The head of the Government's new vetting agency has raised concerns that foreigners will escape full checks designed to stop abusers working with children and vulnerable adults.
There are "significant barriers" preventing Government officials from obtaining details of criminal offences committed abroad, Sir Roger Singleton, chairman of the Independent Safeguarding Authority, said.
Launching his independent review of the Vetting and Barring Scheme (VBS) Sir Roger said: "There are people from overseas coming to this country to work, and people from this country who have spent part of their time working abroad and then return. There's no doubt at all this is a continuing concern."
He added: "I'm told the Government, particularly in the Home Office, is working with overseas administrations to try to ensure there's a better flow of information about people who have quite clearly committed offences abroad.
"I'm looking to see that work taken forward as quickly as possible, but there is no doubt that there are some particular difficulties.
"If you take the age of consent - it is 12 in Thailand, it is 16 in this country and 20 in California. What is the basis on which information is exchanged if something is regarded very differently in different countries?"
In his report Sir Roger said ministers had commissioned work to see if adults from overseas, or who have lived abroad can be required to provide police certificates from the countries concerned when they apply to work with children or vulnerable adults.
Children's Secretary Ed Balls accepted Sir Roger's recommendations, effectively scaling back the controversial scheme.
Adults will now have to be vetted only if they see the same group of children or vulnerable people once a week or more, rather than once a month. Mr Balls said around two million adults would no longer be affected.
He ordered the review following a storm of complaints that volunteers were being deterred from working with children because of the VBS requirements.
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