Where to Find Software Developers: Alternatives to Eastern Europe 

Eastern Europe is known around the world as the goldmine of skilled software developers. Tech hubs of Poland, Ukraine, and Romania have become prominent offshoring/nearshoring destinations for many European and North American businesses. The region benefits from geographic proximity to Western Europe, time zone compatibility, and solid English proficiency. 

While Eastern Europe has everything a perfect software development destination has to offer, chances are you want to expand the radius of your search for tech talent beyond it. With that in mind, we’ve put together this overview of other prominent tech hubs we rely on as a company specializing in creating remote tech units. Over the years, the IT sectors in such countries as Brazil, Armenia, and Azerbaijan have grown to cater to the needs of global companies in search of software developers. Let’s take a closer look at each of them. 

Software developers in Brazil

So, where to find software developers? Among software development destinations in Latin America, Brazil takes the lead as the most populated IT hub in Latin America. There are over 25,000 IT companies operating across the country, offering lucrative software development prices, strong educational background of software developers in Brazil, and a dynamic startup environment. All of this makes the country one of the most prominent software development destinations in the world. 

Key facts: 

• Population: 212 million people
• Key tech hubs:  São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte
• 9th largest economy in the world
• Language: Portuguese
• Time zone: UTC-03:00
• 20 unicorns
• Number of software developers in Brazil: 500,000
• English proficiency: Low (A1-A2)

Market overview. The Brazilian software development market is estimated at $49.5 million, which makes it one of the largest markets of IT services in Latin America. Such countries as the USA, the UK, and Japan are the biggest contributors to the Brazilian IT market. The most popular service provided by local IT firms is custom software development in such domains as Finance, eCommerce, Telecom, and IoT. According to Statista, there are 500,000 software developers in Brazil available for hire. 

If you’re asking “Where to find software developers to delegate my project?” the answer is Brazil. Outsourcing takes a significant share in the country’s IT industry: More than 40% of IT companies take up projects from overseas companies. Many software developers in Brazil work with US-based companies, the most prominent of which are Meta, IBM, Amazon, Google, Uber, Oracle, Microsoft, and Dell. 

Education. Software developers in Brazil draw their background from 27 world-class universities, which have been recognized by the Top Universities in Ranking QS World University Rankings (2022). A significant number of STEM graduates join the workforce each year: 227,000+ IT experts become available for hire. As per Coursera’s 2021 Global Skill Report, the main areas of expertise of software developers in Brazil lie in the fields of Cloud, Software Engineering, Computer Programming, and Databases. 

Cost. According to Salary Explorer, a software developer in Brazil earns BRL105,000 annually, which equals $22,000. According to Clutch.co, most software development firms charge between $25-$49 for an hour of their services, excluding provider’s fees and taxes.  

English. Brazil has low English proficiency among the population, however, many developers in Brazil are confident English speakers as they work for international companies.

READ ALSO: IT Companies in Romania: Expertise and Client Focus

Software development in Armenia

Armenia is for sure a non-trivial answer to the question “Where to find software developers?” given that only 1% of its population are employed in the IT sector. The country is still uncharted territory when it comes to software development destinations, although many global leaders have already appreciated its IT potential. In fact, such behemoths as Intel, Mic Intel, Microsoft, Google, IBM, Synopsys и Cisco chose the region to set up their teams here. 

Key facts about software development in Armenia: 

• Capital: Yerevan 
• Home to 2,900 million people 
• Key tech hubs:  Yerevan, Gyumri, Vanadzor
• Language: Armenian
• Timezone: GMT+4
• Software developers: 30,000
• English proficiency: Moderate (B1-B2)

Market overview. The IT sector in Armenia is growing. Thanks to the trust received from global companies, the market size increased by 27% over the past few years. Last year, there was a 5.3% growth of the software development market in Armenia – and is now valued at $170 million.

Education. Software development in Armenia relies on a strong tradition of Mathematics that takes its roots back in the Soviet Union. At that time, the country was a key hub for electronics and software development. That tradition isn’t consigned to history. Nowadays, the country invests heavily in educating fledgling IT experts, starting as early as secondary school. Every year, 7000 students set out on their journey to pursue STEM degrees. Technical education is widely supported by the government. For instance, the government has set up an Innovative Solutions and Technologies Center, which is aimed to give a boost to software development in Armenia and meet the growing demand for IT experts in the world. 

READ ALSO: How to Source Hungarian Developers

Cost. The Armenian government offers attractive tax incentives and minimal compliance requirements for fledgling IT companies. The cost of software development in Armenia is lower than in Western European countries, thanks in large to programs sponsored by the government that aims to draw investments into IT. You can hire a solid specialist in the range of $25,000-$40,000 per year, depending on their technology, as per Payscale. Most software development companies in Armenia charge $25 – $49 per hour of their service, excluding fees, as per Clutch.

English. Where to find software developers with confident English? The average proficiency level in Armenia can be described as “moderate.” However, IT experts boast more advanced levels, as many of them work for international companies. 

READ ALSO: How to Hire Developers in Romania

Where can I find software developers: Azerbaijan

Key facts: 

• Home to 10 million people
• Key tech hubs:  Baku, Ganja
• Language: Azerbaijani
• Time zone: GMT+4
• English proficiency: Low (A1-A2)

Market overview. The IT sector in Azerbaijan is definitely worth consideration. The local government takes significant steps to make it a part of the global market. Unlike the IT market in Eastern Europe, Azerbaijan doesn’t benefit from a rich choice of established software development companies. Yet, there are more young and ambitious companies on the market with aspirations to partner with global companies for software development. The startup environment is also in its early days but receives endorsement from the government –  akin to that of Armenia and Brazil. 

Education. Baku, the capital, boasts various establishments of tech education where students can pursue degrees in Sciences. Apart from that, students have access to various private institutions and courses where they can improve their skills through informal education. Given that the local market doesn’t offer many job opportunities, graduates tend to seek employment with companies from abroad, which 

Cost. The local tech companies registered on Clutch.co report that they charge between $25–$49 per hour of their service, excluding fees and taxes. From other sources, you can count on hiring a solid developer at the cost of $30,000 – $40,000 per year, depending on their specialization. 

English. English proficiency among the population has room for improvement. However, in our experience of working with Azerbaijanian developers, their English level can be described as intermediate or higher. 

READ ALSO: Nearshore Product Development: Eastern Europe and Latin America Overview

Tap into hot software development destinations with nCube

nCube is an established outstaffing company that helps businesses add the right kind right specialists for their teams located in such countries as Poland, Ukraine, Brazil, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and more. We always focus on building skilled remote teams that strengthen our clients’ internal units and take their products to the next level. With us, you can forget about such laborious tasks as talent scouting, team administration, HR support, payroll, and team retention, as we take care of them. Our approach also helps you reduce the cost of software development. Contact us and let’s see how we can help you augment your team.