Global Talent #45

🔥 Opening Shot

In 2025, I thought I’d be talking more about AI displacement or LATAM engineering salaries. Instead, ICE raids are dominating headlines in my hometown of Los Angeles — and raising real fears in sectors that rely on guest workers.

Before Lundi, I ran a workforce business with significant operations in Poland and thousands of guest workers. Our sites were raided constantly. I remember sitting in border guard offices explaining why people regularly absconded with their work visas to elsewhere in Europe — fun times. But because we had a tight, Salesforce-based compliance system, we never once got fined (at least for that). That system now powers compliance for some of the largest staffing firms in Central Europe, and I’m starting to wonder if the U.S. needs something similar.

This isn’t just about seasonal labor. If your org relies on 200+ guest workers or visa holders — and your I-9 process is a mess — you’re running on borrowed time. As enforcement ramps up, I see a strategic parallel to what’s happening in global remote hiring: speed without structure gets expensive, fast.

You need tools, not hope.

That’s the theme this week: structure beats improvisation.

Whether it’s immigration raids in California, wage inflation in Poland, or AI eating job families — the companies that win are the ones that treat operations like a product, not an afterthought.

📌 On the Radar

1. APAC’s Global Hiring Pivot: Asia-Pacific companies are going all-in on global remote talent. A full 80% of firms in the region now plan to source talent internationally via remote models, and over two-thirds have workforces with 70%+ remote employees. It’s no longer COVID adaptation — it’s the default setting. The biggest challenge? Navigating labor law inconsistencies, cited by 46% of APAC execs as the top friction point.

While some Western execs squabble over badge taps, APAC leaders are quietly building global orgs at scale. If you’re waiting for a perfect framework, you’ll be hiring leftovers. Go global now — and optimize later — or risk being boxed out by more aggressive players.

2. Wage Arbitrage in LatAm & Eastern Europe: The talent gold rush is on in emerging markets. A recent report finds thousands of U.S. companies now hiring in Latin America, driven by acute skill shortages at home and significant cost savings. The savings are very real: companies are averaging $35k–$55k saved per hire by tapping LatAm professionals, with senior engineers often costing roughly half of U.S. salaries (think $120k in LatAm vs $245k in the States). Eastern Europe tells a similar story – developers there deliver Silicon Valley-grade work at about one-third the cost. It’s a win-win as many of these global hires see life-changing pay bumps (one study notes LatAm tech talent jumping their salaries by up to 87% when hired by U.S. firms).

Geo-arbitrage is great for the bottom line, but it won’t be a secret forever. As global pay disparities tighten, today’s cost havens may demand more. Smart leaders use the arbitrage window to invest in culture, training and retention – not just grab cheap talent – because once everyone hops on the bandwagon, the only differentiator left will be how well you treat your people.

3. U.S. Compliance Blind Spot: According to a recent SHRM poll, over half of U.S. HR leaders say their companies are not prepared for an ICE raid. No plan, no designated response team, no confidence their I-9s are clean. Meanwhile, enforcement is rising — especially in California, where raids have already shut down segments of the produce and foodservice sectors

In Poland, we got raided so often we had a standing file at the border guard. But we never once got fined — because we built the system. U.S. companies that wait for the knock at the door will lose people, revenue, and reputation. Build your ICE playbook now, or prepare to pay the price.

📊 Chart of the Week

APAC’s Remote Momentum – % of Companies Planning to Add Remote Full-Time Employees (Next 12 Months)

From Japan to India, APAC companies are accelerating their remote-first hiring strategies. Japan (85%) and Australia (83%) are leading, with the Philippines, Singapore, and India close behind. This isn’t theory — it’s how global hiring is being operationalized across the region.

If you’re waiting for “proof” that global remote hiring is mainstream, here it is. The APAC market isn’t testing this anymore — they’re executing it at scale. Western firms that hesitate are gifting their edge to faster, hungrier competitors.

🚀 One More Thing

If you rely on guest workers, visa holders, or seasonal employees — especially in volume — and you’re worried about compliance risk, I want to talk to you.

The same system we built in Europe to handle thousands of guest workers — the one that now helps large enterprises and others stay 100% audit-ready — might just be what you need.

Reply to this email or reach out directly. No pitch. Just insight from someone who’s been in the border guard office, and the boardroom — and came out clean.

Let’s talk before the agents knock.