For most UK agencies, the US recruitment market sits permanently on the ‘someday’ list.
On paper, the upside is clear: higher fees, a larger and more active market, shorter notice periods, and the flexibility that comes with at-will employment. All of this points to faster revenue generation and access to entirely new client opportunities.
And yet some firms never make a serious move.
Not because of capability, but because of misconceptions that create hesitation at exactly the wrong moment.
Here are five of the most common myths we hear from recruitment leaders considering U.S. expansion – and what actually is true when you’re in the market executing.
Myth #1: You must be in the US to operate in the US market
This is usually the first excuse – and it kills momentum before anything starts.
You don’t need a US office. You don’t need a US entity. And you absolutely don’t need to wait until everything is ‘set up properly’ before making your first move.
The agencies that successfully enter the US market do the opposite – they start lean and validate early. With the right infrastructure in place (EOR partners, compliant payroll solutions, local legal expertise), you can place candidates into US businesses from the UK, run contractor payroll compliantly, and generate revenue before committing serious capital.
The mistake most firms make is treating US expansion like a relocation project, rather than what it actually is – a go-to-market exercise. And like any go-to-market strategy, speed matters more than perfection.
Myth #2: You must start with perm to build cash flow
This is outdated thinking based on how agencies used to expand – not how the best ones do it now.
Yes, permanent recruitment is simpler on paper. But it’s not inherently safer, and it’s not always the fastest route to meaningful revenue. Contract recruitment, when structured properly, can be a far more effective entry point. With EOR and invoice factoring in place, you remove the upfront financial burden of contractor payroll, create predictable weekly recurring revenue, and scale accounts faster once you land them.
The real question was never perm versus contract. It’s whether your model is designed to support growth once you break into an account. In many US markets, contract wins that argument.
Myth #3: The US market is like shooting fish in a barrel
This is the myth that does the most damage – because it creates entirely the wrong expectations.
The agencies that fail in the US usually don’t fail because the opportunity wasn’t there. They fail because they underestimated what it actually takes to win. Breaking into the US requires a clearly defined niche (generalists consistently struggle), a candidate strategy that genuinely delivers in your chosen market, and business development that is consistent and structured – not opportunistic.
Most importantly, it requires time. If you go in expecting quick wins, you’ll lose interest before your pipeline has a chance to mature. The agencies that succeed treat the US as a 12-to-18-month strategic play, not a short-term revenue grab. That mindset shift is often the difference between those who break through and those who quietly retreat.
Myth #4: US labour laws and compliance are far more complicated than the UK
This is technically true – and practically misunderstood.
Yes, the US has federal and state-level differences. Yes, there are nuances around classification, tax, and employment structures. But here’s the reality: you’re not expected to solve any of that yourself.
The agencies that scale in the US don’t become legal experts. They build an ecosystem around them – EOR providers, compliance specialists, legal advisors where needed – and then focus their energy on what matters internally. Are your recruiters asking the right qualifying questions? Do you have a clear process for how placements are structured? Are you consistent in how you engage clients and candidates?
When those fundamentals are in place, compliance becomes a managed process, not a blocker. Overcomplicating it is often just another way of delaying action.
Myth #5: You need US clients already to break into the US market
This is the circular logic that keeps agencies stuck indefinitely.
‘We’ll go into the US once we have US clients.’ You get US clients by going into the US.
The agencies that break through don’t wait for inbound demand – they create it. Your first US clients typically come through targeted outbound into a clearly defined niche, leveraging existing candidate relationships to open doors with hiring managers, and positioning your track record in a way that translates to a new market.
US clients are not sitting there thinking, ‘We only work with US-based agencies.’ They’re thinking, ‘Can this agency deliver the talent we need?’ If the answer is yes, geography becomes secondary very quickly.
The real barrier isn’t access. It’s whether you have a repeatable approach to winning new business in a new market – and that’s something you can build before you ever make your first US call.
The opportunity is real. The infrastructure exists to support you from day one. The agencies winning in the US right now didn’t wait until the conditions were perfect – they moved, learned, and built as they went. The question isn’t whether the US market is right for your agency. It’s whether you’re willing to stop waiting for the perfect moment that never comes.
If you’re ready to take a leap into the U.S. market – get in touch with our team today.