international employment resources
Dive into our comprehensive library of global HR and remote work guides. Access the latest insights on global mobility, compliance, and international expansion to stay ahead in the fast-evolving world of international employment.
September 26, 2024
Your choice in EOR provider can make all the difference in your ability to successfully hire internationally. Our shortlist of best Employer of Record services for 2025 includes Playroll, OysterHR, Rippling and Papaya Global. Compare pricing and top features to make the best choice for your business.
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If you aim for global growth, hiring internationally isn't just an option — it's a game-changer. Embrace the diversity that sparks innovation and fuels creativity. The trend of hiring overseas employees, as highlighted in the World Economic Forum's analysis, reflects a strategic response to global labor market dynamics and technological advancements.
Some of the top benefits include:
Ready to explore new markets to reap the benefits of a global workforce? When looking at hiring in a new country, assessing it according to these criteria can help you make the best choice for your business:
Based on criteria such as high education levels, reliable infrastructure, probationary periods, competitive cost evaluations, political stability, language proficiency, and robust legal protections, here’s our choice of top 10 countries to hire international employees. In no specific order:
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Boasting a high level of education and robust infrastructure, Germany offers a competitive cost of living and attractive employee benefits. The country is increasingly embracing remote work, heightening its appeal to international employers.
Germany is renowned for its exceptional quality of life, which includes political stability and safety. Moreover, most professionals in Germany are proficient in English, making it an ideal environment for global business operations.
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The United States features a world-class education system and advanced infrastructure, providing competitive employee benefits and strong legal protections. It accommodates various international business needs with convenient time zones and a diverse range of lifestyle options. English proficiency is also widespread in the U.S.
The Portuguese have high levels of education, and there is an increasing emphasis on international programs and partnerships. The cost of living is generally lower compared to other European countries, while still having attractive benefits on offer to employees.
This makes it an attractive option for cost-effective international hiring. The country offers a high-quality lifestyle with pleasant climates, cultural richness, and affordable healthcare. Portugal is known for its political stability and safety.
Singapore is known for its world-renowned education system and advanced infrastructure, particularly in technology and business sectors. Positioned in GMT+8, it facilitates global business interactions.
Initiatives like digital nomad visas and Tech Pass welcome skilled professionals and entrepreneurs, promoting a strong remote work culture.
Canada has a robust education system and advanced infrastructure tailored to modern business needs. Its convenient time zones facilitate global interactions, making it a favorable environment for international employers. Canada's openness to skilled professionals is evident through its various immigration programs, which support a strong remote work culture with progressive policies.
Australia also has an excellent education system and welcoming visa programs that encourage a diverse workforce. The country promotes remote work through flexible arrangements and progressive policies, ensuring a high quality of life.
Australia is also noteworthy for its excellent healthcare, safety, and cultural amenities, supported by a stable political environment and strong legal frameworks.
Japan has advanced technology infrastructure and digital nomad visas on offer, promoting a strong work culture with flexible arrangements and innovative policies.
The country offers a high quality of life, featuring excellent healthcare, robust safety standards, and rich cultural experiences. Japan's stable political environment and robust legal protections create a secure and supportive setting for both employers and employees.
Well-known for its breathtaking natural landscapes, South Africa also has a relatively low cost of living compared to many Western countries – along with a multi-cultural workforce that is proficient using English as a primary business language. It also recently rolled out digital nomad visas to boot.
Positioned in the GMT+2 time zone, South Africa facilitates convenient business interactions across Europe and Africa, making it an attractive location for international employers.
The Netherlands is celebrated for its education system and advanced infrastructure. With fast internet and a flourishing technology sector, the Netherlands is an excellent location for businesses that need highly skilled employees.
Its strategic location within the GMT+1 time zone heightens its appeal as a hub for European and global commerce. The country is politically stable and offers a secure environment for residents and businesses alike, supported by a strong legal framework that ensures transparency and protection for both employers and employees.
South Korea is distinguished by its prestigious education system and cutting-edge infrastructure supporting technology and commerce. The country promotes a thriving culture of remote work with progressive policies and a digitally adept workforce.
South Korea boasts a high standard of living, including exceptional healthcare, stringent safety standards, and a vibrant cultural scene, making it an appealing destination for international hiring.
