How to Solve International Verification Gaps: Reliable Criminal, Employment, and Education Checks

Hiring internationally opens the door to global talent—but it also introduces verification challenges that standard domestic background checks can’t solve. Companies must validate criminal records, employment history, education credentials, and identity across regions with different laws, data systems, and privacy standards.

From fragmented government databases to complex frameworks like GDPR, global verification requires a structured and compliant approach. This guide equips HR and compliance teams with practical steps to build reliable international screening workflows that support confident, compliant hiring at scale.

Identify critical verification needs for your hiring process

The foundation of an effective global background check strategy is understanding the types of verifications required for your roles. The three core categories include:

• Criminal record checks: Identify relevant convictions or legal issues that may affect a candidate’s suitability for specific roles
• Employment verification: Confirm previous job titles, dates of service, and reasons for departure to protect against resume fraud
• Education verification: Validate academic degrees, diplomas, and certifications to ensure candidates meet required qualifications

Different positions require different levels of scrutiny:

• Executive roles typically need comprehensive criminal, education, and employment checks
• Finance and healthcare roles often require enhanced criminal screening due to regulatory exposure
• Technical positions may prioritize education checks to verify specialized skills
• Sales and entry-level roles often benefit from focused employment and criminal record verification

Risk level and location should influence screening depth. Countries with higher fraud rates may require more extensive checks, while regions with strict privacy rules may limit what employers are allowed to verify. A tiered verification framework helps ensure consistency and compliance.

Choose a trusted global verification platform

Your verification platform determines whether global screening becomes an advantage—or a bottleneck. Look for solutions that combine broad data access, consistent reporting, and automation.

Deel conducts real-time checks across 200,000+ data sources in 200+ countries, covering identity, employment, education, and criminal records. This breadth helps eliminate verification blind spots and keeps hiring workflows efficient.

When evaluating a platform, prioritize:

• Database coverage: The ability to search authoritative sources across many jurisdictions
• Processing speed: Real-time automation that reduces your time-to-hire
• Compliance controls: GDPR alignment, consent workflows, and regional safety measures
• Clear, standardized reports: So results are easy to interpret and compare globally
• System integration: Smooth workflows with your HRIS or ATS to avoid manual steps

How Deel supports global background verification

Deel delivers a global-first background check solution built for fast-growing distributed teams. With real-time data, standardized reporting, and integrated workflows, Deel helps companies hire confidently across borders.

Key capabilities include:

• Global coverage and speed: Real-time checks across 200,000+ sources in 200+ countries
• AI-standardized reports: Unified, decision-ready output with clear risk indicators
• Compliance by design: Built-in consent flows and adherence to GDPR and regional privacy rules
• Local verification expertise: Support for manual outreach where automated data is limited
• Seamless automation: HRIS/ATS integrations that trigger checks at the right hiring stage
• Candidate-friendly experience: Multilingual instructions and guided document collection
• Ongoing monitoring options: Scheduled or event-triggered rescreening for sensitive roles

How Deel fits into your workflow:

1. Set up role- or region-based verification packages
2. Collect candidate consent and automatically initiate checks
3. Review standardized results and risk indicators
4. Manage disputes or adverse action steps using compliant workflows
5. Enable monitoring for regulated or high-risk roles as needed

What’s the fastest background check service for hiring international employees across multiple countries?

Speed varies by country due to local regulations, data availability, and verification practices. Some jurisdictions provide instant digital access to records, while others require candidate-submitted documents or manual confirmation from institutions.

Deel is among the fastest solutions for multi-country hiring because it:

• Runs real-time automated searches across extensive global data sources
  Uses AI to standardize results instantly
• Integrates screening directly into hiring workflows to reduce manual touchpoints
• Provides clear expectations around turnaround times based on each country’s requirements

While timing ultimately depends on each jurisdiction’s rules, Deel’s automation and global coverage allow distributed teams to hire across multiple countries with far less operational friction than traditional providers.

