How to hire nearshore developers in Brazil

Next Idea Tech, Inc
9 min readNov 19, 2021

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Brazil has long been known for its relevant tech industry and solid presence in the Latin American region. This country is the largest nation in all of South America and has one of the biggest numbers of coders in the entire world! Beyond its natural beauty and iconic carnival, Brazil is known for its large software development talent pool and numerous coding hubs distributed across its territory. Whether you need a UX designer, QA engineer, or Python coder, Brazilian developers are here to solve all of your coding needs. With the many competitive advantages of remote software development, there are enough reasons to learn how to hire nearshore developers in Brazil!

That’s why we decided to dedicate this post to the different benefits of outsourcing software development to Brazil and how you can do it. You’ll find Brazil’s most competitive advantages, an overview of the tech industry, and how to hire Brazilian developers. Keep reading to learn all about nearshore software outsourcing in Brazil!

Benefits of hiring nearshore software developers in Brazil

#1 Brazil’s proximity and time-zone similarity to the US.

While Brazil has several individual benefits for nearshoring, this first item is equal to all Latin American countries. The biggest advantage of nearshore outsourcing is the possibility to work in real-time with your remote software development team! This allows for optimal communication and higher efficiency when completing coding projects. Brazil is usually only between 2 and 4 hours ahead of the United States, so both teams can share a good amount of working hours. Brazil is also located within the same continent as the US, allowing for easier international visits if needed.

#2 Nearshoring Brazilian developers allows for lower salary costs.

The cost of living in Brazil is significantly cheaper compared to the US. In fact, the cost of living in the United States is 2.8 times higher than in this Latin American country! This means your company can hire nearshore developers in Brazil for a lower price point than hiring American coders. Since Brazilian developers also charge lower salaries because of the favorable conversion of reals to US dollars, the costs of hiring these IT professionals are quite lower. US-based businesses can save money and still hire quality developers through nearshore software development!

Here are the standard rates for hiring nearshore software developers in Brazil, though be sure to consider 30% to 40% extra costs if you’re working with a third-party agency.

Junior developers: $3500-$4000 USD per month.

Mid-level developers: $4000-$5500 USD per month.

Senior developers: $6000-$8000 USD per month.

#3 Brazil is a top nearshore outsourcing destination and technological hub.

Why do people want to know how to hire nearshore developers in Brazil? It’s thanks to its worldwide reputation as a country with a vast talent pool of skilled software developers! Brazil has the most developers out of the entire Latin American region, with more than 475.000 coders integrating this regional network.

Besides sporting a considerable number of local nearshore developers, Brazil also has a steady and ever-growing technological industry. This country has more than 90 different tech parks, where coders gather to innovate and collaborate on various projects. Several areas of the country are considered tech hubs as well, like Campinas, São Paulo, Rio De Janeiro, and Florianopolis.

On the other hand, Brazil’s government has also been especially supportive of the local tech industry. A recent legislation (the “lei do bem”) gives tax incentives to companies looking to invest in the local technology sector, in endeavors such as software development or user design. This nationwide support and the strong tech infrastructure already established in the country make Brazil a top nearshore outsourcing destination!

#4 Nearshore developers in Brazil receive proper IT education.

Brazil is known for its all-around quality education, and the technology sector is no exception to these high standards. This country has a few of the most recognized IT educational programs in the region! As a whole, Brazil boasts more than 1,714 undergraduate, graduate, and technical degrees within IT-related fields. This results in over 100.000 new coders a year emerging from this country! As we’ve said before, the size of the nearshoring talent pool of Brazil is like no other. But it’s always important to remark that the education of Brazilian developers doesn’t fall behind as well.

Here are a few of the best Brazilian universities, according to the U.S. News & World Report. As you can see, these universities are located within the country’s major tech hubs! This is no coincidence, as these institutions offer a large array of tech degrees.

#5 Nearshore software outsourcing in Brazil involves English-speaking coders.

Though Brazil doesn’t have the most competitive English proficiency index in the region, this country still holds its ground when it comes to English-speaking nearshore developers. The EF EPI English proficiency index puts Brazil in place #60 out of 112 countries, leaving it in the middle of the pack. With a low English score of 497 points, it’s understandable why some would gravitate towards countries that sit higher on the rankings.

As mentioned before, don’t let this EF EPI ranking discourage you from learning how to hire nearshore developers in Brazil! This country still has thousands of developers who are fluent or advanced in English and eager to work with US-based companies. Many of them learn English in school, university, or at different language institutes. Not to mention that several developers also have a pretty decent command of Spanish, thanks to where Brazil is located. Hiring nearshore developers who speak more than one language is always a plus!

#6 You can hire Brazilian developers proficient in several coding languages.

