The developer shortage is making companies look for candidates in nearshore locations. Find out why LATAM destinations are becoming the standard for companies looking to hire a coder.
Our company has been working with developers from the region for years to connect their talent with U.S. companies looking to hire. Our goal was to create a hiring process that could help businesses save time. As a result, they receive multiple candidate profiles that match their requirements.
Get a look at the profiles from our LATAM talent network. Connect with Awana.
In this Blog
Overview of LATAM Developers
Ecuador
Colombia
Mexico
Brazil
Chile
Where to hire developers from LATAM
How to hire developers from LATAM
Full-time contractors in LATAM
Handling payments to LATAM
Words from Awana's CEO
Get connected with Awana
Overview of LATAM Developers
Since we started working with LATAM developers, we knew there was potential for the region to grow its talent hub. Each country has unique features and differences, but they all have in common: the number of talented developers keeps growing each year.
Almost 44% of LATAM developers work remotely for nearshore companies. The region is currently at the top of the growth rate for the number of locals hired by international companies.
This growth rate is excellent news for developers because more can access higher salaries they wouldn't get offered working locally. LATAM developers getting hired by nearshore companies inspires other developers to improve their coding and soft skills, making LATAM's talent hub stronger, one job at a time.
Even local governments are pushing to lower unemployment rates by offering their citizens free English programs to spread their wings and find new job opportunities. We can vouch that these are effective since we have been doing the same by helping software candidates from several countries in the region improve their skills.
Here's what we can tell you about some countries and candidates we usually work with when helping companies connect with their software talent.
Ecuador
Candidates from Ecuador feel close to home for us since some of Awana's team members are located in cities like Quito, Guayaquil, and Cuenca. The country adopted the USD as its currency at the beginning of the millennium, directly linking them to the U.S.
With the cost of living being much lower, their rates are much more affordable for U.S. companies looking to hire a coder. In our experience, an Ecuadorian mid-level developer usually sees monthly a programmer compensation of around 3,300–6,000 USD, while a Senior Level Developer receives from 6,000 - $8,000 USD.
Candidates in our English program have been shown to improve their skills and adapt well to a company's work setting. Ecuador is a small country, but its developer's tech knowledge is up to par with what you may expect to find in the U.S.
Colombia
The country has been known to have a solid tech culture for a while now, which only shows it will continue to grow in the years to come. Our experience with Colombian developers is that they are very well-mannered and are a treat to work with.
When you hire a developer, you expect them to have the tech skills your projects need and bring new energy to your working environment. We can say that Colombian developers are not only kind and very well-mannered, but their tech skills are also awe-inspiring.
In our experience, a Colombian mid-level developer usually sees a monthly programmer compensation of around 4,500 - 6,000 USD, while a Senior Level Developer receives from 6,000 - 8,000 USD. Its proximity to the U.S. also makes it an ideal destination for looking for candidates that share similar time zones, making it easier for them to adapt to your company's working schedule.
Mexico
Being closest to the U.S. has advantages; that's why Mexico is the first country that comes to mind when companies are looking to build their nearshore teams. Mexico's tech industry is massive, which gives its developers a particular awareness of what to expect from companies.
Located in Central America, Mexico offers visitors vibrant culture and beautiful travel destinations to its visitors. Plus, who doesn't love tacos? The candidate's English skills are also a plus since they are so close to the U.S. and have probably interacted with Americans in their past jobs.
In our experience, the programmer compensation for a Mid-Level developer varies from 2,000 to 3,000 USD, while a Senior-Level developer's monthly programmer compensation goes from 3,000 to 7,000 USD. Hiring a coder from Mexico is a win-win situation since they have affordable wages that guarantee experienced coders.
Brazil
The biggest country in LATAM has a considerable advantage over other countries due to its massive population. Their tech industry is also huge, and developers grow steadily yearly.
It is no wonder most hiring services looked to Brazil when first getting started since its software talent is very diverse and has shown to master a majority of coding languages and tech skills in general. It's truly unique just how many profiles the country has to offer.
