The labor market is undergoing an unprecedented transformation. By 2030, more than 85 million jobs could remain unfilled due to a lack of available talent, according to McKinsey. At the same time, companies face rising labor costs, recruitment challenges, and the need to adapt their models to new expectations: flexibility, digitalization, and remote work.
In this complex equation, international recruitment and remote work emerge as strategic levers. They not only provide access to a global talent pool but also help reduce costs and increase agility. For companies, it’s no longer just about finding rare profiles: it’s about sustainably integrating distributed teams capable of supporting growth.
In this context, Africa is positioning itself as a key player. With the youngest and most dynamic population in the world, millions of qualified professionals are eager to collaborate with international companies. This is where Breedj comes in a platform that simplifies access to these skills by combining technology, compliance, and social impact.
This guide is designed to give you a clear, practical, and actionable vision of international recruitment in 2025. You will discover the different existing models, the most attractive countries, cost comparisons, and best practices to succeed in integrating remote teams.
1. Understanding International Recruitment
1.1. A labor market under pressure
Recruitment has never been more complex. According to the World Economic Forum, 54% of companies worldwide report difficulties in finding the skills they need. The shortage is particularly severe in tech, customer support, and specialized fields. The result: longer hiring times, rising wages, and a threat to competitiveness.
1.2. The rise of a global workforce
The widespread adoption of remote work since the pandemic has opened a new era: borderless recruitment. Today, a company based in Paris can easily work with a developer in Dakar, a support agent in Antananarivo, or an accountant in Casablanca. Digital collaboration tools (Slack, Teams, Zoom, Asana) make this setup smooth and efficient.
1.3. Why recruit internationally?
International recruitment offers several strategic benefits:
- Access to new talent pools: Africa, Eastern Europe, Latin America largely untapped regions.
- Cost reduction: hiring a similar profile abroad can save 30–60% compared to a local hire.
- Agility and flexibility: quickly adapting to business needs, building project teams in days.
- Diversity and innovation: integrating talents from different cultures fosters creativity and market expansion.
1.4. Africa: the new recruitment frontier
With over 1.3 billion inhabitants, 60% of whom are under 25, Africa is the youngest continent in the world. Each year, more than 12 million graduates enter the job market. Yet, many turn to migration due to limited local opportunities.
Well-managed international recruitment helps retain talent locally while giving companies access to highly qualified and motivated professionals.
1.5. Challenges to anticipate
Recruiting internationally goes beyond signing a contract. Companies must anticipate:
- Legal and tax aspects (local compliance, contracts, payroll).
- Cross-cultural management and performance tracking.
- Onboarding processes adapted to remote work.
👉 This is precisely where platforms like Breedj add value, offering turnkey solutions to secure and simplify international recruitment.
2. Outsourcing Models Explained
International recruitment is not one-size-fits-all. Several models exist, each with advantages, limitations, and specific use cases. Understanding them is crucial to choosing the right approach.2.1. Employer of Record (EOR)
An Employer of Record (EOR) is increasingly popular. Here, a third party (like Breedj) becomes the official employer of the talent in their country of residence.
- Advantages:
- No need to set up a local legal entity.
- Full management of legal obligations (contract, payroll, taxes, compliance).
- Fast access to talent in multiple countries.
- Limitations:
- Slightly higher cost than direct hiring.
- Less flexibility than pure freelancing.
👉 For companies seeking secure, low-risk international hiring without administrative complexity, EOR is the simplest solution.
2.2. Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO)
RPO involves outsourcing part or all of the recruitment process to an external provider.
- Advantages:
- Saves time for internal HR teams.
- Access to the provider’s expertise (sourcing, screening, interviews).
- Ideal for recurring or large-scale hiring needs.
- Limitations:
- Does not always cover payroll or legal compliance (unlike EOR).
- May lack personalization if the provider is not specialized.
👉 RPO is suited for companies in rapid growth or those launching major recruitment campaigns.
2.3. International Freelancing
Freelancing allows collaboration with independent workers worldwide, either via platforms or direct contracts.
- Advantages:
- Maximum flexibility (short-term or part-time assignments).
