When Emirates Airline announced its intention to recruit more than 17,000 people for 350 roles across 150 cities this year, the news captured global attention. For one of the world’s most recognisable airlines, such a recruitment drive is both a sign of confidence in its growth trajectory and a reminder of the logistical and legal challenges involved in hiring at scale.Emirates is a high-profile example, but for any ambitious global company, the question remains the same: how do you successfully hire across borders while staying compliant, competitive, and attractive to talent?Expanding internationally is exciting, but it comes with significant complexities. Employment laws differ wildly between jurisdictions, from annual leave entitlements and sick pay to visa processes and tax obligations. What works seamlessly in one country could be non-compliant or even illegal in another. For HR leaders and global mobility professionals, scaling across borders goes beyond filling roles, and encapsulates the need to balance consistency, compliance, and culture.The complexity of hiring globallyHiring thousands of people across multiple countries is as much a logistical exercise as it is a legal puzzle. Each new hire may require not only onboarding and training but also compliance checks, documentation, and a payroll setup that meets local requirements.There is a vast array of factors that need to be considered. Employment contracts must be localised to meet statutory requirements, covering probationary periods, notice provisions, and termination rules. In regulated industries like aviation, cross-border mobility is particularly sensitive, with government approvals often required. Employers must ensure both corporate and payroll tax compliance, which differs from country to country. Paying employees in multiple currencies and complying with local tax and social security laws requires comprehensive systems or local partners.Another often-overlooked dimension of global hiring is the administrative strain on internal teams. Large-scale recruitment campaigns require localised employment contracts and tax structures, but also involve coordinated onboarding, training, and cultural integration. HR leaders are expected to manage diverse time zones, languages, and conflicting public holiday schedules, all while maintaining a sense of cohesion across the workforce. Even seemingly simple processes like payroll deadlines or benefits enrolment can vary significantly, creating bottlenecks if not carefully aligned. As companies expand, the challenge becomes less about whether they can recruit the numbers and more about whether they can integrate new hires smoothly into one global culture. Without that focus, businesses risk high levels of attrition, just as quickly as they’ve scaled.All these considerations create what many HR leaders call the “compliance conundrum.” There is no universal template for employment, so while organisations may aspire to consistency, in reality, they must tailor their approach to each market.Navigating legal nuancesStatutory entitlements provide a clear illustration of why a “one-size-fits-all” approach fails. This challenge is exemplified when you consider annual leave and sick pay entitlements across four different markets.The UAE offers a minimum of 30 calendar days of paid annual leave and up to 90 days of sick leave, structured as full pay for the first 15 days, half pay for the next 30, and unpaid thereafter. The UK provides 28 days of paid annual leave (including public holidays) and subsidised sick pay of up to 28 weeks through Statutory Sick Pay. France guarantees 30 working days of annual leave and up to six months of partial pay for sick leave, depending on the contract and collective agreements. In the U.S., workers are not entitled to any minimum amount of annual leave, and there is no federal guarantee of sick pay, which is left to the discretion of the employer or individual states. As you can see, even navigating these requirements adds a layer of complexity to global hiring, and they are merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to compliance.Some companies attempt to “universalise” their employment model by setting global minimums that meet or exceed the strictest statutory requirements. Many global businesses have adopted universal policies in other areas, such as using frameworks like the EU’s GDPR as a benchmark for data security worldwide. However, universalising benefits can be costly, and many businesses instead adopt a tiered model, blending global consistency with local compliance.The role of HR: balancing global strategy and local realitiesThe responsibility for navigating these complexities often falls squarely on HR leaders. They must deliver a consistent employee experience, so that all staff feel part of one company while also respecting local legislation and cultural expectations.Partnering with local experts is a key strategy. Many rely on legal advisors or Employer of Record (EOR) partners to ensure compliance without having to set up a full legal entity in every country. Employer should also consider leveraging HR technology. Digital platforms help to manage payroll, benefits, and compliance across multiple jurisdictions, reducing administrative burden. HR leaders must also decide whether to offer uniform benefits globally or adapt to local norms, a decision that has both cultural and financial implications.Read related articlesAttracting talent across bordersAttracting top talent requires a blend of compliance and assembling attractive remuneration packages. What employees value can vary