Software Development

Hire Developers in South America: 2025 Guide

Discover how South America is becoming the go-to region for hiring remote developers. Learn about top talent markets, cost advantages, time zone alignment, and how to build high-performing teams with ease.

Hire Developers

Benefits of Hiring Developers in South America

Image of the Revelo App mockup showing some candidates

Time Zone Alignment

Most South American countries operate within 1–3 hours of Eastern Time, making real-time collaboration with U.S. teams seamless.

Cost Savings

Hiring developers in countries like Brazil, Colombia, and Argentina can reduce engineering costs by 30–60% while maintaining high quality.

Image of the America continent with dashed lines marking time-zones with 2 person. One is located in the US Country and the other in the Latin American region

Access to Elite Talent

Countries like Brazil and Argentina graduate thousands of CS students annually. Developers are often multilingual, well-versed in agile, and experienced with remote work.

Lower Attrition, Higher Retention

Developers in South America tend to stay longer at companies that offer remote-first roles, career growth, and competitive compensation in USD.

Software Development

Why South America Is Emerging as a Top Region for Hiring Developers

U.S. companies are increasingly looking to South America to hire skilled developers. With a fast-growing tech ecosystem, world-class universities, and high English proficiency in key markets, South America offers a compelling alternative to traditional outsourcing destinations.

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Key reasons U.S. companies are hiring developers in South America:

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Strong cultural and workday overlap with North America (EST-friendly time zones)
Cost-effective compared to U.S.-based hiring or EU outsourcing
High availability of skilled developers across modern stacks (JavaScript, Python, Java, AWS, AI/ML, etc.)
Fast, compliant hiring through platforms like Revelo

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Top Countries in South America for Hiring Developers

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🇧🇷 Brazil

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South America's largest tech talent pool, especially strong in backend development, DevOps, and AI/ML. Learn more: Hiring Developers in Brazil (2025 Guide)

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🇦🇷 Argentina

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Known for its excellent English proficiency, highly educated engineers, and cost-effective hiring in Python, data science, and frontend frameworks. Learn more: Hiring Developers in Argentina (2025 Guide)

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🇲🇽 Mexico

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Ideal for companies seeking large-scale hiring and long-term team builds, with strengths in full-stack development, cloud engineering, and mobile. Learn more: Hiring Developers in Mexico (2025 Guide)

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🇨🇴 Colombia

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A fast-growing innovation hub with a strong ecosystem for QA, React, and mobile developers. High availability of remote-first engineers. Learn more: Hiring Developers in Colombia (2025 Guide)

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🇵🇪 Peru

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A rising tech talent market for junior-to-mid-level engineers, with growing investment in developer education and infrastructure. Learn more: Hiring Developers in Peru (2025 Guide)

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The Essential South American Developer Stack

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While you’ll find expertise in every major programming language, here are the most common tools and frameworks South American developers specialize in:

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Frontend: React, Angular, Vue.js
Backend: Node.js, Python (Django, FastAPI), Java, PHP (Laravel), Ruby
Mobile: React Native, Flutter, Swift
AI/ML & Data: TensorFlow, PyTorch, Scikit-learn, Pandas, Airflow
DevOps & Infra: AWS, Docker, Kubernetes, Terraform, Jenkins
Testing & QA: Cypress, Jest, Selenium
APIs & Integrations: REST, GraphQL, OpenAPI

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Best Practices for Hiring Developers in South America

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1. Define Your Requirements Clearly
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Decide on required tech stacks, English proficiency level, time zone overlap, and seniority before sourcing.

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2. Use a Talent Platform with Local Expertise
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Platforms like Revelo help U.S. companies compliantly hire, onboard, and pay developers in South America—no local entity required.

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3. Assess Technical and Communication Skills
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Use code tests, async take-home challenges, and structured interviews to assess both coding ability and soft skills.

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4. Offer Competitive USD Compensation
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Paying in USD makes your offer more attractive and helps retain talent longer.

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5. Consider Trial Projects or Contract-to-Hire
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A low-risk way to assess fit before making a long-term commitment.

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Hire Developers

Sample Interview Questions to Ask South American Developers

Hiring this right specific developer is about asking the right questions. Here are some sample questions to help guide your interview process:

What tools or strategies do you use to stay aligned across time zones?

Listen for async communication skills and experience with tools like Slack, Notion, or Jira.

Tell me about a time you had to debug an urgent issue in production.

Shows technical depth, pressure handling, and process ownership.

How do you prioritize tasks when working independently?

Good responses reflect proactivity, ownership, and communication.

What’s your experience working with distributed teams across the U.S. or Europe?

Look for familiarity with cross-cultural collaboration and remote practices.

How do you keep up with changes in your tech stack?

Expect mentions of online learning, side projects, or open-source contributions.

Hire Developers

Software Development

Stats -> Why South America Is Booming for Tech Hiring (2025)

1.5M+

1.5M+ professional developers across Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Colombia, and Peru

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50k+

50,000+ new CS graduates annually across these five countries

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65%+

65–80% of developers in Argentina, Mexico, and Colombia speak intermediate-to-advanced English

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

A Revelo é um banco?

A Revelo não é um banco, mas nosso sistema de transferência de pagamentos funciona por meio de contratos entre empresas e contratantes. Graças às nossas parcerias com terceiros, conseguimos oferecer taxas de transferência muito abaixo do mercado. Além disso, nosso modelo de negócios diversificado nos dá uma vantagem competitiva única. Aproveite essa oportunidade para economizar e receba seus pagamentos de forma eficiente com a Revelo!

How do I legally hire a developer in South America without opening a local entity?

Use an Employer of Record (EOR) platform like Revelo, which handles compliance, payments, and contracts across all supported countries.

Are South American developers suitable for long-term, core team roles?

Yes—especially when offered remote-first culture, growth opportunities, and competitive USD compensation.

What languages do developers in South America speak?

Most developers speak Spanish or Portuguese, but top talent also has strong English proficiency, especially in Argentina, Mexico, and Colombia.

How much should I expect to pay a senior developer in Brazil or Mexico?

Senior engineers typically command $50k–$80k USD/year, depending on stack, experience, and market.

Can I hire both full-time and contract developers?

Yes—platforms like Revelo support both full-time EOR employment and hourly or project-based contracts.

Ready to Hire Developers in South America?

Whether you're scaling your team, reducing costs, or building a new product, the time to hire remote developers in Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Colombia, and Peru is now.

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Revelo helps you access pre-vetted talent, manage global payroll, and stay fully compliant—so you can focus on building great software.

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👉 Start hiring developers in South America

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Hire Developers

Hire Developers in South America: 2025 Guide

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