International Background Checks – A Must in Today’s Society

Most employers know the importance of conducting a background check on applicants in the United States, but often fail to recognize the need to conduct checks on applicants who have lived, worked or gone to school outside of the United States.  There are a growing number of workers whose positions have taken them across our borders and have spent time in other countries.  In addition, we have seen a large influx of international workers coming into the United States to work as well. 

There is a perception that conducting background checks outside of the United States is difficult and costly,  therefore many employers do not attempt to verify international degrees or certifications, they do not look for criminal records nor attempt to verify any work history.  This practice is dangerous because an employer is assuming a great risk by not screening these workers.  It is a misconception that just because someone is in the United States to work, the United States government must have already conducted their due diligence. While they may have checked the various government watch lists, they most likely did not search the particular country of origin for criminal records and certainly did not verify that their degree is legitimate.

Every country varies in their record keeping method with regards to criminal records.  In some countries, you can simply obtain a record by going into the courthouse just like in the US.  In other countries, you must contact the local police department or even have the applicant obtain a copy of their own “clean bill of health”.  With regards to obtaining these records in certain countries you must have a signed release from the applicant.  In many Central and South American countries the mother’s maiden name is requested for accurate searches.  In other non-English alphabet countries you may come across variations as well.  Each country has specific methods and requirements for searching criminal records, which is why selecting a background screening company with experience is suggested.

International education verifications have been ignored largely because most international applicants will provide a copy of their diploma or degree.  This is troublesome because just like in the United States, fake diploma mills exist in almost every other country as well.  While it is great that an applicant provides you with a copy of their diploma and/or transcripts it is a better practice to obtain authentication of those documents by someone at the university.  Many educational institutions abroad will require a copy of the diploma and/or transcripts be sent to the registrar and they will then provide a letter of authentication back to the screening agency.

Employment verifications outside of the United States are an extremely important piece if information to help determine the qualifications of an international applicant.  Most often, a phone call or email to the employer will yield a result.  There are certain issues such as time zones and language barriers that slow the process, but verification can still be obtained.

With the growing trend of international workers entering the US workforce, we simply cannot take their word that they have the diploma, qualifications, and experience they present on their CV or resume, or that they do not have a criminal record.  We need to conduct the same due diligence as we do for our own workers by utilizing the resources available and conducting a background check.