The Best Job Functions for Using International Contractors

You might think that hiring an international team member is just for big businesses. But with the popularity of remote work, the pool of possible candidates is expanding outside the U.S. And businesses of all sizes can now access contractors from around the globe, all while staying in compliance with local laws and compensating workers fairly.

Hiring international contractors has the potential to reduce costs, increase diversity, tap into specialized expertise and local-market insight, as well as expand timezone coverage. So what work can international contractors do? 

Common job functions for global contractors

Research by our partner Remote, a global expert in international hiring, found which jobs are most commonly advertised on global contractor job boards. There’s a deep talent pool  – so keep that in mind the next time you need help with: 

Marketing

Marketing accounts for 33% of job postings, so there are plenty of skilled marketing professionals willing to work as independent contractors. Marketing’s complexity and importance to growth mean that businesses often seek specialists to enhance their efforts. Marketing roles that were frequently listed include:

• Content Writing (8.18% of job postings)
• Digital Marketing (8.02%)

Design and development

Web design, web development, and e-commerce professionals are also widely available. Companies may benefit from contracting individual software engineers or developers due to cost and time savings, flexibility, and the potential to bring them on full time if they’re a good fit.

• Web Design (10.65% of job postings)
• Web Development (8.73%)
• E-commerce Development (8.59%)
• Graphic Design (7.78%)
• Mobile Development (6.43%)
• Game Design (3.86%)
• Product Design (3.40%)

Creative

Creative workers are also well represented on global job boards, so creative work is a good fit for talent you’d like to hire outside the U.S.:

• Audio Production (5.90% of job postings)
• Animation (4.99%)
• Illustration (4.89%)
• Photography (4.01%)
• 3D Modeling (3.92%)

Other

There are a number of different jobs where international talent can help. Here’s a sampling from Remote’s research:

• Customer Experience (8.18% of job postings)
• Business Writing (6.81%)
• Architecture (6.14%)
• Translation (4.71%)
• Public Relations (4.29%)

Most affordable job functions to hire internationally

Which jobs can help save you the most money when you engage global talent? Remote’s analysis compared average hourly contractor rates to the annual salaries of full-time U.S. employees to identify the roles that offer the best value.

Hre are the top ten most affordable roles:

1. Data Entry & Transcription Services ($11.83/hr for global contractors)
2. Customer Experience & Tech Support ($11.91/hr)
3. Market Research & Product Reviews ($13.20/hr)
4. Virtual Assistance ($14.10/hr)
5. Data Extraction/ETL ($17.66/hr)
6. Accounting & Bookkeeping ($20.37/hr)
7. 3D Modeling & CAD ($23.38/hr)
8. Physical Sciences ($23.50/hr)
9. Translation & Localization Services ($24.36/hr)
10. Contract Manufacturing ($26.04/hr)

Keep in mind that while securing cheap labor is great, it’s also crucial for employers to develop a fair global compensation strategy. This helps ensure equitable pay and compliance with local wage laws, fostering a positive internal culture, improved retention rates, and higher quality work from motivated contractors.

Most expensive job functions to outsource

Conversely, some roles command higher hourly rates due to their specialized nature. Here are the roles where you may get less cost savings by contracting a global team member. 

1. International & Immigration Law ($87.80/hr for global contractors)
2. Photography ($87.41/hr)
3. Public Relations ($74.10/hr)
4. Community Management & Tagging ($73.23/hr)
5. Marketing & Brand Strategy ($70.75/hr)
6. Product Management ($63.30/hr)
7. Information Security & Compliance ($61.85/hr)
8. Management Consulting & Analysis ($60.48/hr)
9. Sales & Marketing Copywriting ($58.91/hr)

While these roles are expensive, the expertise provided by international contractors for short-term projects can justify the cost, especially in fields with local talent shortages.

Comparing costs: Full-time U.S employees vs. Global Contractors

For many projects, hiring a short-term contractor is more cost-effective than employing a full-time worker. However, long-term reliance on contractors can lead to misclassification issues, so don’t get stingy when it comes to compliance. 

Here are the best value job functions when comparing international contractor rates to full-time employee salaries in the US – so it might make sense to engage international contractors for these: 

1. Data Mining & Management ($26.60/hr for international contractor vs. $71.78/hr for full-time U.S. hire)
2. Corporate & Contract Law ($36.47/hr vs. $64.31/hr)
3. Database Management & Administration ($28.75/hr vs. $54.33/hr)
4. Electrical & Electronic Engineering ($42.86/hr vs. $65.92/hr)
5. Building & Landscape Architecture ($39.33/hr vs. $62.29/hr)

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Working effectively with an international contractor has become increasingly easy due to technological advances in video conferencing and project management tools. Plus, technology has helped make complying with local tax and wage regulations easier than ever. 

As the competition for domestic talent continues to be fierce, more businesses of all kinds are going to seriously consider the option of hiring abroad, and with the tools available — like Gusto’s global contractor management tools –  they can do it with confidence.