This page elucidates the criteria for eligibility, payment procedures, trial hours, relevant links, statuses, and communications, and also includes a comprehensive Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section.
Eligibility & qualification
What makes a referral valid
• The candidate has not been previously referred by any other individual.• Only the initial referrer qualifies.• A single bonus is granted per candidate, regardless of the number of projects for which they are hired.
What does not qualify
• Sign-ups that are not ultimately hired• Referring a candidate who is already associated with a different referrer• Hours worked prior to the referral being officially recorded in the system
Our hiring practices are global. When a job listing indicates a specific region, only candidates from that designated area are eligible. In cases where no location is specified, the opportunity is presumed to be available to applicants within the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, or the European Union by default.
Payments
1
Processing schedule
Referral bonuses are processed daily at 11:30 AM PST / 2:30 PM EST.
2
Payment methods
• Stripe in most cases
• Wise when Stripe is not supported (for example, Brazil)
• Wise when Stripe is not supported (for example, Brazil)
3
Eligible for Payment status
Appears after your referral accepts an offer and completes at least 10 hours. If it remains in the “Eligible” status, it typically resolves automatically due to system or Stripe delays. If the issue persists, please contact support.
Work trials & projects
What is a work trial?
Certain positions initiate with a paid six-hour onboarding process to evaluate candidates.
Do trial hours count?
Trial hours are not included in the 10-hour requirement. Following the trial, the candidate is required to complete an additional 10 hours on the project for the bonus to be applicable.
Candidate statuses
- Pending: The candidate has not completed the application; kindly encourage them to complete all required steps.
- In Review: The application is currently under review, and the duration may vary depending on demand, volume, and candidate quality, potentially exceeding one week.
- Offer Cancelled: This is rare; reasons may include a mismatch of requirements, a missed acceptance window, or project modifications.
- Contract Ended: This is also rare; typically due to project changes or performance concerns. If the candidate has already fulfilled the hour requirement, your eligibility remains unaffected.
Extra notes
- Always share your unique referral link for tracking.
- For urgent cases (payment not received, disappearing referrals, application errors), email support@mercor.com, or report in the Slack community.
FAQ
Eligibility & Qualification
Where can I find my own Referral Link?
Where can I find my own Referral Link?
At the bottom of each job listing, you will find your unique referral link, facilitating the sharing of opportunities with your friends, colleagues, or professional network.
Any individual who submits an application via your link shall be automatically linked to your account. This enables precise tracking of your referrals and facilitates the verification of eligibility for any pertinent bonuses.
Any individual who submits an application via your link shall be automatically linked to your account. This enables precise tracking of your referrals and facilitates the verification of eligibility for any pertinent bonuses.
When do I qualify for a referral bonus?
When do I qualify for a referral bonus?
You are eligible once your referral completes 10 hours of work on a job after your referral is recorded in our system. Hours worked before the referral is recorded do not count.
What if my referral already worked with Mercor?
What if my referral already worked with Mercor?
Referrals are only valid if the candidate has not been referred by another individual to Mercor. To verify whether an individual has already been referred, you may consult with the referred candidate; they should be able to see on the Mercor settings page if they have an existing referral.
Do I get paid if someone signs up with my link but does not get hired?
Do I get paid if someone signs up with my link but does not get hired?
Bonuses are awarded only if the candidate works a minimum of 10 hours. In exceptional circumstances, the bonus may be granted after 20 hours; when this occurs, it will be explicitly stated in the job listing.
What happens if multiple people refer the same candidate?
What happens if multiple people refer the same candidate?
Only the first person who referred them is eligible to receive the bonus.
Do we hire candidates from all countries?
Do we hire candidates from all countries?
Mercor operates on a global scale.
- If a job listing specifies a region, only candidates from that region will be eligible.
- In the absence of location information in a job listing, it may be assumed that the position is accessible to candidates within the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, or the European Union by default.
Will I get paid twice if my referral is hired for multiple projects?
Will I get paid twice if my referral is hired for multiple projects?
No. Each referral bonus is only paid once per candidate, regardless of how many projects they join.
Do referrals expire?
Do referrals expire?
Currently, there is no expiration on referrals. If the candidate is hired in the future and completes 10 billable hours, you remain eligible.
Do referrals apply to all listings or only specific ones?
Do referrals apply to all listings or only specific ones?
Referrals are applicable universally. As long as the referred candidate is employed in any capacity at Mercor and satisfies the requirement of a minimum of 10 hours, the bonus shall be awarded.
What are the reasons that would make me ineligible for a referral bonus payment?
What are the reasons that would make me ineligible for a referral bonus payment?
- Engaging in any activity that contravenes our Referral Policies.
- Referring to yourself (e.g., making duplicate accounts and using your own link).
