In today’s world, businesses are becoming increasingly interconnected, with operations expanding across multiple regions, often including the Asia-Pacific (APAC). Rich in diversity, culture, and economic potential, this region offers both unique opportunities and challenges for companies aiming to grow their workforce.
Navigating the APAC hiring landscape requires nuance, particularly for those unfamiliar with local markets and regulations, and without a robust background screening framework in place.
Unique Background Screening Challenges in Asia Pacific
The APAC region spans multiple subregions, including South Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Oceania, and is home to an estimated working population of around 2.1 billion people, according to Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
Countries within APAC, such as Singapore, India, China, and Australia, are regarded as economic powerhouses that play a pivotal role in shaping the global hiring landscape. These nations contribute a diverse talent pool across a wide range of industries, each governed by distinct legal systems and cultural norms. Such differences have a direct impact on recruitment practices and present unique challenges for organisations operating across the region.
Implementing background screening in the Asia Pacific region presents several key challenges:
- Decentralised Data Sources: The region’s decentralised data sources and varying legal frameworks require a tailored approach, local knowledge, and proven experience. For instance, criminal background checks must be conducted at the country or even state/department level, as there is no unified regional database. In some countries and for some roles, background checks are not a mandatory part of the hiring process, adding another layer of challenge
- Diverse Educational Systems: Each country has its own education system, with varying degree structures, accreditation standards, and grading scales. For example, a bachelor’s degree may take three years in Australia but four years in some countries in Southeast Asia or East Asia, adding a degree of complexity when comparing qualifications across borders.
- Language Barriers and Cultural Norms: Multinational companies with offices across the APAC region can face significant challenges in background screening and hiring due to language barriers and cultural differences. Miscommunication can arise from language discrepancies, leading to misunderstandings or incomplete information during the screening process. Additionally, varying cultural norms and practices can impact the interpretation of background check results and the overall hiring process, requiring companies to adapt their strategies to ensure consistency and fairness.
High Job Mobility and Turnover Rates
Employment verification in APAC can be further complicated by high job mobility and varying turnover rates. Candidates may have held multiple short-term roles across different countries, making it more challenging to verify their employment histories.
- In Australia, the overall job mobility rate is 7.7%, with the hospitality sector reaching 15.5%.
- Singapore reports a relatively low monthly turnover rate of 1.2%, indicating more stable employment patterns.
- In Hong Kong, the employee mobility is high, with 63% of workers either planning to change employers or considering a job switch in the next coming months.
- In India, the 2024 Deloitte India Talent Outlook Survey reported an average attrition rate of 17.4% across organisations, particularly in fast-growing sectors such as technology and services.
These differences highlight the need for flexible and localised verification practices. In high-mobility markets, where talent is sourced not only locally but also from neighbouring countries, employers must be prepared to assess frequent transitions and short tenures without compromising the integrity of their hiring decisions.
To do this effectively, organisations should partner with a background screening company who can verify employment histories across borders, including short-term roles, without being limited by location or jurisdiction.
The Risks of Inadequate Screening
Inconsistencies in candidate information are a global concern, and several cases across the Asia-Pacific region highlight why thorough background screening is essential.
In the Philippines, a Filipino traveller was intercepted at the airport by immigration authorities while on route to Hong Kong, after presenting a fake job certificate. In Singapore, a reporter from Channel NewsAsia successfully obtained a fake university degree certificate in 2023, which was delivered via WhatsApp. These forgery services were easily accessible through websites found with a simple Google search, demonstrating how effortless it can be to acquire fake credentials.
According to Occupational Fraud 2024: A Report to the Nations from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), over 1,900 cases of occupational fraud were reported across 138 countries, resulting in more than $3.1 billion in losses. Asia-Pacific reported the highest average loss per case at $1.2 million, surpassing even Europe.
The possibility of failing to conduct thorough background checks can lead to serious consequences, from hiring unqualified individuals to exposing your organisation to financial and reputational risks.
Our recent 2025 Global Trends Report echoes this concern. In the Asia-Pacific region, 28% of employers ranked managing risk as the second most important reason for conducting background checks. However, most of our respondents prioritise speed of hiring with 63%.
We recommend a balanced approach, where background screening processes can reduce time-to-hire, as well as providing a thorough verification to watch over critical red flags.
Inadequate background checks can lead to several risks, including:
- Reputational Damage: Hiring individuals with falsified credentials or criminal backgrounds can harm a company’s reputation and erode trust with stakeholders.
- Legal and Compliance Issues: Non-compliance with local laws and regulations can result in legal penalties and fines.
- Financial Losses: The costs associated with employee turnover, legal claims, and workplace incidents can be significant.
- Workplace Safety: Ensuring a safe work environment is crucial, and hiring individuals with undisclosed criminal backgrounds can pose a threat to other employees.
Blending Global Policies with Regional Best Practices
A robust and thorough background screening program serves as a vital risk mitigation tool. It can help to prevent legal, physical, reputational, and economic risks by ensuring that candidates are thoroughly vetted. This process builds trust with stakeholders, including government entities, financial institutions, and partners.
Moreover, a robust background screening program can also enhance brand reputation and a company’s dedication to both their employees and customers, which fosters confidence and loyalty.
To navigate the challenges of background screening in Asia Pacific, companies need a program blending their global policies with local best practices and experience. This approach ensures that the screening process is both thorough and mitigates risk with local regulations.
Consider these 4 best practices:
- Centralised Framework with Regional Flexibility: A successful global background screening program starts with a centralised strategy that ensures consistency in hiring standards across the organisation. However, it must also be adaptable to regional laws, norms, and expectations. This balance allows companies to maintain high standards while respecting local practices.
- Efficiency and Integration: Partnering with a background screening provider offering a dynamic technology platform across all countries and supports multiple languages is crucial. Integration with applicant tracking systems (ATS) ensures a seamless and efficient process, providing real-time status updates and a cohesive applicant experience. Streamlining reduces redundancies and can even speed up the hiring process.
- Compliance and Risk Management: The right partner simplifies compliance and change management by consolidating background screening under one vendor. This approach means your screening programs address global hiring regulations, helping you to manage legal risks.
- Regional Expertise and Presence: Having a partner with a strong presence in
Asia Pacific and extensive experience in the region is invaluable. They can navigate the complexities of local laws, cultural sensitivities, and data access challenges. This kind of partnership with regional expertise supports a screening process that is thorough, consistent, and helps to manage local compliance requirements.
Start Screening with Confidence
Expanding your screening program (whether regionally or globally) requires careful planning and execution. By partnering with a knowledgeable and experienced background check provider, companies can feel more confident that their screening processes are efficient, support compliance goals, and are configured to the unique challenges of the Asia Pacific region. This approach not only helps to mitigate risks but also enhances the overall hiring experience, fostering trust in the workforce.
To learn more about our background screening solutions for Asia-Pacific, click here.
