How to source and hire Indian developers compliantly

If you’ve ever struggled to fill an open role at your organization, you know that sometimes, the best option isn’t right in front of you. And the best part about online-based work is that you can source and hire candidates from across the globe, building the strongest, most diverse teams possible. 

Businesses frequently look internationally to fill software and application development roles, powering up with remote talent from top tech hubs. India is one of the first places to look because it’s full of well-educated, highly skilled tech workers. 

Here’s how to find and hire Indian developers and what you need to know about staying compliant in the process. 

What do software developers in India do?

Indian software and application developers offer a range of services for companies seeking to build and maintain tech products. Here are a few of the niche skills you might find on candidates’ resumes:

Creating applications and software

Indian developers design and develop applications and software, tailoring them to your organization’s guidelines. You’ll find talented programmers who specialize in a variety of coding languages, like C++, Java, Python, and Swift. Developers also often follow an iterative project management methodology, like Agile, where they roll out and test site or app features in order of importance.

Testing and debugging

Developers aim to provide end users with a bug-free, highly functional product, so they routinely perform quality assurance checks to test app and software features. This happens before, during, and after development, fixing glitches as needed. 

Updates 

Developers provide maintenance services for existing applications and software, optimizing performance, mitigating security risks, and ensuring compatibility with the latest operating systems and devices. 

Specialization 

The creation and upkeep of software and applications comprises many different types of work, and software developers tend to specialize in one. For example, there are: 

• Front-end developers, who work on user interfaces
• Back-end developers, who manage servers
• Full-stack developers, who perform front-end and back-end tasks
• DevOps professionals, who manage the operational aspects of development
• Game developers, who create video games
• Security professionals, who prevent hacking and data breaches

Advantages of hiring Indian developers

If there are tech experts around the world, then why specifically hire Indian programmers and developers? Here are the key reasons to consider India’s talent pool:

STEM education focus

Each year, the Indian higher education system produces millions of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduates. India consistently ranks as a hub for software developers, among other key tech giants, like China and the U.S. 

Cost-effective rates

India has a vastly different economy and lower cost of living than countries like the U.S. or the U.K. That means labor costs are also lower. Companies can offer competitive salaries for Indian developers that are below those they extend to talent in their more expensive home economy.

English skills

India has above-average English proficiency ratings, and English is an official language of the country. The number of English speakers continues to grow due to remote work opportunities because professionals use the language with clients around the world. That means your English-speaking team members will have no trouble communicating with their Indian peers.

Experience with companies abroad

Employers outside of India will often find that candidates have worked abroad or remotely with international companies. They already have experience with different cultural norms, communication styles, ways of working, and time zones.

Challenges of hiring Indian developers 

The perks of hiring Indian developers are tough to outweigh. But there are a few challenges that employers should keep in mind when sourcing tech talent in India.

Time zone differences 

For some employers, lining up their home team’s schedule with that of their Indian counterparts is tricky. For example, India’s time zone differs greatly from the U.S., and depending on where the hiring company is located, the difference could be 12 or 13 hours. European countries face a less drastic issue, with time differences of around five hours. 

That said, some companies choose to see the time difference as a plus: While developers at home are sleeping, Indian team members can continue advancing tasks. 

Compliance and labor laws

HR teams hiring abroad have a learning curve ahead of them. They need to know how to compliantly hire, pay, and provide benefits when hiring employees in India. 

Fortunately, there are now helpful alternatives to direct hiring that help companies prevent legal issues. An employer of record (EOR) with a presence in India, like Oyster, handles contracts, onboarding, payroll, and benefits, ensuring compliance every step of the way. 

How to hire developers in India

If you're eager to gain access to a top-notch, highly skilled talent pool, here’s how to hire software developers in India the right way.

1. Define your hiring needs

Developers specialize in different areas, so you should know exactly what work you need a potential hire to do. Are you creating an application? Are you seeking a front-end, back-end, or full-stack developer? Will this person be client-facing and need strong interpersonal skills? 

Write a job description that highlights the key duties of the role, the programming type and language, the desired project management style, and other key information about the project’s scope.

2. Choose a hiring model

Decide whether you’ll hire an employee or a contractor. Employees become permanent members of your team and receive salaries and benefits, while independent contractors work on a project basis, often receiving hourly or milestone payments. If you want to bring someone on long-term, you need an employee. 

Whatever you decide, the onboarding and payment processes will be different from those at home. To avoid snags, work with a global employment platform like Oyster—especially if you’re hiring an employee. Oyster helps you fulfill foreign labor laws and benefits requirements the right way.

3. Source candidates through reliable channels

Post your job listing on platforms that vet candidates and provide reviews from former employers. This way, you’re more likely to find talent with proven experience. Alternatively, partner with a recruitment agency or a well-known consulting firm to pair your organization with top professionals.

4. Conduct interviews 

Thanks to the highly specialized, technical nature of the role, developer interviews are a bit different from those for other types of work. Along with typical interviews where you explore the candidate’s experience and soft skills, conduct a technical exam. Tap a member of your existing development or engineering team to assess the applicant on a hands-on test replicating the type of work they’d perform on the job.

5. Classify correctly

Start by correctly defining the status of your new hire: employee or contractor. Employees are often entitled to benefits, and their working hours must meet certain laws. Classifying workers correctly is essential to a compliant hiring process. Incorrect classifications can have costly legal ramifications.

6. Compliantly hire and set up payroll

Create a contract that defines the nature and scope of the work, outlines payment terms and benefits, and describes grounds for termination. Once your new hire signs, you can begin the rest of the onboarding process. This includes securely gathering documents (like tax and payment forms) and getting the person set up on your payroll for future deposits. Also introduce the hire to their new team and coach leaders on training and integrating the person accordingly.

Where to find software developers from India

One of the most daunting aspects of hiring abroad is navigating a new talent market. You need to find trusted places for hiring reliable candidates.

The following are a few tried and tested methods for sourcing qualified hires from India:

• Job boards: International job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed are great places to look for professionals in software development. India also has top-notch local boards, like Naukri and TimesJobs, that are worth exploring.
• Professional recruitment agencies: Recruiting agencies offer vetted candidates and match you with the right person for your role. These services can even help you with the screening and interviewing process, narrowing applicants down to a concise list of top options that meet your requirements.
• Developer communities: Developer community sites, like Reddit and Discourse, are good places to connect with programmers. You can speak one-on-one with developers—no third party involved. But using these sites requires more extensive vetting, since these platforms aren’t meant to be recruitment outlets. Ask for letters of recommendation and have an engineering professional at your company test candidates’ knowledge. 

Simplify hiring developers in India with Oyster

Misclassifications. Tax mistakes. Payroll gone wrong. Avoid all of the potential pitfalls of hiring internationally by partnering with Oyster to hire full-time employees or onboard contractors.

Oyster helps you dive confidently into the international candidate pool, with a vetted Talent Network and end-to-end global employment support, from contracts and onboarding to payroll, benefits, and more. Let Oyster handle paperwork and payment, and focus your energy on helping new hires feel at home.

About Oyster

Oyster is a global employment platform designed to enable visionary HR leaders to find, engage, pay, manage, develop, and take care of a thriving distributed workforce. Oyster lets growing companies give valued international team members the experience they deserve, without the usual headaches and expense.

Oyster enables hiring anywhere in the world—with reliable, compliant payroll, and great local benefits and perks.