Nearshore or offshore.
Start with the work.

Should you start with the work, or with the map?

Offshore hiring should begin with a clear role, not a price comparison. The same is true for nearshore. You do not need to choose a country before a search conversation. Start with the role’s outcomes, the hours the team genuinely shares, and any real location constraint, then let those decide how wide the search should be.

What do nearshore and offshore mean for a U.S. engineering team?

In general terms, the difference is working-hour overlap and distance. A nearshore engineer works in hours that substantially overlap with your team. An offshore engineer works in hours that overlap little, so more of the work has to be handed off in writing. Alivio’s named nearshore market is Latin America, with separate briefs for Bogotá and Medellín, Colombia. For a search beyond that, see offshore talent recruiting.

Nearshore is a working arrangement, not a guarantee of language proficiency or schedule fit. Location alone does not establish availability, English proficiency, or experience working with a distributed team.

Which moments need the same working hours?

An engineering hire may need time for design reviews and incident handoffs. Separate the truly synchronous responsibilities from work that can happen asynchronously, and account for daylight saving time. Write down which of these apply to the role:

• Standups and planning
• Code review turnaround
• Pairing and design reviews
• Incident response and on-call
• Product and stakeholder decisions

Then define overlap for planning and review, expectations for written updates, and how urgent issues are escalated. A role can need some overlap without needing full overlap. Specify the hours your team actually needs.

When does a role need nearshore overlap?

Treat these as questions, not rules. Several “yes” answers suggest the role needs substantial shared hours.

• Will the engineer make product decisions with the team every day?
• Does code review need a same-day answer?
• Will the engineer respond to production incidents during your hours?
• Will the engineer lead, pair with, or mentor teammates?

When can a wider search work?

Many articles that compare the two models make a similar split: live product work favors overlap, and well-specified asynchronous work gives a search more room. Alivio’s view is that you settle the question in the brief, role by role. These questions point toward a wider search:

• Is the work specified with written acceptance criteria?
• Can handoffs be documented instead of discussed live?
• Is there a named technical contact who answers asynchronous questions?
• Can the team work with a small, agreed window of overlap instead of full overlap?

How should you compare cost if not by an hourly rate?

Many comparison pages lead with rate and savings figures. Alivio does not publish rates, and this guide has no cost numbers. What drives the total arrangement is specific to your team: the time spent on review and handoffs, onboarding and access, who employs or contracts the person, and the compensation range and currency. Fees for a search are agreed in writing; see pricing and the FAQ.

Should every candidate be scored the same way?

Build a short scorecard around the responsibilities, required experience, communication needs, and decisions the person will own. Use that scorecard across locations so that a broader search still produces a focused comparison. Ask about a relevant system and the tradeoffs behind it, use a bounded exercise with explicit scope, and assess communication through the tasks the person will actually do. The results page includes an illustrative candidate scorecard template; it is a template, not a client result. For the technical brief itself, see software developer recruiting and the software engineering hub.

Which decisions sit outside the search itself?

Recruiting, employment, payroll, and legal advice are different responsibilities. Identify which organization will employ or contract with the person and resolve those responsibilities with the relevant employment and payroll advisers before an offer is finalized. Alivio’s recruiting scope is confirmed separately in writing. Also decide who provides equipment, who approves repository access, and who the named technical contact is. See what belongs in a nearshore hiring brief.

Does the $100,000 H-1B fee change this decision?

The decision should still start from the work and the hours the team needs, not from a visa assumption. As of November 13, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is not collecting the $100,000 H-1B payment after federal court orders blocked the implementing policies. The fee is currently blocked and may return if those orders are lifted or a later rule takes effect. This is not legal advice. Confirm the current status with qualified immigration counsel before you plan around any fee. Source: USCIS fee schedule alert.

What should you bring to an introductory call?

Bring the role’s main outcomes, team structure, preferred schedule, compensation parameters, and interview decision-makers, plus the overlap list above. You do not need a perfect brief to begin. You can also send a hiring brief through the contact form; a submission does not create a paid engagement. This page is for employers. If you are an engineer looking for work, see open roles.