English Proficiency in LatAm Developers 2025

Illustration of a Latina software developer on a video call with a nearshore team, part of a blog post titled ‘English Proficiency & LatAm Tech Talent 2025’ by Next Idea Tech

If you’re thinking about hiring English-proficient LatAm developers, you’re already ahead of most companies still treating language as an afterthought. In 2025, nearshore teams across Latin America with strong English proficiency are dominating global tech work and that edge keeps growing.

This post breaks down:

Why English matters more than ever in dev work
Where LatAm stands today in English fluency
How to test and evaluate English ability for devs
Practical takeaways when hiring nearshore teams

Why English Proficiency in LatAm Developers Matters in 2025

1. Why English Proficiency in LatAm Developers Matters Now?

Back when work was more siloed, you could get by with devs who just “understood the specs.” But product expectations are rising: architecture debates, product feedback, cross-team integrations, docs, design reviews — all of this needs clear English. A misunderstood sentence in a PR review can lead to days of rework.

2. Real-time collaboration and dynamic teams

You hire nearshore partly for overlapping hours. That only works if your team can actually communicate effectively. If English is shaky, you lose efficiency in meetings, async messages, and daily touchpoints.

3. AI tools amplify communication flaws

AI code assistants (Copilot, ChatGPT, Cursor, etc.) are everywhere now. But they don’t fix vague prompts or miscommunication. If your English is weak, AI won’t magically create clarity. In fact, inconsistent prompt quality and misunderstanding the AI’s suggestions can amplify problems.

4. Scaling across functions

You won’t just have devs, you’ll have QA, devops, product, UX, marketing touching that code. All those teams often assume English communication as a baseline. If your devs can’t hold their own in that environment, they become blockers.

English Fluency Across LatAm Tech Talent: Where It’s Strong (and Where It’s Not)

The region is uneven — some markets are strong, others still building.

Some agencies and content mention that top-tier LatAm tech talent typically has advanced English, especially those working remotely for U.S. clients.
In articles on why U.S. firms hire LatAm developers, they cite English proficiency as a key factor (along with time zones, culture, cost) that reduces friction.
But English proficiency as a national average is weaker in many LatAm countries, especially outside tech hubs. That means you can’t assume every dev is fluent.
Some outsourcing destination guides flag “language proficiency” as a differentiator when comparing Latin American countries.

So the region offers a spectrum: from excellent English in niche tech hubs to mediocre or variable English outside those circles. Companies hiring English-proficient LatAm developers report fewer communication gaps

How to Evaluate English Proficiency When Hiring LatAm Developers

When hiring nearshore teams, you want real, usable English — not just a checkbox. Here are tactics:

Test	What It Reveals	How to Use It
Live screeners (30 min)	Can they articulate ideas, ask clarifying questions	Use real technical/architecture topics, not just trivia
Written prompt	See their ability to write clear issue tickets, docs, comments	Give a short spec and ask them to write a proposal or description
Code review discussion	Watch how they explain or critique code in English	Ask “why would you refactor this?” and evaluate clarity
Task handoff test	Give them a small feature spec, see how they communicate assumptions/ambiguities	See if they ask questions, document edge cases, etc.
Peer interview	Let your engineers chat casually with them	You’ll sense awkward pauses, mis-heard concepts, or discomfort

Evaluate LATAM Devs English Skills

Also check their reading comprehension (docs, RFCs) and listening (meeting ability). English proficiency isn’t just about speaking, it’s about catching nuance, ambiguity, and context.

One tip: ask candidates to teach back what they understood. If they misunderstand your phrasing, you’ve caught a gap.

Geographic & Market Factors to Adjust For

The growing pool of English-proficient LatAm developers gives U.S. firms more reliable options

Because English fluency isn’t uniform across LatAm, you’ll want to pick carefully.

Tech hubs vs non-hubs: Big cities (Bogotá, Buenos Aires, São Paulo, Mexico City) tend to attract more global companies and thus have stronger English.
Remote / export-ready devs: Developers already working with U.S./European companies are more likely to prioritize English.
Education & training programs: In some countries there’s heavy investment in English + STEM.
Language incentives in hiring firms: Some nearshore agencies make English screening non-negotiable. That filters candidates.

When you evaluate a country or city, ask about English as a selection criteria and what proportion of their talent pool meets your English bar.

The Business Upside: Why English-Ready LatAm Talent Pays Off

Less friction = faster ramp. When communication is smooth, onboarding accelerates.
Fewer misunderstandings = lower rework. Mistakes due to miscommunication are expensive.
Better integration across teams. Your product, QA, UX, ops teams will interface with devs seamlessly.
Scalability. English-ready LatAm teams can integrate into regional/global operations with less overhead.
Quality of output. Clear communication helps in architecture, design calls, API contracts — not just superficial fixes.

Caution: English Proficiency Doesn’t Guarantee Culture Fit or Execution

Don’t get tricked by fluent English sounding like compatibility. A dev might be fluent but not ask proactive questions. Or translate what you said, but miss the deeper product intent. English is necessary, not sufficient.

Also, don’t neglect soft skills, domain knowledge, and critical thinking. English is a tool; you still need people who think and act like your team.

Sample Outline: How a Nearshore Agency Should Present English Proficiency

When evaluating nearshore partners, prioritize agencies that screen for English proficiency in LatAm developers

Here’s what you should expect from a high-quality nearshore partner (or demand it):

They publish their English screening bar (e.g., “We screen to B2+ or equivalent”)
They let you meet engineers in English before hire
They provide writing samples or test assignments in English
They monitor English performance (meetings, documentation) as part of deliverables
They commit to replacing hires who don’t meet your English bar within a probation window

If a partner can’t transparently answer these, that’s a red flag.

Zak Elmeghni