Survey of 500 global business leaders finds global hiring is accelerating faster than companies can manage compliance

NEW YORK, March 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As global hiring accelerates, most companies are exposing themselves to significant compliance risk. Only 8% of organizations report being fully compliant with international tax and labor laws, according to data from Multiplier's Global Hiring Gap report.

Based on a survey of 500 global business decision-makers, the report highlights a widening disconnect between ambition and readiness. While 96% of companies say international hiring improves talent quality, most are not equipped to manage the complexity of rising visa costs and shifting labor regulations, leaving them struggling to keep up with evolving global demands.

Nearly half (46%) of respondents said they are hiring internationally to access AI skills, reflecting the pace of technological change. This trend is compounded by immigration and visa constraints, with 33% of respondents citing these challenges as a key driver for hiring abroad.

Even when companies identify the right talent abroad, compliance gets in the way. 46% say they've failed to onboard international hires because of it, and with labor laws evolving and regulatory complexity on the rise, global expansion is only getting harder to navigate.

"While the global economy is more interconnected than ever, the regulatory landscape for hiring remains extremely fragmented," says Sagar Khatri, Co-Founder and CEO of Multiplier. "91% of companies are able to hire faster when they look abroad, so the desire to hire from anywhere is there. Simplifying compliance is the key to making the next era of hiring truly borderless."

The report surveyed companies with between 50 and 1,000 employees from the U.S., Singapore, the U.K., and Australia. The report expands on several additional trends and is now available to download on Multiplier's website.

About Multiplier
Multiplier is the Global Exchange for Work, precision-built for companies to hire, manage, and pay global teams across 150+ countries. By combining world-class tools, including EOR, COR, and Global Payroll, with a vast network of owned entities and human-first support, Multiplier empowers companies of all sizes to expand globally with confidence. Since 2020, the global-first infrastructure has helped over 1,500 companies and now processes over $2 billion in cross-border wages, reshaping the global economy and the future of work.