A significant 163% increase in global right-to-work checks in education reflects the tightening talent market.
- Institutions face a growing challenge in filling vacancies amid a record number of teacher resignations.
- The move to international hiring is driven by talent shortages but hindered by regulatory compliance.
- Right-to-work checks’ fail rates are high, complicating hiring processes and risking non-compliance penalties.
- Despite the need to expedite hiring, delays may result in losing top candidates to more efficient institutions.
The education sector is experiencing a substantial increase in global right-to-work checks, rising by 163% as institutions attempt to address a severe shortage of teaching talent. This leap coincides with a wave of teacher resignations, recorded at 40,000 last year, compelling institutions to look beyond domestic borders to fill the resulting gaps. The urgency to recruit internationally has grown as regulatory bodies impose stricter compliance measures to prevent illegal employment practices.
There are significant obstacles associated with this trend. Right-to-work checks have a concerning fail rate of over 15%, revealing a substantial number of ineligible candidates. This high percentage highlights the risk that educational institutions face in terms of both regulatory breaches and the potential loss of suitable candidates due to prolonged vetting processes. The penalties for non-compliance are becoming more severe, with fines for employing illegal migrants set to triple, thus emphasizing the consequences of inadequate due diligence.
Furthermore, hiring teams are under pressure as they strive to balance the need for rapid recruitment with meticulous compliance. Only about 9% of businesses can perform these checks within a week, and larger organizations may take up to a month. This extensive duration can deter potential candidates, who might opt for institutions with faster hiring processes.
Luke Shipley, CEO and co-founder of Zinc, articulates the dilemma faced by the education sector: “Educational institutions are caught between conflicting interests: on the one hand, competition amid a dwindling talent pool is heating up but on the other, the consequences for not doing one’s due diligence in the interest of speed are getting more dire.” His sentiment captures the essence of the current recruitment challenge, emphasizing the importance of maintaining applicant engagement throughout the hiring process.
Educational organizations must streamline their recruitment strategies to mitigate attrition rates, which can reach up to 10% between offer acceptance and the actual commencement of the role. Delays due to extensive checks risk exacerbating these figures unless institutions can adopt more efficient methods to secure qualified candidates swiftly.
As the education sector grapples with increasing regulatory demands and talent shortages, refining recruitment processes is vital to maintaining a competitive edge.