- No social charges or long-term commitments.
- Ideal for testing new markets or specific projects.
- Limitations:
- Lower stability and loyalty.
- Risk of misclassification (a “disguised employee”).
- Administrative management (contracts, international payments) falls on the company.
👉 Freelancing is best for short, specialized projects, but less suited for strategic, long-term roles.
2.4. International Portage (Umbrella Employment)
A hybrid model where the talent is legally employed by an umbrella company (like Breedj) but remains autonomous in managing their missions.
- Advantages:
- Access to social security and benefits for the talent.
- Simplicity for the company (a single service contract).
- Perfect for long-term assignments requiring stability.
- Limitations:
- Slightly higher cost than pure freelancing.
- Less flexibility than independent contracting.
👉 Portage is ideal for strategic, longer-term missions, balancing stability with flexibility.
2.5. Quick Comparison
| Model | Best For | Key Advantages | Main Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| EOR | Secure international hires | Compliance, payroll, simplicity | Higher cost vs direct hire |
| RPO | Large-scale recruitment | HR expertise, speed | Doesn’t always cover payroll |
| Freelancing | Short-term/specialized projects | Flexibility, cost savings | Instability, compliance risks |
| Portage | Long-term stable assignments | Social benefits, flexibility | More costly than pure freelance |
👉 Breedj stands out by offering a full suite of solutions (EOR, portage, freelancing), with transparent pricing: €390/month + salary.
3. The Most Attractive Countries in 2025
Hiring internationally also means knowing where to look. Not all countries offer the same advantages in terms of cost, skills, language, or stability. Below is an overview of the most attractive destinations for companies in 2025.
3.1. Mauritius: A Strategic Hub in the Indian Ocean
- Strengths:
- Modern infrastructure and reliable high-speed internet.
- Bilingual workforce (French/English), ideal for multi-market coverage.
- Political and fiscal stability.
- Key Skills: IT, financial services, customer support, BPO.
- Average Salaries: Developers earn between €1,200 – €1,800 gross/month, 2–3 times less than in Europe.
👉 Mauritius is a strategic gateway to manage an international team and serve Europe, Africa, and Asia simultaneously.
3.2. Madagascar: The Francophone Back-Office Champion
- Strengths:
- Young, French-speaking workforce.
- Extremely competitive labor costs.
- Recognized expertise in back-office, data management, and customer support.
- Key Skills: Data entry, virtual assistance, customer service.
- Average Salaries: A support agent starts around €250 – €400 gross/month.
👉 Madagascar is a prime destination for companies seeking to significantly reduce costs while accessing French-speaking talent.
3.3. Morocco: Cultural and Geographic Proximity
- Strengths:
- Close to Europe, with nearly identical time zones.
- Strong education system and renowned engineering schools.
- Robust digital infrastructure.
- Key Skills: IT, customer support, engineering.
- Average Salaries: A software engineer earns between €800 – €1,200 gross/month.
👉 Morocco is a strategic ally for European companies seeking qualified profiles with easy cultural integration.
3.4. Tunisia: A Pool of Qualified Engineers
- Strengths:
- Long-standing tradition of outsourcing for European markets.
- High-level technical education, especially in engineering.
- Strong quality-to-cost ratio.
- Key Skills: Software development, engineering, technical support.
- Average Salaries: Developers earn around €700 – €1,000 gross/month.
👉 Tunisia combines technical expertise and cost competitiveness, making it ideal for structured IT projects.
3.5. Senegal: The Emerging West African Hub
- Strengths:
- Young population (over 60% under 25 years old).
- Democratic stability and growing attractiveness for investors.
- Strong francophone presence and rapid digital adoption.
- Key Skills: Customer service, digital marketing, IT.
- Average Salaries: A community manager earns on average €400 – €600 gross/month.
👉 Senegal is becoming a regional digital hub, ideal for businesses looking to anticipate Africa’s growth.
3.6. Côte d’Ivoire: A Fast-Growing Market
- Strengths:
- Sustained economic growth for over a decade.
- Rapid urbanization and a growing skilled workforce.
