International Background Checks

As more organizations participate in the global economy, international background checks are becoming increasingly important.  However, as opposed to conducting background checks in the United States, the rules and methods for doing so are not clearly defined.  For instance, the type of information varies from country to country.  By and large, the most common types of overseas checks are limited to Criminal Records Searches, Employment and Education Verifications and Terrorist Watch List Searches.  However the depth and detail of information can differ greatly by country. 

Further, there is no international version of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) that governs the use of background checks.  Organizations can become Safe Harbor Certified with the U.S. Department of Commerce.  Such a certification mandates some general best practices when it comes to applicant authorizations and the transmission of private information across international borders.  In general, it is best to afford overseas applicants with the same rights as domestic applicants when no clear regulation has been established (i.e. dispute resolution).

Lastly, since every country operates differently it is important to know where to access information, what information is needed to locate records and what you can expect in terms of results, turnaround time and cooperation. 

A good screening partner should be able to help you with direction and recommendations on all of the above.  Know of any?