- If your referred user does not utilize your customized referral link at the time of application.
- If the user you referred was previously employed prior to utilizing your referral link (please do not be concerned — in such cases, you will still remain eligible for their subsequent contract with Mercor).
- If your referred user has not been employed at Mercor.
- If your referred user has not completed ten hours under a single contract.
Why are some of my referred users linked to another referrer, and can you reassign them to me?
Why are some of my referred users linked to another referrer, and can you reassign them to me?
Do note that referral associations are created only when a user explicitly consents through the referral link process. A pop-up prompt appears during sign-up, and the referral is recorded only if the user clicks “Yes.”Mercor’s referral program is fully automated and based on user consent—we do not manually override these associations.
My referee did not use the referral link I shared. Can you add them manually and backdate the referral so I can receive the bonus?
My referee did not use the referral link I shared. Can you add them manually and backdate the referral so I can receive the bonus?
I referred a candidate, but someone else received the referral bonus. What can I do?
I referred a candidate, but someone else received the referral bonus. What can I do?
Referral bonuses are awarded based on the referral link used during the candidate’s signup process on Mercor platform (https://work.mercor.com/).It’s the referrer’s responsibility to ensure that their contacts use the correct referral link and appear on their referral dashboard. In this case the referral bonus for that candidate will be paid out to the referrer whose link the candidate used during the sign-up process, If no referral link is used by the talent then no referral bonus amount will be issued.
Payments
When are referral bonuses paid?
When are referral bonuses paid?
Referral bonuses are processed daily at 11:30 AM PST / 2:30 PM EST.
How are payments made?
How are payments made?
What does “Eligible for Payment” mean?
What does “Eligible for Payment” mean?
This status is assigned once your referral has accepted an offer and completed a minimum of 10 hours of work. At this stage, the referral bonus has received approval and is pending processing in the subsequent scheduled payout cycle.
What if a payment is stuck in “Eligible for Payment”?
What if a payment is stuck in “Eligible for Payment”?
Occasionally, payments may remain in the status of “Eligible” due to delays in system processing or Stripe transfers. These transactions are automatically processed once the issue is resolved — no action is required on your part.This issue is typically resolved within a few hours; however, if it persists, please contact support@mercor.com or the Slack community.
My referral has worked 10 hours across 3 contracts, why am I not paid yet?
My referral has worked 10 hours across 3 contracts, why am I not paid yet?
According to our Referral Policies, the 10-hour requirement must be fulfilled within a single contract. If the hours of your referred user are distributed across multiple contracts, they are unfortunately ineligible to qualify for the bonus.
The good news is that once your referred user reaches 10 hours on a single contract, your bonus will be automatically activated.
The good news is that once your referred user reaches 10 hours on a single contract, your bonus will be automatically activated.
My referred user has worked 20 hours, will I be paid twice?
My referred user has worked 20 hours, will I be paid twice?
No. The referral bonus constitutes a one-time compensation per referred user. In accordance with our policy, you shall receive the bonus once your referred user completes 10 hours on their initial contract. Any additional hours worked by them on the same contract will not generate further bonuses.
My referred user says they completed 10 hours — why have I not been paid?
My referred user says they completed 10 hours — why have I not been paid?
Payments are automatic once your referred users complete 10 hours of work on a single contract. If it hasn’t gone through, send a screenshot of their logged hours to support@mercor.com, so we can investigate further.
Why is my bonus payment different from what is shown on the Mercor platform?
Why is my bonus payment different from what is shown on the Mercor platform?
The bonus amount is locked in based on the application timestamp, so even if it changes later, your referral bonus reflects the original amount tied to your referred user’s application time.
Work Trials & Projects
What is the “Work Trial” for roles like Accounting Expert?
What is the “Work Trial” for roles like Accounting Expert?
This is a remunerated six-hour onboarding assignment intended for candidate evaluation. Compensation will be provided upon successful completion.
Do work trial hours count toward referral eligibility?
Do work trial hours count toward referral eligibility?
Hours spent on a work trial are not included in the 10-hour requirement for referral bonuses. However, once your referral successfully completes their work trial and subsequently accumulates an additional 10 hours on the project, you will become eligible for the referral bonus.
How long until the referred candidate is hired?
How long until the referred candidate is hired?
Hiring timelines fluctuate depending on the urgency associated with the role, the volume of applications received, and the quality of candidates. Candidates of higher quality are typically anticipated to secure employment more rapidly.
Why was my referral’s offer cancelled?
Why was my referral’s offer cancelled?
Offers may be canceled if the candidate fails to meet project requirements, does not accept the offer within the designated timeframe, or if the project needs evolve. Such instances are infrequent, and candidates are notified of the reason for the cancellation.
