U.S. companies hiring in Latin America access experienced professionals they can’t afford or find domestically, with 84% of placements at mid-level or senior positions
Companies hiring in Latin America build full teams when needed rather than hiring incrementally, scaling departments that would take years with US-only budgets
Budget constraints, talent shortages, and long recruitment cycles are pushing companies to look beyond domestic borders to hire the talent they need to grow and Latin America is increasingly a top destination. Near’s 2026 State of LatAm Hiring Report analyzes over 2,000 placements made by U.S. companies over the past year across 411 roles. The data reveals some interesting trends.
1. Colombia overtook Argentina as the top hiring destination
For the first time in Near’s data, Colombia became the #1 hiring destination for U.S. companies, rising from #3 to 23% of placements. Argentina, which dominated in previous years, now sits at #2, while Brazil rounds out the top three. Colombia’s rise in popularity as a nearshoring destination is driven by strength in accounting, finance, and sales roles. Argentina remains the go-to for finance and accounting positions, while Brazil dominates marketing and IT & engineering hires.
This shift reveals something important about how U.S. companies are thinking about LatAm hiring. While Argentina is a well-known outsourcing and hiring destination, great talent exists throughout Latin America. Colombia has tremendous strengths—from its growing tech ecosystem to its strong business culture—and companies are discovering what’s been there all along. This geographic diversification is expected to accelerate throughout 2026.
2. Companies are hiring senior-level professionals outside the U.S.
One of the biggest misconceptions about nearshore hiring is that it’s about finding “cheap” junior talent. The data tells a different story. In 2025, 84% of placements were for mid-level or senior positions. One-third of all hires were senior-level professionals, including VPs, directors, and other executive roles. U.S. companies aren’t hiring in LatAm to save money on entry-level positions they could fill domestically. They’re accessing experienced professionals they couldn’t afford—or couldn’t find—in the U.S. market. As many companies will be trying to “do more with less” in 2026 and demand for experienced talent is likely to remain high, this trend toward senior-level nearshore hiring is expected to accelerate.
3. Software engineering demand exploded with 250% year-over-year growth
Perhaps the most dramatic shift in the data: Software engineer placements saw 250% growth year-over-year, jumping 12 spots in the role rankings. Large companies have been hiring developers in Latin America for years. What’s changed is that companies of all sizes—from startups to mid-market—are now making this move.
Thirty percent of companies were switching from hiring in further offshore locations, according to a recent report on U.S. hiring by Near. The reason? When urgent development decisions need to be made or problems need solving, overnight delays slow everything down.
Here’s where AI comes into play. While the initial hype suggested AI would reduce demand for engineers, our experience reveals it’s had the opposite effect. AI has increased demand for senior engineers. In the U.S., that senior-level talent is in high demand and expensive. In Latin America, you can find senior developers who work during U.S. business hours at rates that are 36-56% lower than U.S. salaries—but still high enough to attract top-tier talent.
4. BDR/SDR remains the most-filled role (and for good reason)
Business development representatives (BDRs) and sales development representatives (SDRs) continue to dominate LatAm hiring for the second year running, maintaining their position as the most-filled role type.
The reasons are clear:
Average savings of 58–64% compared to U.S. salaries
Average placement time of 28 days (compared to 3-6 months domestically)
Relatively easy to find candidates with strong English proficiency
Time zone alignment enabling real-time collaboration with U.S. customers
Among top sales reps in LatAm, English proficiency is exceptional. With proper screening, U.S. companies can easily hire professionals with neutral accents and a high level of English fluency, so prospects don’t even realize they’re speaking with someone outside the U.S.
And the data shows companies aren’t just filling one or two sales positions. They’re building entire sales teams in LatAm, often hiring 5–10 SDRs or BDRs at a time. This isn’t about replacing U.S. salespeople. It’s about building the pipeline generation capacity that would otherwise be financially out of reach.
5. The savings from hiring in Latin America enable growth
The data shows companies save an average of $35,000 to $64,000 annually per Latin American hire compared to U.S.-equivalent positions. Many companies aren’t using these savings to pad profit margins. They’re using them to build larger teams sooner. For example, they’re hiring five people instead of two, or launching entire departments they would have had to delay for years with U.S.-only budgets. The savings enable immediate scaling rather than incremental, budget-constrained growth.
The pattern across the data is remarkably consistent. Companies that hire nearshore talent:
Build entire departments after their first few hires
Fill roles in 7-28 days that previously took 3-6 months
Access senior-level expertise they couldn’t afford or find domestically
Scale operations 40-100%+ in a single year
Redirect savings into growth initiatives, technology, and strategic hires
CBX Vibe: “Offshore” Rae Sremmurd
Source Name : culturebanx