Several countries are actively implementing remote-friendly policies to facilitate the hiring of international employees. Notable examples include:
Estonia has introduced a digital nomad visa, which allows international remote workers to live and legally work in the country for up to a year. This initiative supports Estonia's reputation as one of the most digitally advanced countries in Europe.
Mexico offers a Temporary Resident Visa, suitable for remote workers who can prove they have the financial means to sustain themselves. The country’s affordable cost of living and vibrant culture make it an attractive destination for digital nomads.
India is improving its digital infrastructure and regulatory frameworks to attract more remote workers. The country’s vast talent pool in IT and customer service makes it a viable option for companies looking to outsource these functions.
Brazil has introduced visas that are more favorable for remote workers and improved internet connectivity across the country. These moves are part of broader efforts to boost economic activity by attracting international talent.
Vietnam is becoming increasingly popular among remote workers due to its low cost of living and high-speed internet. The government is exploring more formal policies to support remote workers, including extended visas and tax incentives.
Costa Rica offers a specific visa for remote workers and digital nomads, allowing them to stay for up to two years. The country’s rich biodiversity, stable political climate, and high-quality healthcare system add to its appeal as a remote work destination.
Explore our country hiring guides for 180+ regions, covering everything from leave and benefits to payroll.
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Navigating the complexities of global hiring isn't easy – especially if you first need to set up costly legal entities in new markets. Playroll simplifies this process by offering Employer of Record (EOR) services, handling hiring, onboarding, and management of international employees through our network of established legal entities in 180+ regions.
Speak with our experts to discover how Playroll can help you make your next international hire effortless, no matter where they are based.
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July 11, 2024
What are the best locations for hiring international employees? Discover the benefits of hiring remotely in our shortlist of countries, and how to simplify the process with Playroll.
So, which countries have free healthcare systems? Well, few countries offer completely free healthcare services. However, most developed countries offer government-funded universal healthcare systems to citizens and residents where most services are free, or low cost.
The United States is a notable exception of a highly developed country that does not offer universal healthcare. On a global scale, the World Health Organization has noted that the world is off track in making progress towards universal health coverage, with improvements to health service coverage stagnating since 2015.
Below, we have compiled a list of the top 10 countries with universal healthcare or public health insurance, considering accessibility, quality, and coverage of healthcare services.
Canada tops our list of countries with free healthcare systems. Medicare, the Canadian universal healthcare system, is publicly funded and run by individual provinces and territories.
Healthcare services are available to all Canadian citizens and permanent residents. Free healthcare services include doctor's visits, lab tests, hospital care, and prescription drugs.
The United Kingdom has a free and universal healthcare system called the National Health Service (NHS), which is praised for its accessibility and efficient primary care services. NHS free health care services are structured regionally and funded by the government through taxation.
All United Kingdom citizens and residents have access to comprehensive free health care services, including hospital care, medical consultations, doctor's visits, maternity care, mental health care, prescription medications, and more.
Australia stands out among the countries that have free healthcare. Known as Medicare, the Australian free healthcare system is funded through general taxation and offers essential healthcare services to citizens and permanent residents.
Residents have access to free basic medical services, hospital care, doctor's appointments, prescriptions, and some diagnostic tests. For high-quality services and faster access to specialists and elective procedures, Australians have the option of purchasing private health insurance.
The Norwegian universal healthcare system stands out among countries that have free healthcare because of low wait times, emphasis on patient outcomes, and quality of services. Norway’s healthcare system is funded through taxation and social security contributions and is available to all residents.
Free health care services include hospital care, prescription medication, and medical consultations. Individuals looking for additional coverage and faster access to services have the option to purchase private medical insurance.
Our Norway playbook can help you understand the country’s labor laws and regulations.
Germany is among the countries that have achieved universal health coverage through a government-run " sickness fund" that requires all citizens to have medical insurance. Germany's healthcare system is funded through a combination of taxes, social insurance contributions, and copayments.
That ensures all citizens and legal residents have access to comprehensive high-quality medical services, preventive care, long-term care, and more.
Listing countries with free healthcare is hard without mentioning France. Its universal health care system is reputed as one of the best in the world for accessibility, quality care, and efficiency.
