Scaling US startups, especially those in Series A to C, struggle to find senior tech talent in a costly and competitive market. This challenge can slow growth and limit innovation. Hiring remote engineers from Latin America (LATAM) offers a practical, budget-friendly way to build strong teams. In this article, we’ll cover why this strategy works for scaling, the clear advantages it brings, and how VanHack’s Vanna platform makes it easy to connect with pre-vetted senior software engineers. Want to speed up your hiring? Start recruiting with Vanna today.
The US Tech Talent Challenge for Growing Startups
Startups scaling in the US face a tough hiring market that can stall their growth. High costs and fierce competition for skilled engineers often force difficult choices between quality hires and staying within budget.
High Salaries and Intense Competition in the US
Senior software engineers in the US often earn between $120,000 and $150,000 per year, adding heavy costs for startups with limited funds. For specialized roles in fields like AI or machine learning, salaries can climb to $150,000 or even $250,000 globally.
Competition is brutal, with big tech companies offering huge budgets to attract the same talent. Startups can’t always match these offers, leading to longer hiring times and settling for less ideal candidates. On top of base pay, startups often need to add equity, benefits, and bonuses. For just five senior engineers, yearly salaries alone could hit $750,000, plus another 30 to 40 percent in extras.
Limited Supply of Experienced Engineers
Finding engineers with over five years of experience, who can design systems, guide junior staff, and make key decisions, is harder than ever. Startups need these skills to support fast growth, but the shortage slows product development and builds technical debt. In competitive markets, these delays can cost market share.
Many senior engineers are already employed and not looking for new roles. This means startups must either pay high fees to recruiters to poach talent or wait months for the right person to become available.
Long Hiring Processes and High Costs
Traditional hiring takes months, delaying projects and missing key opportunities. The process often includes posting on job boards, reviewing countless applications, holding multiple interviews, and negotiating complex offers.
Agency fees, often 20 to 30 percent of a hire’s annual salary, can add up to $30,000 per person. For multiple hires, these costs drain budgets that could fund product or market growth. Slow hiring also means lost revenue and innovation, as competitors move ahead while startups wait for the right team.
Why Remote LATAM Talent Solves the Problem
Instead of battling for overpriced US talent, startups can tap into LATAM’s large pool of skilled, affordable engineers. This isn’t just about saving money, it’s a smarter way to build high-performing teams for growth.
Save on Costs Without Losing Quality
LATAM senior engineers earn between $30,000 and $50,000 yearly, cutting payroll costs by 60 to 70 percent compared to US rates. This reflects lower living costs, not lower skills. Even for specialized roles, AI and machine learning experts cost $60,000 to $75,000 in LATAM, far below US equivalents.
Savings go beyond salaries. Hiring from LATAM can reduce total costs by up to 40 percent, factoring in less need for office space and lower benefits expenses. These funds can fuel product work or team expansion.
Tap Into a Growing Pool of Skilled Engineers
LATAM’s tech sector is booming, with major hubs producing talent. Brazil, especially São Paulo, hosts the region’s largest developer community, with thousands of engineers skilled in various tech stacks.
Unlike the US, where demand outstrips supply, LATAM produces more engineers than local markets can hire. This creates a steady source of talent for US startups. Specific countries offer unique benefits, like Mexico’s timezone alignment with the US, Argentina’s strong English skills, and Colombia’s fast-growing tech scene.
Work in Sync with Nearshore Time Zones
LATAM’s close time zones, especially in Mexico, make collaboration with US teams straightforward. Engineers can join meetings, debug issues, or discuss ideas in real time, avoiding the delays common with farther regions like Asia or Eastern Europe. This overlap ensures quick responses to urgent problems, which is vital for startups where downtime affects customers and revenue.
Strong English Skills and Cultural Fit
Many LATAM engineers, particularly in Argentina, speak excellent English, often earning 10 to 20 percent more for bilingual abilities. This reduces communication gaps in technical discussions or documentation.
Shared values around work ethic and collaboration help LATAM engineers fit into US startup cultures. This alignment speeds up onboarding and builds team unity. Need talent that blends into your team? Connect with top candidates through Vanna.
Meet Vanna: VanHack’s AI Tool for Easy LATAM Hiring
VanHack’s Vanna is an AI-driven recruiter built to help scaling startups hire pre-vetted senior tech talent, with a focus on LATAM for remote roles. It simplifies hiring for US companies aiming to grow their engineering teams fast.
Using AI, Vanna automates candidate matching and technical screening, bringing the entire hiring process into one platform. This cuts through common hurdles in international recruitment.
What Vanna Offers for Hiring Success
- Subscription Pricing: Pay a flat $3,000 monthly fee for unlimited hires, saving heavily compared to per-hire agency costs. Ideal for startups scaling fast.