dramatically between countries. For example, in Latin America, a 13th-month salary (a bonus equivalent to one month’s pay) is often expected. In Scandinavian countries, flexible working hours are often seen as more attractive than extra pay.Though Emirates, with its heavy reliance on in-person roles, is somewhat atypical, in many sectors flexible and remote work options are now considered non-negotiable. In countries like Canada or the U.S., health coverage is a major perk as workers do not have access to Universal Healthcare. In the UK or Norway, where public healthcare exists, this carries less weight.The key is balancing global consistency with local preferences and knowing that what motivates one workforce may not necessarily appeal to another.Emirates and the allure of global hiringEmirates Group, which includes both the airline and ground-handling unit data, is hiring 17,300 people across 350 roles this year. This recruitment push covers cabin crew, pilots, engineers, IT professionals, and ground staff in 150 cities worldwide.For Dubai-based employees, the company offers attractive packages: profit share eligibility, medical and life insurance, travel benefits including annual leave tickets, concessional cargo rates, and discount memberships for retail, hospitality, and lifestyle outlets.Emirates’ benefits are generous in the UAE context, but the question is how they translate internationally. Do they replicate these packages in Paris, London, or New York? Or do they tailor benefits to each market? The answer is not public, but organisations in similar positions that want to expand into new markets and hire across borders may choose between:Centralising HR functions: Running global HR out of headquarters with local compliance experts.Partnering locally: Working with law firms, recruitment agencies, HR consultancies or EORs in each jurisdiction.Salary benchmarking: Benchmarking pay in all the locations in which you wish to hire, to ensure alignment with all local laws and expectations, retain competitive edge, and ensure equity across jurisdictions.Setting up legal entities abroad: Choosing between sole proprietorships, partnerships, LLCs, or full corporations depending on scale.Regardless of model, Emirates’ hiring spree underscores the appeal and the challenge of going global at speed.When hiring goes wrong: risk and reputationThe consequences of mismanaging cross-border hiring can be severe. A common risk is misclassifying fulltime workers as contractors, which can trigger fines, backdated tax liabilities, and lawsuits. Hiring without the correct visas or immigration permits can end in deportations, bans, and damaged reputations. Disparities in benefits between staff in different countries can impact employee morale and satisfaction, damaging retention and reputation. Companies also risk falling foul of regulatory audits. Companies expanding internationally must therefore weigh speed against diligence, because a high-profile misstep in one market can damage trust globally.Future-proofing global hiringAs companies look ahead, several trends are shaping how they prepare for large-scale, international hiring.Employer of Record (EOR) models allow firms to hire quickly in new markets without establishing a legal entity, while ensuring compliance. AI and automation in recruitment mean streamlined candidate screening, onboarding, and workforce management across jurisdictions. Companies should invest in building reputations as desirable employers in each market, rather than relying solely on a global brand name. A successful global expansion means treating legal and tax compliance not as an afterthought but as a foundation for sustainable growth.Hiring 17,000 people across 150 cities is a big move by Emirates, but it also highlights all the factors that must be closely considered by global employers. Hiring at scale is about finding the right people while weaving together a patchwork of laws, cultures, and expectations into a coherent, compliant, and attractive employee experience.For HR leaders, the task can be daunting: balance consistency with local adaptation, meet legal obligations while competing for top talent, and do it all as quickly as possible. However, the companies that succeed will be those that recognise hiring internationally as a serious undertaking, requiring local expertise, technological support, and dedication to compliance.Annette Ord Bio
With Mauve for 25 years, Annette Ord is responsible for steering the commercial dimensions of the business. Her primary focus is advancing organisational objectives, enhancing revenue, ensuring profitability, and fostering growth through transformative business initiatives. As Commercial Director, Annette aims to unify customer-facing departments, creating a strong, respectful commercial team that boosts company revenue while ensuring exceptional customer service and client retention. Annette has been key in developing innovative industry expansion strategies, significantly increasing Mauve’s market share. She has played a crucial role in penetrating the global education industry, leading to a 900% increase in education clients since 2012, including 7 out of 8 Ivy League institutions and 8 of the world’s top 20 universities (Times Higher Education World Rankings). Combining the knowledge learnt in previous roles as Global Sales Manager and Account Manager, Annette has honed her leadership, strategic design, negotiation, and people management skills, equipping her with an industry-leading toolkit to support the organisation’s goals.
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