Simplified StartupOnshore
United States
- Time zone
- Same as your team
- Communication
- Same language, culture, and business norms
- Relative cost
- Highest of the three
- Often best for
- Client-facing, senior, or regulated roles
Build your team in theright location.
Remote staffing in the U.S., Latin America, or Asia, for the right role, time zone, and budget. Choose one model or combine all three into a team that covers the hours and skills you need.
U.S. · Latin America · Asia Time-zone aligned One model or a mix Skills-matched & vetted
How companies are sourcing talent
Outsourcing is shifting from cost-cutting toward skills.
Deloitte’s 2024 Global Outsourcing Survey of more than 500 executives.
0%
Maintaining or increasingShare of executives planning to maintain or increase investment in third-party outsourcing. Deloitte, 2024
0%
Using it for front-office workShare using outsourced services for front-office work like sales, marketing, and R&D. Deloitte, 2024
0%
Driven by specialized talentShare citing access to specialized talent as their top outsourcing driver. Deloitte, via Outsource Accelerator
0%
Prioritizing costShare prioritizing cost reduction as the main driver, down from 70% in 2020. Deloitte, via Outsource Accelerator
Survey results describe large organizations and vary by company size and industry. The shift is clear: talent access now beats cost as the reason to go global.
Compare the models
The three models at a glance.
Each balances time zone, communication, and cost differently. There’s no single best option, only the best fit for each role.
Nearshore
Latin America (Mexico, Colombia, Argentina)
- Time zone
- 0–3 hrs from most U.S. zones
- Communication
- Real-time collaboration during U.S. hours
- Relative cost
- Moderate
- Often best for
- Sales, marketing, dev, and ops roles that need live overlap
Offshore
Asia (the Philippines, India)
- Time zone
- ~9–13 hrs ahead
- Communication
- U.S.-hours shifts or overnight async work
- Relative cost
- Lowest of the three
- Often best for
- Support, admin, bookkeeping, and after-hours coverage
Relative cost is a general market comparison, not a price. Actual cost depends on role, skills, and hours.
Time zones
Time-zone overlap with a U.S. team.
A typical 9–5 workday in each location, mapped to U.S. Eastern time. Offshore staff can also work U.S.-hours shifts.
Your U.S. team9am–5pm ET
9am–5pm
OnshoreU.S.-based, same hours
Full overlap
NearshoreLatAm, 0–3 hrs
Full or near-full overlap
Offshore (U.S. shift)Works U.S. hours
Full overlap
Offshore (local day)Philippines, 9am–5pm local
Async
Times are approximate and shift with daylight saving. Nearshore overlap varies by country.
By role
Which model fits which role.
A general guide to where each role often works well. Every team is different, so we tailor the mix to you.
| Role | Onshore | Nearshore | Offshore |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive assistant | |||
| Customer support | |||
| SDR / appointment setting | |||
| Marketing coordinator | |||
| Bookkeeping & admin | |||
| Software development | |||
| Fractional executive | – | ||
| After-hours or 24/7 coverage | – |
Often a strong fit Can work well– Less common
Every engagement includes
Planned, matched, onboarded, and backed up.
Role and location planning call
Recommendation on onshore, nearshore, offshore, or a mix
Candidate matching based on skills, language, and time zone
Skills test and interview before matching
Onboarding plan and tool access setup
Regular check-ins on performance and workload
Replacement support if the fit isn’t right
Confidentiality agreement (NDA) available
Who uses global staffing
More skills, more coverage, more budget headroom.
Startups stretching their budget to hire more skills sooner.
Growing teams that need coverage across more hours of the day.
Businesses hard-pressed to hire locally for specific roles.
Companies building a hybrid team with U.S. leads and remote support.
Common questions
Asked before every plan.
Nearshore staff are in nearby countries with similar time zones, like Latin America for U.S. companies. Offshore staff are farther away, often in Asia, with bigger time differences.
It depends on the role, skills, location, and hours. We share options and pricing on the free call.
They can. Many offshore roles are set up as U.S.-hours shifts, or as overnight shifts for async and after-hours work.
Yes. Many teams combine a U.S.-based lead with nearshore and offshore support to balance overlap, coverage, and cost.
Engagement terms, contractor agreements, and payment setup are covered during onboarding. For employment and tax questions in specific countries, we recommend a qualified advisor.
Every candidate is skills-tested and interviewed before matching, with regular check-ins after, and replacement support if the fit isn’t right, wherever they’re based.
Onshore, Nearshore & Offshore Staffing
Build a team without borders.
Book a free call to plan the roles, locations, and hours that fit your business: we’ll map your working hours and suggest the location mix that covers them.