Overseas Recruitment Strategy: Successfully Handle Remote Hiring
Migrants and temporary workers are an essential part of the workforce in Australia. In 2019, migrants and temporary labourers had a labour force participation rate of 72 percent. Unfortunately, the laws surrounding the recruitment of foreign workers can be complex. Additionally, failure to comply with these laws can lead to stiff punishments. These tips can help you streamline your overseas recruitment process and eliminate potential issues before they arise.
Migrants and temporary workers are an essential part of the workforce in Australia. In 2019, migrants and temporary labourers had a labour force participation rate of 72 percent. However, the country was forced to close its borders in early 2020 to help limit the spread of the pandemic. Now, 2022 brings new hope for employers struggling to find workers during a massive talent shortage. Foreign workers are welcome once again in Australia. As a result, companies must have an effective overseas recruitment strategy. This involves preparing for the journey of ensuring their hiring practices are legal.
Unfortunately, the laws surrounding the recruitment of foreign workers can be complex. Additionally, failure to comply with these laws can lead to stiff punishments. To recruit workers successfully in 2022, companies should plan ahead to address potential challenges that are likely to arise. These tips can help you streamline your overseas recruitment process and eliminate potential issues before they arise.
Understand How Employee Recruitment Laws Have Changed
Recruitment laws are designed to provide foreign employees with the same rights and protections as Australian workers. A range of measures are in place to protect workers, including the way you hire foreign employees. You can employ an overseas worker in two ways.
- Employ a non-citizen who is already in Australia and whose visa allows them to work.
- Sponsor a skilled worker who lives overseas or temporarily in Australia for a work visa on a permanent or temporary basis.
2022 changes to foreign employee recruitment laws make it easier for employers to hire workers remotely. The two separate worker visa streams for the Seasonal Worker Programme and the Pacific Labour Scheme have been consolidated and replaced by a single PALM scheme visa with both seasonal (up to nine months) and longer-term (between one and four years) options. This new visa will also allow workers to return to Australia multiple times. Additionally, recruitment caps for employers with a good track record are being removed to help streamline processes for employers.
Use Technology to Improve the Documentation Process
As an employer hiring foreign workers, you have a responsibility to safely handle, use, and store sensitive documents. Yet, these responsibilities slow down the hiring process, delaying employment for workers who desperately need a job. For employers, finding a way to streamline the process can help avoid non-compliance concerns and improve the hiring process for qualified employees.
Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) is an official check of Australia which shows if a worker or employee has legal rights to work in Australia. Penalties for employing illegal workers in Australia are strict for both employees working illegally and the companies that hire them. Any company found to have hired employees working illegally will be subjected to fines of up to $315,000, including other penalties.
When you invest in technology that makes data collection easy, you have an opportunity to improve the remote hiring process. CheckWorkRights allows employers to gather Vevo Visa results in seconds via mobile. It also improves the hiring process with the ability to complete bulk uploads and self onboarding. Eliminate manual document processing and the wasted time it causes with automated employee self onboarding via email, bulk spreadsheet upload or integration with your HRM software.
Take Advantage of Local Hiring Resources
The Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme allows eligible Australian businesses to hire workers from nine Pacific islands as well asTimor-Leste when there are not enough local workers available. For organizations unfamiliar with hiring foreign workers remotely, the programme can help provide structure to the process. The PALM scheme helps fill labour gaps in rural and regional Australia by offering employers access to a pool of productive workers.
The PALM scheme can help you understand the criteria you need to be an eligible business and provide you with an online application form to start the process. Once all your documentation has been provided, it will take six to eight weeks to process your application.
Create a Training Plan for New Employees
Many companies have experience recruiting foreign workers. However, this is a new experience for some establishments hit particularly hard by the talent shortage. Over 75 percent of job vacancies are due to resignations. A recent survey revealed that only 18.9 percent of Australian workers think a full-time in-office schedule represents ideal working conditions. This leaves a critical gap for service-related industries with no way to perform work remotely.
An effective overseas recruitment strategy is an ideal way to fill the employment gap. However, companies new to the process may also be hiring employees relatively new to the process. To ease the transition and prepare workers to excel at their new roles, you will likely need to have an on-the-job training programme in place.
Communicate Essential COVID-19 Requirements
While border restrictions have been lifted, COVID-19 is still a part of our lives and a critical factor for companies hoping to replenish dwindling workforces. Government regulations are changing frequently, so it’s important to check them frequently. Here’s what you can expect right now.
- Inbound travellers must declare their vaccination status to enter Australia. Unvaccinated inbound travellers may be required to quarantine on arrival in Australia at their own expense.
- All foreign employees must complete a Digital Passenger Declaration before travelling to Australia.
- All people travelling to Australia must wear a mask for the duration of their flight.
- Testing and quarantine requirements and domestic transfer restrictions may differ by state and territory. Check your local requirements to properly prepare your incoming employees.
Australia’s international regulations are easing, which allows employers to recruit employees remotely to help eliminate employment gaps. The laws surrounding the recruitment of foreign workers can be complex. However, the benefits of hiring foreign workers through an effective overseas recruitment strategy are worth the effort. By planning ahead, and taking steps to streamline the process, you can make the job of hiring workers from overseas easier for your organisation and the employees you plan to hire.
Learn more about the hiring process and how to streamline your overseas recruitment strategy. See all the features of CheckWorkRights, or book a demo today.
