Something’s shifting in how US companies build their teams.
And it’s not just the usual “hire cheaper labor” story you’ve heard a thousand times.
In 2026, smart companies are quietly moving entire functions to Latin America. Not because they want to cut corners.
Because they’ve figured out something most businesses are still sleeping on.
The time zones actually work. The talent is genuinely there. And the collaboration doesn’t feel like pulling teeth the way it does with other offshore regions.
Let me show you exactly which roles are moving south.
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Customer Support Teams
This is the big one.
Go look at any fast-growing SaaS company, any ecommerce brand doing real volume, any logistics platform that can’t afford downtime.
Chances are, their support team has a serious Latin American presence.
Not just one or two people handling overflow.
Entire pods. Full teams. Sometimes the whole department.
Why?
Because support is the perfect role to move south.
You need people online during business hours.
You need bilingual capability (English/Spanish is a massive advantage for US companies). You need strong soft skills and patience.
Latin American support reps check every box.
Sales Development Roles
This one surprised people at first.
Sales feels like something you keep in-house. Something that needs your top performers, your native English speakers, your “culture carriers.”
Turns out that’s not true at all.
SDR and BDR roles are flooding into Latin America. Outbound prospecting. LinkedIn outreach. Email campaigns. Pipeline qualification.
All of it.
Companies discovered that Latin American SDRs who’ve worked with US clients before already know the playbooks. They know HubSpot, Salesforce, and Outreach.
They understand the methodology and they’re hungry.
Digital Marketing Roles
Marketing assistants, social media managers, video editors, copywriters.
These roles are moving to Latin America in huge numbers.
Why?
Because most marketing work is actually execution, not strategy. You need someone to manage the content calendar.
Repurpose video clips. Run basic SEO tasks. Schedule posts. Track analytics.
That work doesn’t need to be expensive.
But it needs to be consistent. And it needs someone who understands US culture enough to not make weird mistakes that kill your brand voice.
Latin American marketers fit perfectly.
The “Founder Shadow” Operations Roles
Virtual assistants. Executive assistants. Operations coordinators.
These roles are exploding in Latin America.
Time zone alignment makes or breaks these roles.
A VA in the Philippines? They’re working night shifts to cover your day. They’re tired. They’re most likely not on Slack when you need them.
A VA in Colombia? They’re on the same schedule you are.
Operations coordinators in Latin America manage calendars, dispatch, inventory updates, vendor coordination.
For logistics companies, home services businesses, healthcare platforms.
Bookkeeping and Back-Office Finance
US and Canadian small businesses are moving bookkeeping to Latin America fast.
AR/AP. Payroll prep. Month-end close. Data entry.
These roles work well in Latin America because the workflows are standardized. You’re not asking for strategic CFO-level thinking.
You’re asking for someone to follow the process, keep things organized, and flag issues.
But here’s the key:
You need clear expectations about working hours and overlap with US accountants. Month-end isn’t a good time for pure async communication. You need them available to answer questions in real-time.
Companies mess this up when they hire a cheap “finance VA” and expect strategic guidance.
Engineering Roles
This is where the story gets interesting.
People expected customer support and admin work to move south. That makes sense. Lower cost, less strategic, easier to hand off.
But engineering?
Turns out Latin America has over 2 million IT professionals. The tech ecosystems in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia are real.
Companies are building entire dev pods in Latin America.
Should You Hire Contractors or Employees in Latin America
Two paths dominate:
Direct contractors or full-time employees through an EOR.
Here’s how to think about it:
Independent contractors work best when you’re testing someone new. You agree on hours, deliverables, and rates (usually in USD).
You run a 3-6 month trial. You reevaluate and consider full time.
This gives you flexibility. It’s faster to onboard. It’s easier to part ways if things don’t work out.
Most Latin American countries have clearer independent contractor laws than other regions.
But once a role becomes full-time and deeply integrated into your company? Once someone’s working exclusively for you 40+ hours a week?
That’s when companies think about formal employment.
Employer of Record providers handle local compliance, benefits, terminations. They take on the legal structure so you don’t have to set up a local entity.
But honestly? Many successful companies run entirely on contractor relationships in Latin America for years.
It works because the legal framework supports it and the talent prefers flexibility.
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The Real Reason Latin America Won in 2026
Here’s what changed.
US and European companies tried the “offshore everything to Asia” experiment. It worked for some things. Failed spectacularly for others.
Asynchronous communication sounds great in theory.
Until your sales rep misses the prospect meeting because it’s 3am their time. Until every simple question turns into a 24-hour email chain.
Latin America doesn’t have that problem.
Someone in Mexico City or Bogotá or Buenos Aires? They’re in your time zone. Or close enough that it doesn’t matter.
They wake up when you wake up. They’re online when your customers need help. They can join your 10am standup without setting an alarm for the middle of the night.
And here’s the part nobody talks about enough.
The English is strong. Really strong. Not “good enough to get by” strong. Strong enough that your customers won’t know they’re talking to someone in Colombia instead of Colorado.
Companies figured this out. And once they did, the floodgates opened.
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