as:

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• GDPR (EU, UK) 
• DPA (Philippines)
• PDPA (Singapore)
• Privacy Act (Australia)

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Regarding criminal offences, countries have differing rules. Some jurisdictions prohibit considering certain offenses after a set time period – something to be mindful of.

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It can be overwhelming for tech companies to keep track of all the different legal requirements and restrictions when hiring globally, which is why a lot of organisations are looking at automating a lot of the background screening process; a global background screening provider can help with local nuances.

What should the basic elements of a background check be?

Any basic international background check should cover the following areas.

• Identity verification: this could be in the form of passports, government-issued documents, social security numbers/national insurance numbers etc. depending on region.
• Employment history: make sure a candidate’s resume matches up with actual experience. This could include role title, dates of employment, reasons for leaving etc. Some countries require explicit consent from a candidate before contacting a previous employer.
• Education check: certificate and degree fraud is common, so it’s important to confirm someone’s academic credentials by confirming them with the relevant institutions.
• Criminal record checks: these vary widely depending on the country and could depend on a country’s privacy laws.
• Global watchlists and sanctions: check for global sanctions, fraud watchlists etc. – particularly important if a person is handling sensitive data and information in their role.

Global hiring opens doors to a diverse pool of talent. International background checks are a vital part of global tech hiring, but navigating them requires an informed approach, particularly when it comes to juggling multiple jurisdictions. Tech companies that want to get ahead and make the most of attracting top global talent need to keep up to date about local regulations and requirements, take into account cultural nuances with respect, leverage global background screening providers, and ensure transparency and compliance with privacy laws. All of this means companies can build a solid, globally diverse workforce.

As remote work and international hiring continue to grow, mastering the art of international background checks is no longer optional – it’s imperative.

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