We regularly hear HRs or CEOs say “I can’t find talents, it’s blocking my evolution– yet I receive CVs of interesting foreign talents, but I do not know how to do it, it seems complicated to me“. And they are right: between recruitment and immigration, recruiting foreign talent is not easy, regardless of the country of destination. It requires expertise, time, energy, money and, in the midst of the famous global war for talent, it also means thinking about your international mobility strategy, regardless of the size of your company.
And what is the first step in international mobility? Immigration. Without an adequate work permit, no need to think about recruitment, taxation, relocation, social protection and all aspects of international mobility: without an immigration solution, not much will happen. Hence the interest of implementing an immigration strategy within your company! Oui Immigration gives you some tips below.
. .Immigration strategy – why?
To boost your productivity
The director of a Bordeaux winery recently concluded our discussion with “great, thanks to you, I will be able to rethink my strategy and look for talents abroad”.
Thinking that it is possible to recruit abroad and internationalize your company clears the horizon of any company leader: more talent = more possibilities = more customers = more profitability.
Yes, recruiting abroad has a cost, but is a growth driver: depriving yourself of markets because you do not have the right talents has a much higher one.
To recruit & retain your talents
Put yourself in the shoes of a talent: a company that thinks and aims internationally, whether it is a small company or a large group, has a certain appeal. Without entering into a frantic globalization, a company thinking beyond its borders is attractive, especially for the younger generations. Having an immigration strategy means giving yourself more chances to attract these talents who are not all, strangely, on our territory…
…. and to keep them: knowing, when you join a company or when you start to feel that you have gone around it, that it is possible to go abroad as part of this group – that is a major point of talent retention. Sending a talent abroad means increasing his competence, showing him that his skills are recognized and (re) motivating him to get involved in the company – a real career booster, benefiting both the person and his company.
For your short, medium and long-term development
WorkForce planning is this exercise of perpetual juggling between your human resources needs and your short, medium and long-term development strategy. It is saying “this year, I want to make XXX turnover” and giving yourself the means to get there, particularly by recruiting.
This also includes listing precisely the skills needed to run your business, knowing exactly who owns them and what would be the consequences if they were lost. If the answer is “in my country, it’s complicated to find someone, I have to look in Morocco, India or Mexico“, it is essential to anticipate and think now about your internationalization strategy and therefore, immigration.
For your internal structuring
What if implementing this internationalization strategy meant rethinking the organization of your company? Let’s be honest, it’s not the most enjoyable part but getting out of your comfort zone by regularly putting things on the table is part of being a leader. An immigration procedure often highlights the internal hiccups of companies, regardless of their size: where is this document, who is in charge of it, who signs this document, who takes responsibility, who pays what,….
Who would have thought, but thinking about your immigration policy can help you structure yourself internally better!
Immigration strategy : how?
Establish an immigration policy
It is always better to formulate things by setting up a “formal” immigration policy within one’s society. As with any subject, this avoids confusion, misunderstanding and doubts that can create the snowball effect that we gladly do without.
Here are some of the many questions to ask when approaching this topic.
- Internationalization / outsourcing?
- What need, what profiles, what deadline?
- Which countries of origin/destination?
- What ethics? What are the risks?
- Who does what? Who is responsible? Who pays what?
- ….
Control costs
Google is spending about $4.5 million on immigration. It’s a lot, it’s Google.
A global mobility procedure, on the whole, includes significant costs: immigration, taxation, social protection, relocation, training, etc.
Having a good idea of these costs and controlling them is crucial.
The solution: rely on an expert
Using an expert is a good answer to the last two matters. Whether internal or external, relying on an immigration expert like Oui Immigration will save you time, energy and money. Why?
- To each his job
It’s his job, he knows what he’s talking about, he has the experience and knowledge and his mission is to find you a solution, and explain the ins and outs. This involves research, including with the authorities. You certainly have something else to do than waste 4 hours trying to reach the Prefecture of Paris, and hang up having understood nothing of what you have been told.
- Compliance always
You may find him rigid when he says, “No, this solution does not comply with immigration law, you have to do this instead. Yes, it’s more expensive and longer.” You will be very grateful when you see that your competitor has gone down the non-advisable path, has been rebuked by the authorities, and now has a ban on recruiting foreigners in addition to a fine.
- The costs of poorly managed immigration
An immigration file managed by a professional can save you up to 2 months on the procedure. It can also save you many other losses….
Let’s imagine that Linda, from New York, is transferred to Bangalore by her new employer. Well managed by a pro, the work permit can be obtained in 1.5 to 2 months. Poorly managed, you can still be lost in it 5 months later. Linda is an engineer, not an expert in immigration: she could not know that her nationality would create blockages; that such detail and signature should be affixed at such places on the form; that such a document should be apostilled in such a way.
As a result, Linda finds herself between two countries, with the payroll & contract problems that it implies; between two positions, with the logistical and HR problems that this creates; the situation se was supposed to fix in India is still significant, and it causes her employer to lose thousands of euros every month; the container with her move can not be cleared without a work permit, and costs every week exorbitant customs fees. Not to mention the housing that has been returned and the temporary apartment that the employer has to pay for, the children who find themselves without school and the husband who gave up his job to follow his spouse. And of course, Linda is stressed, angry, frustrated and feels abandoned by her employer who did not want to assist her in her application, and thinks that really, she’d better go to the competition. A-MA-ZING!
As you can see, immigration is much more than a visa. It’s an integral part of your company’s strategy, no matter how big it is. And it is indeed complex… but Oui Immigration is here to help you creating, structuring or reinforcing your immigration strategy!