Since Brazil has such a large number of nearshore software developers, local coders try to learn as many languages as they can. This helps them stand out from the competition and gain access to better employment opportunities. So your company will have no trouble finding a qualified coding candidate proficient in the language you’re looking for! Here are some of the most popular coding languages for Brazilian developers.

JavaScript

SQL

Java

HTML

CSS

Python

C#

How to hire nearshore software developers in Brazil

#1 Hire through a professional staff augmentation firm.

The most hassle-free way of hiring nearshore software developers in Brazil is by partnering up with nearshoring agencies. These firms ( Like us, Next Idea Tech) are a great cost-effective option thanks to their involvement in the recruiting and payment procedures. Their nearshore software development services offer years of outsourcing expertise and a trusted network of talented developers from top nearshore locations. This streamlines the recruitment process, helping your company hire nearshore developers in Brazil more efficiently!

#2 Hire Brazilian developers as direct contractors.

Direct contracts are nearshore developers in Brazil who work freelance without the intervention of any platform, agency, or employment organization. These coders usually have a website detailing their services or use LinkedIn as the main social media to promote their work. Since you’ll be working directly through them, you can save on fees or third-party expenses. Still, hiring direct contractors in Brazil can be a lengthy task, especially if you’re new to outsourcing in the region. If you want to give this strategy a try, search for software developers from Brazil on Linkedin!

#3 Ask industry contacts for referrals.

The main advantage of referrals is that you can really streamline the scouting process if you have one. This is a personal recommendation of a Brazilian developer’s services given to you by an industry contact. The one referring you to that developer usually worked with them or heard of their great results. This makes the whole process much simpler! You can interview the referral right away and see if they’re a solid fit for your company — saving time otherwise spent on sourcing for talent.

#3 Post a job ad on job boards or online communities.

Despite The Great Resignation, job ads placed on job boards and online communities are still popular with developers all around the world. All you need to do is create a strong job posting, join a few online communities for developers, like those on Reddit, find coding-specific job boards, and post your ad. Though keep in mind this is a passive approach to nearshore outsourcing, as you’ll have to wait for Brazilian developers to respond to your posting. So be patient and consider other options as well!

#4 Contact a local Global Employment Organization.

Global Employment Organizations are available throughout the world and act as third-party organizations for international outsourcing. Hiring nearshore software developers in Brazil through them is a reliable alternative but comes with a heavily present intervention on their end. They utilize employees “of record” who are ready to get started and co-employ developers with your company. These local agencies charge the nearshore developers’ salary, the cost of any perks or benefits, and a fee of 10% or more for their involvement.

#5 Try out freelancing platforms.

Freelancing platforms became popular a few years back, but their reach rose with the explosion of COVID-19. Sites like Upwork and Fiverr make it easy for Brazilian developers and US-based companies to find one another. Still, even if they’re easy-to-use and convenient for those new to outsourcing software development to Brazil, they come with a few drawbacks. For starters, you can’t really evaluate the coders’ skills before hiring them. Plus, the nearshore developers’ have to give a part of their pay to the platform. These sites are convenient, sure. Still, they’re not the best if you’re serious about hiring nearshore software developers in Brazil for the long term.

#6 Look for potential nearshore developers at regional events.

Brazil has a thriving local software development community with years of experience in nearshore outsourcing. Because of this, nearshore developers in Brazil join several coding events per year to expand their network and find new opportunities. These conferences are the perfect way to get in touch with a high number of Brazilian developers at once! They’re usually held in the country’s major software development hubs, so you’ll have plenty of chances to join. Try attending these events both virtually or in-person to hire nearshore developers in Brazil!

#7 Set up a subsidiary of your company in Brazil.

This is an ambitious alternative to traditional nearshore outsourcing. Still, if you’re serious about building your presence in Brazil and hiring nearshore developers for the long-term, it’s a strategic option. By establishing a subsidiary of your US-based company in Brazil, you can hire local talent both remotely and in person at affordable rates. Just keep in mind you’ll have to comply with all local regulations when creating your company and hiring nearshore software developers in Brazil. Otherwise, you could face legal hardship!

Interested in hiring nearshore software developers in Brazil? Let’s work together!

That’s all there is to know about hiring nearshore software developers in Brazil. There are several competitive advantages for nearshoring to this particular Latin American country. Plus, with many options to hire nearshore developers in Brazil, you can find coders quicker than with traditional recruitment. Brazil offers quality programming results by talented nearshore developers at an affordable price and with a strong return of investment.

At Next Idea Tech, our goal is to help US-based companies find skilled developers that will deliver quality coding solutions and understand your creative vision. You can bring your ideas to life with code! To turn your ideas into reality, we offer both staff augmentation and direct placement services for hiring nearshore software developers in Brazil and all of Latin America. Schedule a consultation with us today to learn more about how to hire nearshore developers in Brazil!

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Next Idea Tech, Inc

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