- A young, highly connected francophone population.
- Key Skills: Accounting, finance, customer service, IT.
- Average Salaries: An accountant costs €600 – €800 gross/month.
👉 Côte d’Ivoire is a promising destination for companies wanting to establish a strong presence in West Africa.
3.7. Other Emerging Hubs
- Rwanda: Known for political stability, a tech-driven orientation, and pro-business policies.
- Cameroon: Large francophone workforce, particularly in customer service.
4. How to Succeed in International Recruitment
Hiring internationally isn’t just about costs. It’s a process that needs to be structured, anticipated, and secured to guarantee success. Here are the key steps.
4.1. Define your needs clearly
Before launching any recruitment, specify:
- Target profile: technical skills, experience level, soft skills.
- Best-fit model: freelance, umbrella employment (portage), or EOR (Employer of Record).
- Duration and commitment: short assignment, fixed-term contract, or strategic long-term role.
Example: A SME wanting to externalize customer support will often choose Madagascar (competitive back-office) with portage or EOR to secure continuity.
4.2. Structure the selection process
Successful international hiring relies on:
- Targeted sourcing: use specialized platforms like Breedj rather than generic job boards.
- Remote-friendly interviews: test both technical ability and remote communication.
- Practical tests: case studies, simulations, or short paid trials to validate real skills.
Breedj provides smart matching to shorten selection time and increase quality.
4.3. Nail remote onboarding
A successful hire depends on a structured onboarding. The first days are crucial for integrating international talent.
- Clear communication: share mission, expectations, and KPIs from day one.
- Access to tools: email, software, shared docs, internal processes.
- Mentorship: assign an internal buddy for the first weeks.
- Company culture: host a welcome video call to build human connection.
A Glassdoor study indicates that effective onboarding can improve retention by 82%.
4.4. Manage a distributed, multicultural team
Remote management can become a strength when well framed.
- Set clear goals: favor outcomes (OKRs, KPIs) over hours online.
- Promote async communication: Slack, Teams, Notion to reduce friction.
- Celebrate wins: recognition boosts motivation despite distance.
- Respect cultural differences: adapt communication styles to contexts (e.g., often more direct in Europe, more collaborative in parts of Africa).
Companies embracing transparency and feedback see productivity rise by ~25% (Harvard Business Review).
4.5. Use the right tools
International hiring succeeds with the right stack:
- Communication: Zoom, Google Meet, Teams.
- Collaboration: Notion, Trello, Asana, Jira.
- Performance tracking: Hubstaff, Time Doctor, 15Five.
- Global payroll & compliance: Breedj solutions (EOR, portage, automated payments).
Breedj already integrates legal compliance, payroll, and HR tracking, reducing the number of vendors to manage.
4.6. Secure compliance and payments
One of the biggest risks in international hiring is non-compliance:
- Incorrect wage declarations.
- Contracts not aligned with local laws.
- Tax exposure for both company and talent.
With EOR or portage via Breedj, these risks are covered: contracts comply with local law and payroll is handled transparently.
4.7. Best-practice summary
- Define your needs precisely.
- Choose the right outsourcing model.
- Source through qualified channels.
- Structure onboarding and follow-up.
- Use modern collaborative tools.
- Guarantee compliance with a trusted partner.
With Breedj, companies can focus on growth while delegating legal, administrative, and HR complexity.
5. Cost Reduction and ROI
One of the strongest arguments for international recruitment is undoubtedly cost reduction. But beyond salaries alone, it’s essential to measure the overall return on investment (ROI): productivity, continuity, and strategic impact.
5.1. Why international recruitment saves money
- Salary differentials: Between Europe and Africa, wage gaps can reach 40–70% for equivalent profiles.
- Lower social charges: In many African countries, mandatory contributions are significantly lower than in the EU.
- No hidden costs: With EOR or umbrella employment, all fees are predictable (€390/month + salary with Breedj).
- Immediate productivity: Thanks to digital infrastructure, talent can be operational from onboarding, without the delays of setting up a local entity.
👉 Deloitte reports that companies that outsource save ~30% on HR costs on average.
