Recruiting a foreign employee: a winning bet for your company
Reading : 3 minutes
Two perspectives to understand the keys to successful integration: that of Molly Pomares, HR consultant, and Julio Matanda, a Congolese refugee recently hired in the energy sector.
Recruiting a foreign employee can still raise questions for some employers. Yet many experiences show that it represents a real opportunity, both human and professional.
SIRAC, a company specialized in workforce placement and supporting newly arrived individuals into sustainable employment, provides a concrete example. A partner of the territorial directorate of OFII in Lyon and involved in the AGIR program, it is part of a broader ecosystem of stakeholders working to facilitate recruitment. Through its work—alongside many other existing solutions—it helps secure career pathways and build lasting collaborations between companies and talent from abroad.
To learn more about other organizations that can support your recruitment efforts, visit the page “Hiring a Foreign National Legally Residing in France.”
Result: the majority of supported employees are permanently hired by the partner company after just six months.
Key factors for successful recruitment
SIRAC’s experience highlights several essential conditions for successful recruitment and integration:
A company’s commitment
The first lever is openness. Companies must be willing to fully commit—not only to the recruitment process but also to supporting the employee over time. This involvement is key to creating an inclusive and supportive work environment.
Encouraging interaction and projection
Organizing a site visit beforehand helps secure the process. Candidates gain a clear understanding of their future working environment, while employers can assess their skills and motivation through direct interaction with their future manager.
This step is often decisive and reassuring for both parties.
- Valuing candidates’ interpersonal skills
Beyond technical skills, supported candidates stand out for:
- their professional attitude,
- their commitment,
- their adaptability,
- and often, existing qualifications.
These qualities are valuable assets for companies, especially in sectors facing labor shortages.
Profile: Molly Pomares, HR Consultant
Through her testimony, Molly shares her field experience and explains how to overcome recruitment barriers while ensuring secure pathways for both candidates and employers.
SIRAC has been operating for 20 years and is based in Villeurbanne, near Lyon.
Our core business is workforce placement in the healthcare and social sector, accounting, and industry. What makes our program in Saône-et-Loire unique is its focus on supporting newly arrived refugees into sustainable employment within the local area.
SIRAC’s objective is long-term employment. We hire individuals directly on permanent contracts (CDI) with SIRAC and place them in a company for a minimum of six months. After this period, the goal is for the host company to hire the individual directly on a permanent contract, ensuring continuity of employment for the person and a successful transition into the company.
The first step in our support process is to meet with a partner—or future partner—company, present the SIRAC project, which is focused on sustainable employment for newly arrived and refugee populations, and gain the company’s commitment. This means agreeing to open opportunities to this type of candidate and defining the requirements for the positions to be filled, so that we can properly assess the candidates we present.
The second key step is pre-screening candidates from our talent pool based on the company’s requirements. We work closely with candidates to ensure they fully understand the role, so they can give their opinion after an information session—whether they feel the job is achievable, whether they believe they have the skills, and whether they are interested, even before visiting the company. We typically pre-select four or five candidates depending on the company’s needs.
We then present the candidates’ CVs to the company. At this stage, interpersonal skills often carry more weight than technical competencies.
Next, we organize a company visit, during which we accompany the candidates. They meet with the production manager and sometimes the HR manager, and tour the site. This allows both sides to form an initial impression.
It enables candidates to clearly visualize their future role, and provides an opportunity for direct interaction with the production manager, which is a key moment in the process.
This first exchange often sets the tone for what follows. Even if the discussion is technical or not, the ability to communicate smoothly reassures the production manager. That is why we value having production managers present during this visit.
Following the visit, the company’s internal team reviews the candidates. At the same time, we check in with our candidates to understand how they felt, how the visit went, and whether they identified any challenges related to the role.
We then confirm to the company which candidates are still willing to continue the process. The company provides feedback, indicating whether they are ready to move forward with a trial period and commit to one or two candidates they believe have the right skills or mindset.
In my view, the key to successful integration starts with the individual.
The people we support often demonstrate an exceptional level of commitment.
There is also a strong sense of gratitude, which is reflected in their professional relationships, particularly with their production managers.
Resilience, commitment, and interpersonal skills are essential to their success. Adaptability is another major strength. Many individuals may not have prior experience in industry, but their life journeys have required them to constantly adapt.
They have experienced major life changes—new countries, cultures, and environments.
This adaptability is a real asset in the workplace.
Additionally, some candidates already have qualifications, which naturally facilitates their integration into the role.
On the company side, the same principle applies. From the very first contact, we assess whether there is a genuine willingness to support this type of candidate, which is essential.
So yes, commitment from the partner company is just as important.
As is a shared objective: supporting the individual’s long-term career path.
Profile: Julio Matanda, a successful integration
Originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Julio embodies this success. Employed for two months in the energy sector, he speaks about his motivation and his determination to fully invest himself in the company that has placed its trust in him.
His determination, professionalism, and commitment perfectly illustrate the potential of these profiles, which are still too often underestimated.
Back home in the Congo, I completed a two-year degree in management IT.
In addition to that, I also received training within a large company in infrastructure assembly—installing windows, doors, and aluminum structures.
I arrived in France in 2023. I was living in a reception center when I received my papers, and my caseworker immediately connected me with SIRAC.
During the two years I spent with SIRAC, I worked in public works for about eight months. I had to stop because I didn’t have a category C driving license, which was required for the job.
Now, I’ve been working for two months at COMECA. I wanted to give my best, so I’ve been very motivated, always on time—and that’s what keeps me going.
I’ve put my whole heart into it, and I really enjoy the work I do.
As for my integration, what worked best was listening and the desire to do what you want to do. The most important thing is commitment to your work and motivation. You also need to stay focused on what you’re doing. If you enjoy your work, you can achieve great things.