Healthcare services, including hospital care, prescription drugs, and doctor's visits are available to all citizens, legal residents, and even visitors residing in the country for more than 3 months.
Sweden has made it to our list of countries with free healthcare systems because it has achieved universal health coverage with comprehensive healthcare services. The Swedish healthcare system is government-funded and is accessible to all citizens and legal residents.
Residents have access to many healthcare services, including hospital care, maternity care, preventive services, primary care, specialist consultation, and dental care for children and young adults.
Brazil stands out as the model of countries that have free healthcare. The Brazilian free and universal healthcare system is funded by the government and is accessible to any person in Brazil, including citizens, legal residents, tourists, and even refugees and immigrants.
Patients have access to free health care services at the point of care, including hospital care, outpatient care, vaccinations, surgeries, preventive care, and more.
South Korea is among the countries with the best healthcare systems in the OECD funded through government subsidies and monthly contributions from both employees and employers.
The Korean universal health system is accessible to all Korean citizens, residents, and even foreigners. The government-run health system covers 60% of healthcare costs and the remaining expenses are covered through a private health insurance fund.
Denmark closes our list of top ten countries with free healthcare. Denmark's free and universal healthcare system is government-funded through taxes and offers free healthcare services to all residents.
The country’s healthcare system is highly regarded for its patient-centric services, preventive care, and comprehensive access to medical services, including prescription medicine, doctor's visits, hospital care, and more.
Free and universal healthcare systems offer numerous benefits, but they come with challenges, including:
As healthcare policies worldwide continue to shift toward building free and universal government-funded healthcare systems, more countries are expected to join the list of countries with free healthcare.
That may impact where employees choose to live to access free or low-cost healthcare services or where businesses source talent to reduce workforce-related healthcare costs.
To help businesses navigate the challenge, Playroll offers HR solutions and Employer Of Record services for hassle-free management of a global workforce, including:
Book a demo with our team to find out how we can help you scale your remote team with ease.
With a semi-monthly payroll, employees receive payment twice a month. Paychecks are distributed on fixed dates, say 1st and 15th, or 15th and 30th.
Bi-weekly payroll means that employees are paid once every two weeks. Paychecks are distributed every other week, usually on a Friday.
This article delves into the strengths and weaknesses of semi-monthly vs bi-weekly payroll. By the end, you’ll be able to make an informed decision and choose a payroll schedule that aligns with your business goals and workforce needs.
As mentioned above, bi-weekly payroll distributes employee paychecks every other Friday. Paying employees once in two weeks results in 26 pay periods per year. This pay schedule is favored by most U.S. companies as it ensures employees are frequently paid without burdening HR teams with excessive admin work.
A bi-weekly payroll works fine for companies that regularly hire a lot of new hourly and salaried employees.
Employees are paid twice a month on specific dates, with many companies choosing the 1st and the 15th of the month. That results in 24 pay periods per year. Sometimes, paydays may fall on weekends or holidays. Thus, HR teams have to monitor pay dates and make adjustments to ensure timely pay.
Semi-monthly payroll may be a great choice for businesses with employee benefits deductions, such as health insurance and retirement contributions. Paydays align with monthly financial reporting, making it easier to deduct and report deductions from employees’ paychecks.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 43% of businesses in the U.S. use a bi-weekly pay schedule, while 19.8% use semi-monthly payroll.
When determining the optimal payroll schedule, employers often choose between bi-weekly and semi-monthly pay periods. Each approach has distinct implications for payroll processing, cash flow management, and employee satisfaction. Understanding these differences is crucial for making an informed decision that aligns with your organization's operational needs and supports your
Employers must ensure that their chosen pay schedule complies with state and federal labor laws, which may dictate minimum pay frequencies or specific requirements for different types of employees.
Implementing an effective payroll system is crucial for ensuring accurate compensation, maintaining compliance, and enhancing overall organizational efficiency. Below are best practices to guide employers through a successful payroll system implementation:
Choosing the right payroll schedule helps businesses manage their financial commitments and overall administrative workload while driving employee satisfaction. Semi-monthly vs bi-weekly pay schedules are the most common. Both are great, and the one you choose depends on your industry, company size, number and type of employees, and payday regulations in your region.
Playroll is an innovative global employment platform that offers EOR services and global payroll solutions to help you hire and manage global teams through:
Book a chat with our experts to find out how you can scale your global team with ease.
