Time-to-hire tracks the candidate's journey, not the vacancy's. The clock starts when the person applies or is sourced and stops when they accept. It is often confused with time-to-fill, which starts when the role is approved. Both usually come from the applicant tracking system and feed workforce planning.
What moves the number
Interview scheduling, number of rounds, approval steps and offer negotiation account for most of it. Senior roles run longer, volume roles shorter. A low number is not good if it comes from skipping assessment or background checks.
The metric that matters abroad
For international hires, time-to-start matters more. Once someone accepts, they cannot begin until there is a legal employer in their country, a compliant contract and any work authorization. Without a local entity, entity setup can take months, and the candidate may not wait.
Why it matters when hiring through an EOR
This gap is the main practical case for an Employer of Record. With an entity already in place, an EOR can typically contract and onboard a hire within days. Ask providers for real onboarding times in the countries you care about, not a global average.