El Salvador sends more people to the United States than any other Latin American country after Mexico. About 1.4 million Salvadoran-born people live in the U.S., many spurred to come here by natural disasters — a hurricane in 1998 and two earthquakes in 2001.
Of course, people have their own reasons for immigration, and Salvadoran immigration has continued since those events. The nonpartisan, nonprofit Pew Research Center calculates that Salvador-born immigrants in the U.S. increased by 142 percent between 2000 and 2017 alone.
The ethnic Salvadoran population in the U.S. differs from the U.S. Hispanic population in one major way: 57 percent of Salvdorans in the U.S. are foreign born, compared with only about 33 percent of all Hispanics in this country, Pew has found. That means Salvadorans are more likely than other Latinos in the U.S. to have personal histories in their homeland.
I.D. Information required
For Global Backgrounds to perform a background check in El Salvador, the job candidate must supply his national I.D. number, the El Salvador Documento Único de Identidad. The subject’s date of birth and the maiden name of the candidate’s mother also are needed for court checks.
Global Backgrounds performs international background checks in El Salvador, in other Latin American countries, and in nations around the world. And, of course, Global Backgrounds can run domestic background checks to verify the experience of Salvadoran immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for some time.
Salvadoran Background Check Laws
There are no major legal hurdles to checking backgrounds in El Salvador.
Global Backgrounds may check Salvadoran nationals once written permission is obtained from the subject. Like any U.S.-based search company, Global Backgrounds must adhere to national, state and local laws in the U.S. It requires permission of all subjects before it conducts domestic and international background checks.
Employment Verification in El Salvador
Global Backgrounds can verify employment history up to seven years back in El Salvador. Employers will receive the names of a Salvadoran’s homeland employers, the dates of employment, and, if available, the positions held.
Higher Education in El Salvador
Education levels in El Salvador differ from those in the U.S., according to Stanford University. Students in El Salvador are required to attend public schools from ages 7 to 15, at which time those with passing grades earn a certificate.
If they continue, they earn a bachillerato, which is like a U.S. high school or trade school diploma. Although it sounds similar in name, it is not equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in the U.S. — important when these attainments appear in a background report. Those who complete technical school, a three-year program in which the third year is preparation for a trade, earn a Bachillerato General Vocational. Those who complete middle secondary education, which is college preparation for ages 15-17, earn a Bachillerato General.
El Salvador has 12 private universities and three public universities. Not as many foreign-born Salvadoran immigrants as with some other immigrant populations attain a college degree. Only about 8 percent of Salvadoran-born immigrants age 25 and older in the U.S. have bachelor’s degrees or higher, compared with about 32 percent of all immigrant adults.
A Global Backgrounds education check can verify education levels reported by job candidates who are Salvadoran immigrants.
Salvadoran Criminal Background Checks
El Salvador has a dubious distinction where crime is concerned: It is considered the deadliest society on earth not engaged in a war. The reason is deep-seated and widespread gang activity, with some towns having been controlled by gangs for decades, according to foreignpolicy.com.
The country of 6.5 million people experienced 6,600 murders in one year as recently as 2015. The murder rate dropped in 2021, possibly due to the pandemic. Murders have been so epidemic that the government once actually made an announcement when two consecutive days passed without a slaying.
With permission of the job candidate, Global Backgrounds can search back seven years for a criminal record in El Salvador. Candidates for jobs with U.S. employers may refuse background checks, but a U.S. employer is permitted to reject candidates who do.
A criminal check shows major crimes, such as embezzlement and assault, along with convictions and sentences. It also is possible to find records of arrests, charges and other dispositions of Salvadoran criminal court cases. Depending on where the U.S. employer seeking a background investigation is located, people making the actual hiring decisions may need to disregard or not even view results other than convictions.
Felony-level driving-related infractions, such as DUIs, stolen vehicles, and vehicular homicide, are likely to show on a criminal check.
Civil Court Background Check
Salvadoran civil court records, like criminal records, are checked on the local level. The subject must provide the locality.
Civil court records tell a different but important story about the subject, possibly revealing details such as claims of unpaid bills, contractor and domestic servant disputes, property disputes, and property liens. Global Backgrounds checks civil courts for cases with the subject’s name and date of birth, the type of cases filed, and the outcome, where available.
Salvadoran Credit Check
A credit check goes a long way in determining the character of a job candidate. An El Salvador credit check could disclose bankruptcies, unpaid bills and other financial disputes going back seven years. A credit check is especially valuable if the candidate would handle money or finances once hired.
Reference Checks
Professional references can be included in a Global Backgrounds search. References help to establish not just worthiness as an employee, but also potential for professional development.
Passport Validation
Records would be checked to verify the Salvadoran immigrant’s passport having been validated.
Global-Level Security Check
Global Backgrounds screens for negative activity around the world by job candidates with a terrorist and sanctions search. The search is designed to show inclusion on watch lists and involvement in negative activity.
Note: This is Global's interpretation and is not positioned as, nor should be considered as legal advice.