Background checks are crucial for employers. They help to ensure that the people you hire and their families are safe and reliable. Background checks also provide a clearer picture of potential employees by illustrating who they are and why they were fired from previous positions. This can help an employer understand whether or not it is a good idea to hire someone.
For those hiring international candidates, such as those from the Brazil, Mexico, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia, Germany, India and New Zealand, there is one more step in the background check process: requesting international background checks.
The process may seem daunting at first but this article will teach you everything you need to know about how to request international background checks for your employees.
Why Employers Request International Background Checks
What is an international background check?
An international background check is a check done done in the applicant's countries they've lived in within the past 7 years. The report can show numerous information about the applicant that would greatly reduce risk of hiring a bad employee.
So in other words, an employer may ask for an international background check in order to: Verify the employment eligibility of a prospective employee. Here are our most common searches:
Verify the national identity of a prospective employee.
Provide accurate information about a prospective employee, such as their criminal record
Civil records
Employment history
Education history
Social media checks
Adverse media
Business and healthcare debarment lists
Fugitive and Most Wanted lists/Terrorist databases and immigration status.
Global Money Laundering Search
Medical Malpractice
Bankruptcies (In select countries only)
Credit History (in select countries only)
Directorships
Business or Vendor Due Diligence
Order an international Background Check Today
Our Worldscan Premium is the most robust world-wide search available to employers from any background check company, besides the criminal history check which goes directly to the courthouses. WorldScan searches over 200+ global government databases, including medical sanctions. You can order WorldScan on our International Screening Portal in addition to the additional searches mentioned above.
The Process of Requesting International Background Checks
Background checks are a part of the hiring process for many companies. Those who hire international candidates must implement proper procedures to ensure they aren't using the information illegally.
In order to properly request an international background check, you must make sure your background screening company is requesting consent from the applicant, has EU compliant consent forms as well as global consent forms, and most importantly, is fully insured.
One new addition to European consent forms is to provide the applicant every type of search that is being requested on before they consent to a search. There are numerous other compliance guidelines that must be followed to insure all employment laws are followed.
How to Find a Compliant Background Check Company
If you're looking to hire an international candidate, you may have to run a background check, a simple internet search will do. Here are the 5 things to look for:
High Reviews (Great sign of credibility and trustworthiness)
High Domain Authority (This means the company has lots of volume and is trusted by other. You can verify any domain's authority by using a simple tool from Moz or UberSuggest for free.
Global Background Screening, LLC has 5 out of 5 stars on credible review sites such as: Google, Trustpilot, and G2. In addition, we have a domain authority of 52 currently in top 5 in the industry and top 3 for a Global Screening provider.
3. Make sure they're a Consumer Reporting Agency - Companies like BeenVerified and other People Search sites will have a big disclaimer at the bottom stating that you cannot use their reports for employment purposes. If you make a hiring decision over a non-compliant report you can be sued for thousands of dollars for EACH background check when caught.
4. Insured with a robust FCRA policy.
There is nothing wrong with asking a background screening company for their insurance certifications. The 3 major policies are cyber insurance, general and professional liability. You want to then make sure that there are no exclusions on anything to do with Fair Credit Reporting Act. Many insurance provides state they cover errors on E & O insurance, but if you read closely, the FCRA and EEOC are excluded from the policy, practically making the insurance worthless in this field. Coverage should be AT LEAST 1 million dollars.
Global Background Screening, LLC is fully insured in all the policies below and can add any clients with 75 background checks or more a year as an additional insured policy free of charge to cover any mistakes you may overlook through the pre-employment or even some cases post employment process.
5. Clean Record
Conduct a simple google search may be enough to find the bigger companies; however, if you're working with a smaller less well known company you should definitely conduct a business background check .
What is Included in an International Background Check?
An international background check consists of many parts:
The first part is a basic criminal history report, which lists crimes that the potential employee has been convicted of in the past, past employer reports, past addresses, Country ID validation, school verifications, social media reports, civil and even financial information.
Basically it consists of anything you need!
If you have any questions feel free to email Global Background Screening, LLC at info@getgbs.com or call Toll Free 855-561-5890.
