When U.S. companies build remote teams, they aren’t just looking for skills; they’re looking for smooth collaboration. Meetings that run on time. Slack messages that don’t need translation. Client calls that feel as natural as if everyone were sitting in the same room.
That’s why English proficiency has become one of the biggest deciding factors in nearshore recruitment. LATAM’s talent pool is massive, skilled, and operating in U.S.-friendly time zones, but English ability can vary dramatically from country to country, city to city, and even role to role. The good news? Some nations have made remarkable progress in bilingual education and professional English fluency, becoming powerhouses for global hiring.
So if you’re planning to expand your team across borders, whether it’s a sales rep taking calls from New York clients, a marketing manager coordinating with HQ, or a senior engineer joining daily standups, choosing the right geography can set everyone up for success from day one.
In this article, we’ll break down where LATAM’s strongest English speakers are, what proficiency actually means in a business context, and how hiring teams can assess it quickly and confidently.
How English Proficiency Is Measured (And Why It Matters for U.S. Teams)
Not all “English skills” are the same, and the difference between strong reading ability and confident verbal communication can be the difference between success and misalignment in a remote role.
To evaluate talent consistently, most global hiring teams rely on a mix of indicators:
- EF English Proficiency Index (EF EPI). The most widely referenced benchmark. It ranks countries by adult English fluency based on standardized test results. It helps spot national trends, but doesn’t always reflect business-specific or role-specific skills.
- Academic Pathways. Many LATAM professionals learn English at bilingual schools or in universities with U.S.-aligned programs, a strong signal for workplace readiness.
- Professional Experience with International Teams. Candidates who have worked with U.S. companies often bring more natural fluency: clearer communication styles, familiarity with American culture and idioms, and stronger writing for business documentation.
- Internal Talent Pre-Vetting. Leading nearshore staffing agencies (like South) include verbal and written English assessments, client call simulations, and proficiency scoring mapped to CEFR (A2–C2) levels.
For roles that handle American customers or stakeholders, language skills directly impact productivity, speed, and brand perception. In other words: proficiency isn’t a “nice-to-have”; it’s essential infrastructure for global collaboration.
The Top English-Speaking Countries in LATAM
While talent exists everywhere across the region, a handful of countries consistently stand out for strong English performance, especially in professional environments where communication with U.S. clients and stakeholders is critical.
Below are the key leaders for U.S. hiring, based on EF EPI trends, industry benchmarks, and nearshore employer feedback:
1. Argentina: A Longtime Regional Leader
Argentina has a reputation for high English proficiency, especially in major cities like Buenos Aires, Córdoba, and Rosario. Many professionals grow up consuming English media and attending bilingual schools.
Great for: tech, creative, marketing, and client-facing roles.
2. Costa Rica: Strong Skills + Service Culture
Costa Rica has invested heavily in bilingual education to support multinational operations and tourism. Professionals often have experience working for U.S. brands.
Great for: Customer support, finance, tech support, operations.
3. Chile: Reliable, Clear Communication
Chile’s standardized education system and growing global connectivity make English increasingly common in business and engineering careers.
Great for: Engineering, finance, business operations.
4. Mexico: Huge Talent Pool With Growing Bilingual Strength
While proficiency varies by region, Mexico offers the largest workforce aligned with U.S. culture and time zones. English is strong in border states and major metros like CDMX, Monterrey, and Guadalajara.
Great for: Sales, marketing, engineering, leadership roles
5. Colombia: Fastest Growth in Business English
Colombia’s private and public sectors have aggressively pushed English development over the past decade. U.S.-aligned culture and friendly communication style make teams highly collaborative.
Great for: Sales development, QA testing, contact center work, and back-office functions.
6. Brazil: Large Supply of Skilled Professionals
Brazil isn’t always at the top of proficiency rankings, but it has a vast pool of tech and creative talent, and English levels are improving rapidly among professionals in global industries.
Great for: Software engineering, data analytics, and design roles.
Role-Based English Needs: What U.S. Teams Actually Expect
Every job requires communication, but the level and type of English proficiency needed depend on the role. A one-size-fits-all benchmark can lead companies to overestimate (or underestimate) language requirements.
Here’s how needs typically break down:
Client-Facing & Revenue Roles
Sales, business development, account management, customer success, marketing, and support (voice). These professionals interact directly with customers, prospects, or partners. Clear speech, confidence, and cultural awareness are key.
Minimum recommended: B2 verbal, C1 written
Priority: Accent clarity, speed of response, idiomatic fluency, persuasion language
Cross-Functional Tech Roles
Engineering, QA, product, and DevOps. Daily standups, documentation, and asynchronous communication all require excellent comprehension and writing. Spoken fluency must allow real-time collaboration without friction.
Minimum recommended: B2 reading/writing, B2 verbal
Priority: Technical vocabulary, clarity in tickets and PRs, comfort speaking up in meetings
Back-Office & Analytical Roles
Accounting, finance ops, virtual assistants, HR operations, and data entry. Roles focused on accuracy and process may not require heavy verbal communication, but strong written comprehension and reporting skills are essential.