Leverage local verification sources for accuracy

Automation accelerates verification, but certain countries or roles require manual, local confirmation to ensure accuracy.

Examples include:

• South Africa: Fingerprint-based criminal checks are required
• Germany: Candidates must personally obtain and provide their criminal record certificate
• India: Education credentials often require verification with individual institutions

Common challenges include non-digitized data, language barriers, and limited public access. To improve accuracy:

• Verify directly with government agencies when automated checks are insufficient
• Contact academic institutions when credentials require confirmation
• Authenticate documents using apostilles, notarization, or embassy validation
• Partner with regional verification experts for country-specific insights
• Build additional lead time into hiring plans where manual verification is typical

Ensure compliance with local and international laws

Background checks must comply with a wide range of data privacy and employment laws across regions. These laws determine what data can be collected, how it may be used, and what rights candidates retain.

Key examples:

• GDPR (EU): Requires explicit, informed consent and limits collection to job-relevant data
• Japan: Criminal checks must be relevant to the job and require written consent.
• France: Employers may only request criminal checks for certain regulated roles
• China (PIPL): Requires data localization and strict controls for cross-border transfers
• Brazil (LGPD): Gives candidates the right to access and correct their personal information
• Australia: Requires clear disclosures and a legitimate business purpose for each check.

Compliance essentials include:

• Explicit consent: Ensure candidates understand and agree to each check
• Clear disclosure: Outline what will be verified and how information will be used
• Strong data protections: Encrypt and secure all personal data
• Respect for candidate rights: Provide access and correction pathways
• Purpose limitation: Verify only information relevant to the role

Standardize and document background check procedures

A documented and structured process ensures fairness, reduces bias, and keeps teams aligned across regions.

Define clear workflows that outline:

• Required checks for each role
• When checks begin
• Candidate documentation requirements
• How results should be evaluated and communicated

Automation helps trigger checks consistently after conditional offers and maintain compliance across jurisdictions.

Regular audits help ensure the process remains consistent, compliant, and aligned with corporate standards.

Implement continuous monitoring post-hire

Some roles, particularly those in regulated industries or those involving sensitive access, require post-hire checks to maintain compliance and mitigate ongoing risk. Here are some examples:

• Finance roles: Ongoing checks help identify new sanctions or financial misconduct issues that could affect an employee’s authority to handle sensitive financial responsibilities
• Healthcare positions: Periodic verification can surface license changes or criminal matters that may limit a clinician’s ability to continue practicing safely
• Roles involving minors or vulnerable groups: Regular rescreening helps confirm that no new offenses have arisen that would compromise an employee’s suitability for caregiving or supervisory work
• Technical and data-sensitive roles: Continued monitoring can highlight emerging risks—such as cybercrime or fraud—that matter for employees with elevated access to systems and confidential data

Automation makes ongoing monitoring scalable while ensuring HR teams are notified only when relevant new information appears. Always ensure monitoring complies with regional employment and privacy laws.

Evaluate and adapt your verification strategy over time

Verification processes should evolve alongside regulatory changes, new fraud patterns, and shifting business needs.

Track key indicators such as:

• Turnaround time
• Accuracy and completion rates
• Compliance issues
• Candidate experience

Staying proactive ensures your screening program remains compliant, fair, and efficient across all hiring regions.

Simplify global background checks with Deel

Managing international background checks doesn’t need to add complexity to your hiring workflow. Deel background checks brings global screening, automated processes, and clear reporting together in a single platform—so HR teams can verify candidates across borders without juggling separate tools or manual follow-ups.

With background checks available in 200+ countries and connected to 200,000+ data sources, Deel helps teams run fast, compliant screenings for employees and contractors—all directly within the Deel platform.

Experience a streamlined approach to global verification. See how Deel supports efficient, compliant background checks worldwide.

Request a demo to get started.