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Established in 1997

HIRE~SAFE
8788 Elk Grove Blvd.
Bldg #1  Suite O
Elk Grove, CA 95624

T: 916 226-2550
F: 916 226-2552

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Good old-fashioned customer service.  The way it was... the way it should be.

International Criminal Record Searches

Now, criminal record reports are available from 172 countries. As more and more people immigrate into the USA, the need for accurate background information is increased.

You need to know before you hire!

In addition, now we can offer the complete Canadian
Basic Profile report which includes:

Driving Reports from any Province

Criminal Reports from any Province
 

     Call or E-mail us for more information about
     HIRE-SAFE Worldwide Criminal Records

Many firms are finding that they have a need to conduct criminal record screening on individuals from other countries. This can occur in two situations:

An American company is considering a job applicant who was born abroad, and has not been in the United States long enough to rely solely upon checking American references and records;

An American company is hiring an individual in another country to work in that country, such as outside sales or marketing representative.

Types of International screenings

There are two types of international services an employer may utilize. The first type is an international employment screening. The second type is an in-depth investigation.

For most employers, an international employment screening involves verifications of supplied information, as opposed to an active investigation. In other words, an employer will have already obtained from the applicant the name, addresses and phone numbers of previous employers or schools. Also, the employer will have obtained locations where an applicant has lived, worked or studied, which is important to know where to conduct the criminal searches. The employer does not need to hire an international investigator to locate that information.

A typical international screening will consist of contacting the employers and school that have been supplied, and conducting a criminal check to the extent possible in that country. A screening may also include, if available, a driving record and credit report.

If an employer is filling a highly sensitive position, or is conducting a due diligence investigation of as potential business partner, then the services of a qualified investigation firm is needed. HIRE-SAFE only conducts employment screening based upon public domain records. If an investigation is required, HIRE-SAFE will assist the employer in obtaining qualified professional assistance.


Special challenges when performing international background screenings

When performing international background checks, there are special challenges that are to be faced. Each and every country is completely different. Techniques and information that are taken for granted in the United States are often not available abroad. Outside of the United States, there is a generally very limited access to public records and the types of information needed for background screening. Each country has its own laws, customs and procedures for background screenings. Access to criminal records can be a challenge. In many countries, it is extremely difficult to obtain criminal records. There are parts of the world where such records are not available without retaining a local private investigator that has their own resources.

Very real practical difficulties are the language barriers. While all foreign investigators utilized by HIRE-SAFE can communicate in English that is not normally their first language. In addition, technical words can lead to some confusion; therefore language can become an issue in communication with foreign schools and employers. There can also be language issues in reviewing court documents for criminal record searches, although HIRE-SAFE criminal researchers will provide translations of any court documents.

There are differences in courts and criminal systems. In doing international criminal searches, each country has its own legal codes, definition of crimes and court system. International criminal checks requires an understanding of each countries court system, how criminal records are created and maintained, where searches should be or can be conducted, the type of records that are available and what the records mean.

When communicating with researchers, past employers or schools around the world, there can be delays due to time differences. This can add lag time to the reporting process. Each country will have different means of communication. Although e-mail would be preferable, not all countries have a reliable e-mail system. Communications are normally done by fax machine. Since each country has its own holidays, sometimes communications are delayed because of a countries calendar, or some other internal problem.

To conduct an international verification efficiently, it is important to have the applicant provide as much information as possible. It is not practical, for example, for an American firm to attempt to call a foreign country to locate the past employer’s' phone number. HIRE-SAFE will typically need permission to contact the applicant directly in order to obtain any additional necessary information. If HIRE-SAFE needs to help an employer arrange for the services of an investigator abroad, then in many countries, payment must be made in that countries' currency. Some investigators require that some or all be paid in advance.

HIRE-SAFE can arrange payment through an international wire transfer, which costs from $12.00 to $40.00 depending upon the bank, or a foreign currency money order send by DHL or Federal Express.