Minimum recommended: B1–B2 written
Priority: Email professionalism, documentation clarity, follow-through
The takeaway for hiring teams is simple: Don’t screen for flawless speaking skills if the job doesn’t depend on them. But when a role is tied to revenue or customer relationships, English becomes a major performance variable from day one.
Beyond the Tests: Cultural Alignment & Real-World Experience
English scores and certifications are helpful, but they can’t fully capture how well someone communicates in the messy, fast-moving world of business. What truly sets top performers apart is a mix of cultural fluency and practical experience.
Here’s what often makes the difference:
Experience Working With U.S. Stakeholders
Professionals who’ve collaborated with American teams already understand:
- Communication speed and expectations
- Direct feedback culture
- Meeting etiquette and ownership mindset
This makes onboarding smoother and productivity faster.
U.S.-Aligned Business Communication
It’s not just speaking English; it’s speaking the language of business: clear emails, structured updates, Slack discipline, and proactive problem-solving.
Comfort With Nuance
Idioms, humor, and tone can make or break relationships. LATAM talent with strong cultural alignment builds rapport quickly, especially in client-facing or leadership roles.
Learning Mindset
Countries investing in bilingual education and international career growth consistently produce talent eager to grow English skills over time, a compounding advantage for teams planning to scale.
For U.S. companies, English proficiency isn’t just a checkbox; it’s a signal of collaboration maturity, adaptability, and readiness to own outcomes, not just tasks.
What Employers Get Wrong About English in LATAM
Even as more U.S. companies embrace nearshore hiring, a few outdated assumptions still linger. Clearing these up can open access to stronger candidates and better hiring decisions.
Myth #1: “Only major cities have bilingual talent.”
Remote work changed everything. From mid-sized metros to secondary cities, top performers now have global exposure and strong English skills, especially in tech and digital roles.
Myth #2: “Strong English automatically means higher costs.”
There’s a correlation, but not a fixed premium. In fact, compared to the U.S., even highly fluent LATAM professionals represent 40–70% payroll savings while bringing stronger availability and alignment than many offshore alternatives.
Myth #3: “Accents = poor proficiency.”
Accents are normal and often neutral in business contexts. What truly matters:
- Clarity
- Comprehension
- Speed of communication
- Confidence under pressure
A slight accent rarely affects performance.
Myth #4: “You can judge fluency in the first 60 seconds.”
Some candidates speak quietly due to nerves. Give them time and a structured conversation; proficiency is better measured in real collaboration scenarios, not quick impressions.
These misconceptions lead companies to overlook excellent professionals who are more than capable of delivering high-impact outcomes. A smarter, more nuanced approach widens the talent pool and strengthens results from the start.
Hiring Tips: How to Assess English Quickly & Fairly
Evaluating English proficiency shouldn’t slow down hiring. With a few simple, structured steps, you can gauge real-world communication skills in under an hour without overburdening candidates.
Here’s a proven approach:
1. Start With an Asynchronous Written Task
Short and role-specific:
- Respond to a realistic email scenario
- Document a bug report
- Draft a short outreach message
This reveals clarity, tone, structure, and whether they can write as they work.
2. Use a Verbal Conversation Designed for Comfort
A short video call (10–15 minutes) works best when focused on:
- Natural conversation
- Work examples
- Problem-solving explanation
Avoid grammar quizzes; you want confidence, not perfection.
3. Add a Role-Play for Client-Facing Positions
Quick and powerful:
- A sales mock call
- Handling an upset customer
- Presenting a project update
This tests English under pressure; the real differentiator.
4. Level-Proficiency With a Standard Scale
Map them to recognized CEFR levels (A2–C2) for consistent benchmarking across teams and roles.
When done right, English assessment becomes a talent unlocker, not a barrier, getting top performers hired faster while ensuring they’re set up to succeed from day one.
The Takeaway
In summary, the best country depends on the role. There’s no single “best English-speaking country” in Latin America, only the best match for the work you need done.
Argentina may win for creative and technical fluency. Costa Rica shines in service roles. Mexico and Colombia offer deep talent pools and strong cultural alignment. Chile delivers consistency and professionalism across business functions. Even in countries with lower national proficiency scores, top-tier professionals can outperform global peers in real collaboration.
In the end, great communication is about more than test results: How quickly can a candidate understand your needs? Can they navigate ambiguity and speak up in meetings? Do they build trust with U.S. stakeholders without friction?
Choose a geography the same way you choose a teammate: based on the role, the expectations, and the real collaboration required. With the right approach and the right talent partner, your team gains not just bilingual skills but seamless alignment that drives faster execution and better outcomes.
Hiring bilingual talent shouldn’t feel like a gamble. At South, we pre-vet English proficiency, written and spoken, using real collaboration scenarios, not just test scores.
You get:
- Talent aligned with U.S. culture and communication
- Clear proficiency levels matched to role needs
- Faster onboarding and fewer surprises
Build a remote team that actually works well together. Book a call and meet bilingual LATAM talent ready to start!
