As global companies continue to expand through distributed teams, Latin America is emerging as one of the most strategic regions for offshore hiring in 2026. Competitive talent, cost efficiency, overlapping time zones with the U.S., and cultural alignment have always been major advantages, but now there’s another powerful point in the region’s favor:
Improving English proficiency across key Latin American markets.
According to the EF English Proficiency Index 2026 (EF EPI), one of the world’s most widely referenced benchmarks of adult English skills, several Latin American countries climbed in global rankings this year. These improvements directly affect hiring quality, communication efficiency, and the scalability of remote teams.
Below, we break down the data and explain why Latin America is becoming the best place for offshore hiring in 2026.
Improved English proficiency means fewer misunderstandings, clearer collaboration, and smoother onboarding of distributed teams. This directly boosts productivity, especially for:
Companies hiring offshore want more than cost reduction, they want talent capable of operating in global markets. Latin America now offers a balance that places it ahead of many Asian and Eastern European alternatives:
Despite rising skill levels, Latin American salaries remain significantly more affordable compared to the U.S. and Western Europe. This allows companies to:
The EF data highlights that young adults show the highest English proficiency levels, making the next generation of Latin American professionals especially well suited for global roles.
Argentinas has exceptional English proficiency, strong talent, and a thriving freelance/remote work culture.
Argentina is known for its high-quality engineering teams and competitive rates, making it an attractive option for tech companies.
In recent years, the accountant shortage in the U.S. started taking advantage of the vast numbers of qualified accountants and bookkeepers in the country.
Through the last decade, both Uruguay and Chile have maintained reliable political and economic environments, plus impressive English scores.
Uruguay and Chile offer a unique combination of stability, innovation, and talent, making it an attractive destination to offshore talent.
Although their EF scores rank lower, Brazil and Mexico offer:
While Brazil has the largest tech talent pool in Latin America, with a strong focus on software development and innovation, Mexico is a top outsourcing destination, not only because it offers a large talent pool, but also because of its proximity to the US. Mexican talent are known for their time zone alignment, which facilitates effective communication and efficient collaboration with North American companies.
Although a small country compared to the previous two, Colombia is a rising star in the remote landscape. Because of the salary differentials, more and more Colombians are leaning towards working remotely, acquiring the skills on demand and learning English.
All these countries are ideal for companies needing to scale fast.
The 2024/2025 EF EPI data reinforces what global hiring teams already sensed:
With rising English proficiency, cultural compatibility, and competitive labor markets, businesses can build high-performing teams without the friction traditionally associated with offshore work.
If you're planning to expand your team next year, Latin America should be your first stop.
