Finding Work Abroad: Agency-Hire or Direct-Hire?

To be able to work abroad, there are two choices. Send an application at a recruitment agency or send the application directly to the foreign company.

These two options have its pros and cons. But these continue because some people have found work abroad using one of these choices.

finding work abroad

Placement agency vs direct hire When Seeking Employment Overseas

For those interested in working abroad, most go to a recruitment agency to be able to find a job. These agencies have foreign counterparts with pool of jobs. They match the local workers to their foreign employers. Recruitment agencies also assist the applicants with getting permits and other documents needed to leave the country. In turn, they get a placement fee. This is usually equivalent to one month salary. In some cases, the placement fee is staggered so the worker will have debts on the first year of working abroad.

On the other hand, finding a job as a direct hire means sending one’s application directly to the foreign employer. In this case, the applicant will negotiate with the employer for his salary and other benefits. The applicant will have to take care of the papers needed for the work abroad. It will mean going to different offices to accomplish the needed papers. However, there will be no placement fees to be paid. There will be no cut in the salary, at all.

Recruitment agencies ensure that the workers they send abroad are protected. This is stated in the law. Should anything happen to the worker, the government can come after the foreign employer. For direct hires, they need to discern the integrity of the company they are applying for. They are on their own if the company did not honor their contracts. However, there are also fake recruitment agencies which prey on potential foreign workers.

In the end, one must choose carefully when applying either at a recruitment agency or the company itself. Perhaps it would help to ask referrals or listen to success stories of those that they know.