Remote working is increasingly becoming ingrained in the UK corporate culture. According to StandOutCV, 58% of UK employers offer remote work, with 16% of the UK workforce working full-time from home in 2023.
Cutting-edge business technology, robust internet connection, and the peak of the COVID-19 restriction in 2020 are the top reasons for the increasing shift to this new work culture.
That creates the need for remote management tools to help businesses streamline workflows, manage and monitor remote teams, and ensure secure access to company systems and networks.
Playroll is an all-in-one payroll and HR management platform that offers employment and payroll analytics solutions to help businesses build and manage remote teams efficiently.
This article covers essential types of remote access management tools for businesses in 2025 and beyond. Let's dive in:
Effective communication and collaboration are essential when employees work remotely from different locations. Video conferencing tools and instant messaging apps are the top remote management tools in this category that help bridge the gap and create a seamless work environment.
For instance, video conferencing tools facilitate face-to-face meetings and remote presentations. With messaging apps, remote teams can create groups or channels to organize conversations by topic or project and communicate in real-time.
Reliable communication and collaboration tools to check include:
With about 12.7% of employees working full-time from home, project management and task-tracking tools are absolutely essential for businesses. They enable managers and supervisors to plan projects, schedule tasks, and allocate resources.
From behind a computer screen, managers can set deadlines, assign tasks, and set clear responsibilities to enable remote teams to collaborate on projects. Again, these tools provide important reports and insights to help managers track overall project progress, identify issues, and make adjustments accordingly.
The best remote management tools in this category include:
The 9-to-5 working schedule is lost when employees work from home. That makes it difficult to monitor their home office activities because supervisors don’t have physical access to their remote computers and mobile devices.
Time tracking and productivity software help solve this problem. They work in the background to track down employees' activity and non-activity time. That enables companies to determine time spent on assigned projects or tasks to evaluate performance and productivity.
Time tracking tools also ensure that working hours are fully recorded to enable HR managers to generate payroll easily and quickly. Top remote management tools in this category include:
Playroll's HR and payroll management software integrates with time tracking and productivity tools to automatically log working hours and generate accurate payroll automation.
Cloud-based storage systems are great remote management tools for file sharing. Unlike in-house file storage systems that are only accessible locally, files on the cloud are accessible to team members at any time regardless of their geographical location.
That enables team members to create, store, edit, share, and access content from any device. Teams can easily collaborate and work on projects or tasks on shared files where everyone can see updates and track file versions. That helps eliminate slowdowns and ensure faster completion of workloads.
The best remote management tools in this category include:
Remote desktop and access tools help technical support teams and managed service providers (MSPs) offer remote support without needing physical access. These tools are embedded in operating systems on company devices, including laptops, computers, tablets, or even mobile devices.
That enables technical support teams to respond to issues quickly without the need to travel on-site. They can remotely manage operating systems' updates, troubleshoot networks, and transfer files. They can also send a command line of tasks to multiple PCs, configure devices, and if necessary, shut down remote computers.
Top remote desktop and access tools include:
If implemented well, employee monitoring has been found to increase employee productivity by 7%. Remote monitoring and management tools help businesses track and analyze how employees utilize working time and company resources.
They track and monitor employees' activities like internet use & browsing, emails, phone calls, or even video surveillance. Such data is then analyzed to draw important insights and identify areas of improvement.
That helps companies ensure remote workers perform their duties efficiently, adhering to company policies and ethical standards. It also helps protect and identify insider threats that can result in damaging data breaches.
Best remote management tools for employee monitoring include:
With companies spending an average of $4.37 million to recover from damaging data breaches, the need for robust data security tools cannot be overlooked.
These tools ensure real-time monitoring of computer networks to identify and report threats. They also scan and remove viruses and malware apps to improve the security of remote and hybrid work environments. Top remote management tools for data security include:
As remote working continues to take root, remote administration tools are becoming an indispensable part of modern business operations. Therefore, business owners should consider using the above tools to ensure hassle-free remote monitoring and management of their workforce.
Playrooll's HR and multi-country payroll management system integrates with your remote management tools to ensure streamlined HR and payroll processing for remote teams. Request a demo to see how you can optimize your remote management with Playroll.
