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Ethical International Healthcare Recruitment
Best Practices
The following are examples of ethical best practices by international healthcare recruiters that represent the sort of
professional practice embodied in the AAIHR Code of Ethics. These suggested practices are voluntary guidelines to be
utilized by its members and AAIHR realizes that each member can and should consider each of the suggested practices in
light of its individual business model and the appropriate ethical considerations. AAIHR encourages its members to make
reasonable, good faith efforts to implement similar practices in the conduct of their recruitment activities.
I. Honest and Transparent Communications
Advertising Professional Opportunities and Credential Requirements
Avoid the use of false or deliberately misleading information in recruitment advertising.
Clearly and specifically indicate the occupational level for which healthcare professional applicants are sought
and the minimum standards or qualifications required for each of those occupational levels.
Employment Terms, Transfer Rights, and Specific Employer
Define the general terms for assignment in the US at the time the employment is offered and do not change these terms without
the informed consent of the healthcare professional.
Inform the healthcare professional, in the event of a transfer or assignment of a healthcare professionals contractual
rights and obligations to another Company.
Specify the nature of employment relationship (e.g. direct hire by healthcare facility or employed by staffing agency)
as soon as this information is known and do not subsequently change the employment relationship without the consent of the
healthcare professional.
II. General Principles of Fairness
Contract Practices
Provide sufficient opportunity for healthcare professional applicants to review and consider contract terms before
signing is required and provide a copy of the signed contract for the healthcare professional to retain for their records.
Make reasonable efforts to ensure that healthcare professional applicants clearly understand the mutual rights and obligations
of the parties in any employment or placement agreements, and that any such contracts are binding on both parties.
Include specific terms and provisions in recruitment contracts relating to expenses (e.g., transportation, initial housing),
and identify financial responsibilities of all parties.
Deal with contract breach by the healthcare professional in a fair and reasonable manner so that the rights and interests
of all parties (Recruiter, Employer, and Professional) are protected to the extent practical and that all parties are
discouraged from misrepresentation and “bad faith” practices.
Charge no placement or recruitment fees to healthcare professionals except in circumstances where such fees are not paid
by the employer.
Immigration Practices
Inform international healthcare professionals at the time of contract signing about all required steps and the intricacies
and complexities of US licensing and immigration processes; maintain transparency throughout the immigration process, and
strive to keep healthcare professionals informed about their individual progress.
Do not withhold green cards or passports from healthcare professional applicants or employees.
Labor Practices
Provide compensation that meets or exceeds Prevailing Wage guidelines for international healthcare professionals as
established by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Apply a standard of fairness in provision of health and welfare benefits (e.g., health, disability, and life insurance)
as similarly-qualified and similarly-situated domestic educated healthcare professionals and that such professionals are
not discriminated against based on their origin or nationality.
Provide access to safe and clean housing, healthcare, food and transportation as part of a negotiated employment package
for an international healthcare professional, or encourage hiring employers to include such items in any package they may offer.
Provide or advise employers regarding regional orientation and acclimation support to assist healthcare professionals with
adjustment to living in the US (e.g. community & employment culture, diverse languages of community, cost of living, banking,
living arrangements, post office).
Provide or advise employers on the provision of clinical orientation, ongoing constructive supervision and support to enable
the migrating healthcare professional to satisfy the requirements of their work, and to practice in their profession in
accordance with the guidelines stated in the Practice Act set forth by the state licensing body and other accreditation
entities, particularly with regard to clinical standards, scope of practice, and procedures that may not be familiar to
international healthcare professionals.
III. Sustainability and Socially Responsible Recruitment
International healthcare recruiters are encouraged to respect and to reinvest in the sustainability of the health systems
of source countries, especially developing countries. The following are examples of ways this might be accomplished:
Direct active recruitment initiatives toward source countries with adequate supplies of healthcare professionals.
Pursue health facility partnership agreement (e.g., between US schools of nursing or hospitals and source country schools
of nursing or hospitals). Such partnerships, often called twinning, provide source country facilities with visiting faculty,
and in some instances, nursing and/or medical supplies and resources.
Establish a scholarship fund at a source country educational institution or through a professional organization for the
additional education and advancement of local source country nurses.
Establish relationships with the departments of human resources in source country hospitals, so that the training and
departure processes have an agreed upon timeframe.
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