Let’s face it, finding great tech talent these days can feel like trying to book a table at a Michelin-star restaurant… last minute, on a Saturday.

With salaries rising in traditional hubs like the US and Western Europe, more startups and scale-ups are hiring in emerging tech hubs, and for good reason. Regions like Africa, LATAM, y Eastern Europe offer access to untapped tech talent, cost-effective tech recruitment, and highly skilled developers ready to work remotely.

In this post, we’ll break down the benefits of hiring in Africa, where to find top LATAM software engineering talent, how Eastern European developers compare, and what to watch out for. Whether you’re scaling tech teams globally, looking for RPO for global hiring, or just curious about global hiring trends in 2025, we’ve got you covered.

Africa (Spotlight: South Africa)

Why hire here:

• Strong English skills

• Overlapping time zones with Europe

• Competitive salaries and low hiring costs

• Growing number of skilled developers and startup communities

Africa is one of the best regions for accessing untapped tech talent, especially in countries like South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria. There’s a rising wave of developers, engineers, and tech professionals who are remote-ready and eager to work with global companies.

Challenges:

• Smaller talent pools in niche areas

• Infrastructure inconsistencies (mostly outside major cities)

• Limited exposure to global tech stacks in some markets

Our take:
We’ve seen firsthand how South Africa is quickly becoming one of the best countries to hire developers in Africa. Our local presence helps clients overcome hiring barriers and tap into one of the most promising tech talent pools in emerging markets.

LATAM (Latin America)

Why hire here:

• Same or similar time zones as North America

• Strong remote work culture

• High-quality developers at lower salary costs

• Good English levels in countries like Argentina, Mexico, and Colombia

LATAM has become a go-to region for startups looking to build nearshore development teams. With a growing pool of skilled engineers and rising government investment in tech education, LATAM software engineering talent is in high demand.

Challenges:

• Rising salaries in top markets

• Currency and economic instability in some countries

• Varying levels of English outside urban centers

Our take:
We’ve helped startups build fully distributed engineering teams across LATAM. If you’re based in the US, this region is ideal for real-time collaboration and cost-effective tech recruitment. For most companies, it’s about finding the right country, and we know the top LATAM countries for tech hiring.

Eastern Europe

Why hire here:

• Highly skilled developers with strong technical education

• Ideal for nearshore development teams (especially for EU-based companies)

• Strong English proficiency

• Familiarity with global tech stacks and agile workflows

When it comes to quality, Eastern European tech talent is consistently top-tier. Countries like Poland, Ukraine, Romania, and Serbia are known for producing excellent software engineers, particularly in backend, DevOps, and AI roles. Many developers in the region already work with international startups, making remote tech hiring smooth and fast.

Challenges:

• Salaries rising due to global demand

• Time zone differences for US-based companies

• High competition from outsourcing firms and global recruiters

Our take:
If you’re looking for experience, reliability, and deep technical knowledge, Eastern Europe developers are a great bet. We help companies compare markets and make smart decisions, from finding the right country to navigating cultural fit.

From cost-effective tech recruitment in Africa to top-tier engineers in Eastern Europe and time-zone-aligned teams in LATAM, the global tech hiring landscape is shifting fast.

For startups and scale-ups, building distributed tech teams across emerging markets isn’t just a trend — it’s a smart move. Whether you need to reduce costs, access rare skill sets, or scale fast, these regions offer real advantages.