Understanding the average maternity leave by country helps employers grasp the global landscape, ensuring their policies are competitive and in line with international standards.
According to the ILO (International Labour Organization) standards, maternity leave is a universal human and labor right and should last at least 14 weeks. Still, the ILO recommends increasing that period to 18 weeks of paid parental leave so the mother can have more time to rest and recover properly.
However, regarding maternity leave requirements, two variables change between the 152 countries that offer the benefit: leave duration and financial compensation. During said leave, the mother can either be fully paid maternity leave, paid in part, or not paid at all.
To guarantee compliance, employers must keep up-to-date with each country's maternity leave laws. Here are some examples of maternity leave by country around the world. This section highlights the differences in paid maternity leave by country, illustrating how compensation during leave varies globally.
Evaluating the best maternity leave by country allows employers to understand which nations offer the most comprehensive support for new mothers, setting a benchmark for global maternity policies.
Also Read: What Are the Best Countries for Maternity Leave?
Let's examine the common employee rights during maternity leave to better understand the scope of employer obligations and practices.
Pregnant workers may feel entitled to take legal action if they are treated less favorably due to their pregnancy or family responsibilities or if they’re asked to perform tasks not suitable for someone in their state.
Some countries allow employees to take more leave in exchange for disadvantages, such as not being paid for the extra time or pausing their career progression.
In addition to paid maternity leave, 63% of countries offer parental leave. However, the leave duration is often smaller than the mother’s, usually under three weeks of maternity leave.
This is one of the more important things to keep track of. Every mother has the right to return to her previous position upon returning to work, no matter how much time she spends on leave.
A great thing to do when implementing maternity leave policies in your company is to plan and disclose everything in advance. That way, you can ensure you and your team are up-to-date with all respective duties and procedures, avoiding any possible hiccups.
Here are some tips that will help you through this process:
● Previously define those eligible for a paid maternity leave, stating criteria such as length of service, full-time status, etc.
● Establish the leave duration, including possible extensions and other additional arrangements.
● Declare the pay and all the benefits employees receive during the maternity leave beforehand.
● Specify the notice requirements. Let your team know when they should inform you about their pregnancy and when they plan on taking maternity leave.
● Assure job protection. Your employees must know their positions will remain secure.
● Adapt your company to better accommodate pregnant employees and those returning from maternity leave. The gold standard is creating flexible work schedules.
Maternity leave policies have evolved significantly in recent years to reflect the changing dynamics of the modern workforce. With globalization and the rise of remote work, employers face new challenges in managing maternity leave across borders and in diverse cultural contexts. Here are some challenges that global employers may encounter and tips on how to deal with them.
The advent of remote work has blurred traditional boundaries, presenting opportunities and challenges for managing maternity leave. Remote employees may require flexible arrangements to balance work and caregiving responsibilities effectively.
Employers should prioritize communication and collaboration, offering remote-friendly maternity leave policies that accommodate the unique needs of remote workers.
In some cultures, there may be stigma or pressure surrounding maternity leave, leading to reluctance among employees to take time off.
Legal risks associated with maternity leave include potential discrimination claims, wrongful termination lawsuits, and labor law violations. Employers must take proactive steps to mitigate these risks by implementing fair and equitable maternity leave policies, providing adequate training to managers, and fostering a culture of inclusion and diversity within the organization.
While maternity leave is typically associated with birth mothers, it's essential to recognize the importance of supporting fathers and non-birth parents in parental leave policies. Employers should offer gender-neutral parental leave benefits that enable all parents to bond with their newborns and support their families.
By encouraging fathers and non-birth parents to take advantage of parental leave, employers can promote gender equality, strengthen family bonds, and create a more inclusive workplace for all employees.
In an increasingly interconnected and diverse world, managing maternity leave requires a nuanced understanding of legal, cultural, and societal factors. Employers must prioritize compliance, equity, and inclusion, recognizing the role of maternity leave in supporting working parents and promoting gender equality.
That’s where Playroll comes in. Our expert and global team of HR professionals are ready to help you safely navigate maternal leave and offer your international workforce all the benefits they seek. Don’t worry about all the legal hurdles: count on us. Request a demo today.
March 10, 2025
February 28, 2025
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