5.2. Salary comparison: France vs Francophone Africa
| Role | Avg. Salary in France (€ gross/month) | Avg. Salary in Francophone Africa (€ gross/month) | Estimated Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developer | 3,500 – 4,500 | 800 – 1,200 | 65–75% |
| Virtual Assistant | 2,000 – 2,500 | 300 – 500 | 70–80% |
| Accountant | 3,000 – 3,800 | 500 – 800 | 65–75% |
| Customer Support Agent | 2,000 – 2,800 | 250 – 400 | 75–85% |
👉 These figures show that international hiring is a direct lever of competitiveness, without compromising quality.
5.3. Case study: A French SME
A French SaaS SME needed to hire three customer support agents.
- Hiring in France: 3 × €2,200 = €6,600/month.
- Hiring via Breedj in Madagascar: 3 × (€350 + €390) = €2,220/month.
Savings achieved: €4,380/month = €52,000/year.
With these savings, the company financed product development while improving service quality thanks to a larger team.
5.4. Beyond salary: ROI factors
Cost reduction is just the start. ROI also includes:
- Speed of recruitment: a few days with Breedj vs several months in France.
- Operational continuity: ability to build 24/7 coverage with teams across time zones.
- Strategic impact: scaling teams without exploding budgets accelerates innovation.
👉 PwC found that companies adopting hybrid onshore/offshore models see a 19% boost in innovation capacity on average.
5.5. Key takeaways
- Direct salary savings can reach 70%.
- ROI also comes from speed, flexibility, and operational continuity.
- Breedj ensures clear, fixed, transparent costs (€390/month + salary).
👉 With Breedj, international recruitment is not just about lower costs: it’s a sustainable growth strategy, enhancing competitiveness while contributing to local economies in emerging markets.
6. The Social and Sustainable Impact of International Recruitment
International recruitment is not only a cost-cutting strategy. When properly managed, it can become a powerful lever for social impact and sustainable development. At Breedj, this dimension is built into the model: every hire creates shared value for the client company, the talent, and the host country.
6.1. Combating brain drain
For decades, qualified African professionals have often had to leave their home countries to find career opportunities abroad. This brain drain deprives local economies of essential skills and weakens development.
By offering international contracts while allowing talent to stay in their country, Breedj helps reverse this trend.
👉 Outcome: professionals build careers without emigrating, while countries retain their skilled workforce.
6.2. Improving purchasing power and quality of life
When an international company hires through Breedj, it directly contributes to improved local purchasing power.
- A support agent earning €400 gross/month in Madagascar often makes double the local average salary.
- These additional earnings enable better living conditions, investment in children’s education, and contribution to the national economy.
👉 An internal study found that 78% of talent hired via Breedj report a significant improvement in their quality of life.
6.3. Creating formal and secure jobs
In many emerging economies, large portions of the workforce remain in the informal sector, without social protection or labor rights.
Through Breedj’s model (EOR, umbrella employment):
- Talent gain contracts compliant with local law.
- They access social coverage (health, retirement, insurance).
- They benefit from long-term professional stability.
👉 Moving from informal to formal work supports the structuring of labor markets and strengthens social protections.
6.4. Supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
International recruitment with Breedj directly contributes to several UN SDGs:
- SDG 4 – Quality Education: stable income allows families to invest in schooling.
- SDG 8 – Decent Work & Economic Growth: Breedj creates formal, sustainable jobs.
- SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities: connecting emerging-market talent to global opportunities.
👉 Every signed contract is not just an economic transaction it’s a measurable social impact.
6.5. Testimonials and results
- A French SME outsourced its IT support via Breedj in Senegal. Result: 60% cost reduction and 15 stable jobs created in a Dakar neighborhood.
- A Canadian company hired data analysts in Côte d’Ivoire. Result: improved data quality and an income increase for 5 families, enabling them to enroll children in private schools.
6.6. Breedj: an impact-driven partner
Unlike standard platforms that only connect clients and freelancers, Breedj positions itself as:
- A bridge between companies and talent.
- A compliance and security guarantor.