- AI Matching: Powered by an OpenAI model, it matches job needs with a pool of over 500,000 tech professionals, providing a shortlist of 3 to 5 top candidates quickly.
- Thorough Vetting: Get detailed profiles with video intros to check communication, 30-minute AI-recorded technical interviews with scores, and coding test results.
- Relocation Support: An in-house team handles visas and logistics like housing or schools at no extra cost, a service worth about $5,000.
- Direct Employment: Hire candidates as full employees, with VanHack’s fee covering the subscription, not ongoing margins.
Ready to simplify hiring? Start with Vanna now.
How VanHack Boosts Remote LATAM Hiring
Working with VanHack gives startups key advantages in hiring remote LATAM talent through Vanna. The platform focuses on speed and cost savings to solve hiring pain points.
Fast Access to Experienced Engineers
The shortage of senior engineers in the US creates delays in growth. Vanna’s AI scans over 500,000 profiles to deliver pre-vetted candidates with 5 to 10 years of experience in roles like Full-Stack or Backend, cutting hiring time significantly.
Lower Recruitment Expenses
High US salaries and fees strain startup budgets. Vanna’s $3,000 monthly subscription for unlimited hires, paired with LATAM’s lower salary rates, frees up funds for other priorities like product growth.
Clear and Fair Candidate Screening
Sorting through applicants and subjective interviews wastes time. Vanna provides shortlists with video intros, AI technical interviews, and coding results, helping managers decide with confidence and efficiency.
Shorter Hiring Timelines and Less Admin Work
Lengthy hiring and international logistics burden teams. Vanna offers a shortlist of 3 to 5 candidates, direct interaction tools, and one-click scheduling. For relocations, its mobility team manages visas and logistics, easing HR tasks.
VanHack (Vanna) Compared to Other Hiring Options
| Feature/Aspect | VanHack (Vanna) | Traditional Agencies | Internal Hiring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost Model | $3,000 monthly (unlimited hires) | 20-30% of salary per hire | Recruiter salary, job board fees |
| Talent Pool | 500,000+ global, LATAM focus | Local or limited global | Limited to company network |
| Vetting Depth | AI matching, technical interviews, videos, coding tests | Resume screening, basic interviews | Manual screening, multiple interviews |
| Time-to-Hire | Days to weeks | Weeks to months | Months |
| Hiring Model | Direct hire by client | Direct hire by client | Direct hire via HR |
| Global Mobility | Full in-house support | None or referrals | Internal or external legal help |
| Focus | Senior tech (5-10 years) | Varies | Varies |
VanHack tackles multiple hiring issues at once. Want to see how it works? Chat with Vanna now.
Common Questions About Hiring LATAM Talent
How Does LATAM Talent Help Solve the US Shortage?
Hiring from LATAM expands the talent pool beyond US borders, accessing skilled engineers at more affordable rates. This reduces competition and costs while offering strong English skills and time zone compatibility for effective collaboration.
What Cost Savings Come from Hiring LATAM Engineers with VanHack?
US engineers earn $120,000 to $150,000 yearly, while LATAM engineers cost $30,000 to $50,000. Specialized roles in LATAM range from $60,000 to $75,000. Vanna’s $3,000 monthly fee for unlimited hires cuts recruitment costs further, allowing reinvestment in growth.
How Does VanHack Verify Quality and Fit of LATAM Candidates?
Vanna uses AI matching, video intros for communication checks, 30-minute AI technical interviews with scoring, and coding tests. This gives a full picture of a candidate’s technical and interpersonal skills before any interview.
Does VanHack Support Relocation for Remote Hires?
Yes, VanHack offers full relocation support, even for those starting remotely. Its mobility team handles visas and logistics like housing, at no extra cost, a service valued at around $5,000. Community groups also help new hires settle in.
How Soon Can Companies Interview Candidates via Vanna?
Companies often see a shortlist of 3 to 5 pre-vetted candidates within days. Since they’ve already completed screenings like videos and coding tests, interviews can start right away, speeding up the process.
Scale Smarter with VanHack’s Hiring Solution
The high cost and scarcity of US tech talent challenge Series A to C startups aiming for rapid growth. Hiring senior engineers from LATAM provides an affordable, effective way to build capable teams and stay competitive.
VanHack’s Vanna simplifies this with AI-driven matching, thorough vetting, and relocation support, drawing from a pool of over 500,000 professionals. The $3,000 monthly subscription for unlimited hires saves money while delivering talent ready to drive innovation.
For startups needing to grow engineering teams fast and within budget, VanHack is the answer. Ready to solve your hiring struggles? Start hiring with Vanna today and build a team that scales with your goals.