In our experience, the Brazilian programmer compensation for a Mid-Level developer varies from 2,000 - 4,000 USD per month, while a Senior-Level developer's programmer compensation can be from $5000 up to $9000 when hired full-time. In our experience, Brazilian candidates also show impressive English-speaking skills, which is always a big plus for companies looking to hire a coder.
Chile
Even nicknamed Chilicon Valley, Chile has some of the best developers in the region. They are known for bringing an innovative approach to coding, which has really made their talent hub rise in fame.
Companies in the U.S. are well aware of their skills, which is why many hire candidates from the country. They have competitive technology skills, scoring high in statistical & computer programming, data analysis, and mobile development.
A Chilean Mid-Level developer ranges between 3,000–4,000 USD. per month, while a Senior-Level developer earns 5,000–7,000 USD. They show great English proficiency, making them an ideal hire.
Where to hire developers from LATAM
Awana's database of developers holds profiles from Ecuador, México, Colombia, Brazil, and many other countries in the region. From day one, our goal was to help connect your company to access talent from the region easily.
To us, it's not a question of where but how we can help you find a candidate that matches your project's requirements. Our hiring process sets us apart by doing our best to listen to your needs and then present you with several profiles from LATAM for you to pick from.
Here's how our hiring process can help you in a matter of 3 weeks to find the candidate you need when looking to hire a coder for your company.

Our hiring process sets us apart by doing our best to listen to your needs and then present you with several profiles from LATAM for you to pick from.
We understand how time-consuming it can be to look for candidates, so we make sure we ease the process by offering help from our team of experienced tech recruiters. When you look for candidates, you must have some tech knowledge and languages used by developers if you want to hire the right coder.
How to hire developers from LATAM
To hire developers in the region, it is essential to abide by each country's labor and taxation laws. Every country is different, as pointed out in the Technical Recruiting Guide, and the candidate's perks vary depending on the country where the developer lives.
Our experience has shown us there are usually two types of contracts you can work with when you decide on what candidate you pick. This is where our expertise with each country will come in handy to ensure you not only abide by legal proceedings but also choose the best contract for your company.
Awana has connected +50 startups to +100 developers based in LATAM. The type of contract and the candidate's location will legally define their perks and relationship with your company when hiring. Here are some insights into what you can expect from hiring them full-time or as contractors.

Full-time contractors in LATAM
- Candidates may be submitted to a trial period when hired (Colombia)
- Without perks, the candidate may expect a higher compensation (Ecuador)
- Contractors may add extra pay for specific tasks (Brazil)
- Most perks apply when hired (Mexico)
- Unjust firing warrants paid termination within 15 days (Colombia)
Become an expert by downloading our Technical Recruiting Guide
Handling payments to LATAM
When you hire in LATAM, keeping track of money transfers and deposits into local bank accounts can get tricky. Unexperienced accountants and H.R. representatives may be able to get the money to the candidate but could choose transfer rates that, in the long run, may affect your budget negatively.
Handling payments effectively increases the candidate's commitment to your company by making the developer feel appreciated. We are trying to say that it's important how you handle the payment process, so best leave it to the pro's so you ensure you do it the best way possible.
Awana recently partnered with Deel to continue perfecting how it helps startups hire (and, in this case) pay LATAM developers. This ensures companies pay their tech team effectively to avoid any bumps that could affect your working agreement.
“Even before our partnership with Deel, we were figuring out how to make payments and deliver perks to companies easier. When a company was curious about what it means to hire a contractor or employee, we would help them understand. We even are providing transparent pricing to the companies so they know how and when they can give raises.”
Calvin Sedao, CEO at Awana
Related: Payroll Service Introduction for Startups
Words from Awana's CEO
“What sets us apart in Awana? Don't we just hire LATAM developers for startups? Isn't this a very common practice? You would be right about that.
However, Awana isn't special because we hire in LATAM or work with mid-senior software developers. Sure, that's mainly what we do, but that doesn't tell you the whole story.
Making remote work a credible vehicle to innovate the experience of LATAM's talented developers and startups working together is. The connection and commitment between these two elements have so much potential to impact both of them positively.
This is what passions us, helping you create a valuable connection by offering much more than just an introduction.”
Get connected with Awana
LATAM's developers are becoming the best choice for startups looking to find candidates when they want to hire a coder.