- A catalyst for social impact, directly contributing to local growth.
6.7. In summary
- International recruitment via Breedj helps retain talent locally.
- It boosts purchasing power and quality of life.
- It drives the creation of formal, secure jobs.
- It aligns companies with CSR and SDG goals.
👉 Hiring through Breedj is a win-win strategy: competitiveness for the company, opportunity for the talent, and development for the country.
7. Practical Steps for Companies
At first, international recruitment may seem complex. Yet, with a clear method, it becomes a smooth and secure process. Here are the five key steps to successfully implement your international recruitment strategy.
7.1. Step 1: Identify your real needs
Before anything else, clarify your objectives:
- Which positions are hardest to fill locally?
- Are you aiming to reduce costs, gain flexibility, or access rare skills?
- What length of engagement are you targeting (short-term project, fixed-term contract, strategic long-term role)?
👉 Breedj tip: draft a simple HR requirements brief listing technical skills, soft skills, and experience level.
7.2. Step 2: Choose the right outsourcing model
As explained in Chapter 2, the choice depends on your goals:
- Freelancing: short or specialized assignments.
- Umbrella employment (portage): balance between flexibility and security.
- EOR: secure, long-term integration without creating a local entity.
👉 Breedj tip: use our free diagnostic tool to find in minutes which model best fits your needs.
7.3. Step 3: Secure compliance and payments
The biggest concern for companies is often legal and tax risk.
- Each country has its own labor laws.
- Errors in contracts or payroll can lead to heavy penalties.
👉 Breedj tip: as an Employer of Record, we handle 100% of local compliance (contracts, payroll, social contributions). You face zero risk, and your talent is legally and safely employed.
7.4. Step 4: Onboard and manage your talent
Once the contract is signed, success depends on onboarding and management:
- Prepare an integration plan: team introduction, tools, objectives.
- Set clear follow-up through KPIs and OKRs.
- Ensure regular communication (weekly calls, simple reporting).
- Celebrate wins, even remotely.
👉 Breedj tip: we provide a remote onboarding kit to help managers integrate international talent smoothly.
7.5. Step 5: Optimize and scale
After a few successful hires, expand your strategy:
- Add new profiles (support, IT, marketing, finance).
- Diversify countries to spread risk and tap into different skill sets.
- Implement centralized HR management with global monitoring tools.
👉 Breedj tip: our SaaS platform lets you manage all international talent from a single dashboard, including payroll, compliance, and reporting.
7.6. Quick checklist
✅ Define your needs precisely.
✅ Choose the right model (freelance, umbrella, EOR).
✅ Secure legal and tax aspects.
✅ Succeed in onboarding and remote management.
✅ Optimize and scale step by step.
7.7. Why Breedj simplifies these steps
- Tailored support: advice to define your needs.
- Turnkey solution: contracts, payroll, compliance fully managed.
- Digital platform: everything centralized in one tool.
- Positive impact: each hire contributes to local economies and job creation.
👉 With Breedj, companies no longer need to juggle multiple providers. Everything is centralized, secure, and aligned with growth goals.
International recruitment and remote work are no longer passing trends — they are reshaping how companies access talent. In 2025, businesses that embrace borderless HR strategies gain competitiveness, agility, and innovation capacity.
This guide has presented:
- The different outsourcing models (EOR, RPO, freelancing, umbrella employment).
- The most attractive countries for cost-optimized recruitment.
- The best practices for onboarding, management, and compliance.
- The positive social and economic impact of international recruitment.
But knowing is one thing, acting is another.
That’s where Breedj comes in. Our mission is to make international recruitment simple, legal, and impact-driven. With us, you can:
- Hire qualified talent in just a few days.
- Reduce HR costs by up to 60%.
- Guarantee full legal compliance in 8 African countries.
- Contribute to a sustainable model that creates formal jobs and retains local talent.
👉 Ready to take action?
- Try our online simulator to calculate your savings today.
- Download the free checklist (PDF) to launch your first international hires.
- Book a call with a Breedj expert for personalized support.
The future of work is borderless. With Breedj, it is also simple, secure, and sustainable.
