How Placement Fees Are Billed and Paid
Recruiting work for US clients is usually sold as a fixed price for a defined deliverable. That might be a shortlist of qualified candidates, a set of screened profiles, interview coordination, or a completed hire. Some engagements are billed monthly for ongoing sourcing efforts. Others split the fee across stages, with payment due when each milestone is reached.
Placement fees are often contingent on the candidate staying for a guarantee period, which can last several weeks or even months. That means your final payment may come long after the hire is made. Because the amounts are large and the payment is conditional, the entire relationship rests on documentation. Every email, candidate submission, and interview confirmation becomes part of the record that supports your invoice. Without that paper trail, collections become difficult.
Invoicing US Clients as a Foreign Recruiter
When you are based outside the United States, invoicing a US client can create friction. American companies are set up to pay other American companies. Their accounts payable departments expect a W-9 form and prefer to send an ACH transfer to a US bank account. As a foreign individual or entity, you cannot provide a W-9, and receiving a wire from the US to your home country may involve high fees and delays.
The IRS Form W-9 is the standard way US businesses collect taxpayer information from vendors. If you cannot provide a W-9, the client may have to withhold taxes or go through a more complex process for foreign contractors. Some clients simply refuse to work with foreign contractors to avoid the paperwork. PANORAMA payments removes that friction. The platform verifies your identity once, then issues invoices from a US company on your behalf. Your client pays that US company by ACH or wire, in dollars, to a US bank account. The W-9 is available if the client requests it. From their side, it is a completely domestic transaction.
Using PANORAMA for Your Recruitment Business
To get started, you register on the platform and complete identity verification once. Then you describe the client and the work. For example, you might record that you are recruiting for a US startup, sourcing engineers, with a fee agreed for each successful placement.
When it is time to invoice, PANORAMA issues the invoice from the US company. You can invoice in US dollars or any of eleven currencies including euros, pounds sterling, Canadian and Australian dollars, and Swiss francs. The client does not have to be American; payment is accepted on behalf of clients in any country that is not under sanctions. You do not need to set up a US company or open a US bank account. PANORAMA handles the US side entirely. After the client pays, PANORAMA deducts one platform fee and sends the remaining amount to you. There is no monthly subscription and nothing is charged before the client pays.
Receiving Your Fees in Your Home Country
You choose how to receive your funds. Depending on your country, PANORAMA can pay you by bank transfer, SWIFT, SEPA, Wise, a local account, or in dollar-denominated digital assets. For example, if you are in the European Union, you might choose a SEPA transfer to your local bank. If you are in a country where Wise operates, you can receive funds there and then convert to your local currency at your convenience. In some countries, PANORAMA can pay out in dollar-pegged digital assets, which can be useful if you prefer to hold value in dollars or if local banking is limited.
You remain responsible for your own taxes at home. PANORAMA payments does not provide tax advice and is not your employer. The platform simply moves money from your client to you, after taking its fee. There are no hidden costs, and you are not charged anything until your client pays.