International screenings are normally much more expensive than a comparable investigation in the United States. Because an employment screening will normally consist of verifying supplied information the pricing can be kept more reasonable. However, even verifying supplied information can be expensive for the reasons indicated above. For some countries, there is also a translation fee. Exact fees charged vary by country. In many countries, criminal searches must be conducted in each relevant location where a person has lived, worked or studied. There are very few countries that have a true "national" or "official" criminal search system. The searches are usually limited to felonies or serious matters. However, even though the system for international criminal checks is not perfect, this still allows an employer to both demonstrate due diligence in the hiring process, and to also discourage applicants with something to hide, since all checks are conducted pursuant to a signed release under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Please contact HIRE-SAFE for the fee schedule for each country where a criminal record check is needed. HIRE-SAFE charges a minimum fee of $50.00 for each international employment and/or educational verification, plus long distance phone charges and interpreter services where necessary. This service requires that an applicant provide the correct phone number of the employer and school to be contacted.

The fee schedule of countries where HIRE-SAFE can provide credible International Criminal Reports:

COUNTRY USD$ SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS Albania $195.00   American Samoa $080.00   Anguilla $090.00   Antigua $100.00   Argentina* $130.00 Requires mother’s maiden name. Armenia $195.00   Aruba $080.00   Australia $090.00   Austria $140.00   Azerbaijan $185.00   Bahamas $080.00   Bahrain $325.00   Bangladesh $190.00   Barbados $080.00   Belarus $190.00   Belgium $140.00   Belize $140.00   Benin $190.00   Bermuda $080.00   Bhutan $230.00   Bolivia* $150.00 Requires mother’s maiden name. Botswana $190.00   Brazil (1) $150.00 Requires registro general number. British Virgin Islands $090.00   Bulgaria $190.00   Burkina Faso $220.00   Burundi $230.00   Cambodia $210.00   Cameroon $230.00   Canada (2) $030.00 Searched per Province Cayman Islands $080.00   Central Africa Republic $230.00   Chad $330.00   Chile* $150.00 Requires mother’s maiden name. China (Shanghai & Beijing) $250.00   Columbia* $150.00 Requires mother’s maiden name. Cook Islands $150.00   Costa Rica* $150.00 Requires mother’s maiden name. Croatia $230.00   Curaco $080.00   Cyprus $150.00   Czechoslovakia $230.00   Denmark $150.00   Djibouti $230.00   Dominica $090.00   Dominican Republic $090.00   East Timor $230.00   Ecuador $150.00   Egypt $230.00   El Salvador $150.00   England $090.00   Eritrea $230.00   Estonia $210.00   Ethiopia $230.00   Fiji $150.00   Finland $150.00   France $160.00   French Guiana $250.00   French Polynesia $150.00   Gabon $230.00   Georgia $250.00   Germany $150.00   Ghana $200.00   Greece $150.00   Greenland $150.00   Grenada $090.00   Guadaloupe $090.00   Guam $060.00   Guatemala* $150.00 Requires mother’s maiden name. Guinea $230.00   Guinea Bissau $230.00   Guyana $150.00   Haiti $150.00   Honduras $150.00   Hong Kong (3) $150.00   Hungary $250.00   Iceland $150.00   India $145.00   Indonesia $170.00   Ireland $080.00   Israel $170.00   Italy $170.00   Ivory Coast $230.00   Jamaica $080.00   Japan $160.00   Kazakhstan $210.00   Kenya (4) $190.00 Requires fingerprints. Korea (South) $170.00   Kuwait $330.00   Kyrgyz Republic $240.00   Laos $240.00   Latvia $240.00   Lebanon $330.00   Lesotho $240.00   Liberia $200.00   Liechtenstein $140.00   Lithuania $140.00   Luxembourg $140.00   Macedonia $240.00   Madagascar $240.00   Malawi $230.00   Malaysia $140.00   Maldives $270.00   Mariana Islands $090.00   Mexico* $090.00 Requires mother’s maiden name & signed release. Micronesia $140.00