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International recruitment timelines: how to plan
Short answer: There is no single timeline: recruitment time depends mainly on whether the workers need a permit or visa, their notice periods, and travel and onboarding, so plan backwards from your required start date and start the conversation early.
What drives the timeline
- Right-to-work route. EU/EEA citizens moving within the EU/EEA usually need no permit, so the timeline is driven by recruitment and relocation. Workers who need a permit or visa add the authority’s processing time, which changes and should be checked on the official site.
- Candidate availability and notice. Skilled workers in employment may have notice periods, and trades with seasonal peaks compete for staff.
- Qualifications and tests. Trade tests, certificates and recognition of qualifications can take time, particularly for welders and electricians.
- Registration and onboarding. Some countries require worker registration, a tax or ID number or a bank account before payroll can run smoothly.
- Accommodation and travel. Securing housing is often the practical bottleneck.
Plan backwards
Take the date workers must be productive and subtract onboarding, travel, any permit processing, candidate notice and the sourcing phase. If the result is already in the past, it is worth talking early about what is realistic.
What we will not do
We do not quote guaranteed delivery times before reviewing your requirements, and we do not recommend relying on any single figure published elsewhere without checking its date and source.
Talk to us about your timing.
General planning guidance. No typical timeframes are published here.