Why was my referral’s contract ended?
Why was my referral’s contract ended?
Contracts may be terminated due to modifications in the project scope or concerns regarding performance. Although such circumstances are infrequent, provided that the referred candidate maintains a high standard of quality, it is anticipated that they will fulfill the required ten hours, thereby making you eligible for the referral bonus.
What is ‘Mercor Listing’ in my Referral Section?
What is ‘Mercor Listing’ in my Referral Section?
If a job listing has been closed or expired, it will be displayed as ‘Mercor Listing’. This indicates that the application of the user you referred to was not taken into account.
Referral Links & Tracking
Do I need to keep UTM parameters (utm_source=referral...) in the link?
Do I need to keep UTM parameters (utm_source=referral...) in the link?
UTM parameters assist Mercor in analyzing the channels and campaigns that generate the highest traffic and referrals. Therefore, it is advisable to retain them. Nevertheless, their use is not compulsory; your referral will continue to be tracked in their absence.
My referral link sometimes shows a loading issue — what should I do?
My referral link sometimes shows a loading issue — what should I do?
This issue is infrequent; however, should it occur:• Attempt to refresh the page by using Shift + Cmd + R (Mac) or Shift + Ctrl + R (Windows).• Alternatively, directly access the role at work.mercor.com/explore.
How do I check if my referral accepted an offer?
How do I check if my referral accepted an offer?
Currently, in-app visibility displays the current status of your referral; therefore, the dashboard is the most suitable location for tracking it. Should you have made a referral that does not appear on your dashboard, please reach out to support@mercor.com.
I don't recognise my referrer. What should I do?
I don't recognise my referrer. What should I do?
If you don’t recognise your referrer, you can choose to opt out of being associated with their referral under Mercor’s Expert Referral Program.You can locate the “Not my Referrer” button in your Account section on your Mercor profile. This will trigger a referral dispute process, during which the referrer will have 5 business days to provide evidence of prior communication or familiarity to verify that they referred you. No further action is needed on your part unless we reach out for clarification.
I'm a referrer. What is a Referral Dispute?
I'm a referrer. What is a Referral Dispute?
A Referral Dispute occurs when a referred individual chooses to opt out of being associated with your referral under Mercor’s Expert Referral Program. As soon as the dispute is reported by the referee, we give the referrer 5 business days to share evidence—such as prior emails or messages—showing communication or familiarity with the referee before the referral was made.Familiarity means there was a two-way interaction where the referee acknowledged the referral or confirmed the relationship, not just one-sided outreach or reminders from the referrer.This ensures the program grows sustainably and authentically through genuine connections. If no evidence is submitted within the 5 business days, the referral will no longer be recognised in the program and will not be paid the referral bonus for the respective referee.
Candidate Statuses
Why does my referral remain in “Pending”?
Why does my referral remain in “Pending”?
A “Pending” status indicates that the referral has not yet finalized the application process. Kindly encourage them to complete all necessary steps to facilitate the progression of their application.
Why does my referral remain “In Review” for a long time?
Why does my referral remain “In Review” for a long time?
“In Review” signifies that the application is currently under consideration. The duration of the review process may be extended contingent upon project workload, the volume of applications received, and the extent to which the candidate aligns with the role’s requirements.
How can I track the number of hours my referral has worked?
How can I track the number of hours my referral has worked?
Navigate to the Referrals section, locate your list of referrals, and click on each name. A dropdown menu will display their status and the number of hours they have worked. Please note that this information will only be visible if the individuals have been accepted and onboarded by Mercor for the respective position.
Communication & Updates
Do referrers get regular updates?
Do referrers get regular updates?
Yes. Referrers receive a daily email at 10 AM PST highlighting urgent hiring listings. In addition, weekly community announcements are shared with priority roles and referral statistics.
Are “Top Referrer” emails still being sent?
Are “Top Referrer” emails still being sent?
Yes, though there may occasionally be delays.
How can I subscribe to the Top Referrer emails?
How can I subscribe to the Top Referrer emails?
If you are not currently receiving them, please contact any member of the Mercor team, and we will include you in the distribution list.
I got an email stating someone referred me, but that is not the case. I applied on my own at work.mercor.com
I got an email stating someone referred me, but that is not the case. I applied on my own at work.mercor.com
That appears to be a misunderstanding. Please contact us via email at support@mercor.com with the necessary details, and our team will investigate the matter for you.
I want to talk to someone about my referral issue. What should I do?
I want to talk to someone about my referral issue. What should I do?
No worries. If your issue extends beyond merely verifying an application status or the information contained in these FAQs, please send us an email at support@mercor.com.Ensure to include the following details:• The name of the referred user• Their email address• Your personalized referral linkThis will enable the team to efficiently investigate and address your concern.