How To Hire Nearshore Developers In The Dominican Republic
By: Next Idea Tech
Tags: Nearshore, Nearshore Development, Nearshoring, Software Development, Outsourcing

You might know the Dominican Republic for its colorful cities, tropical beaches, and vacation resorts. This country has everything you need to get your mind off work! Still, this is also a fantastic place to do business, especially when it comes to nearshore outsourcing. There’s so much potential in the Dominican Republic software development scene that hiring Dominican developers comes with several competitive advantages. Because of the different benefits, knowing how to hire nearshore developers in the Dominican Republic is essential for any US-based company looking for effective coding solutions.

If you’re wondering why you should start hiring nearshore developers in the Dominican Republic, this article will help you make up your mind. We’re dedicating this post to the ins and out of software outsourcing to the Dominican Republic. So keep reading to learn how to hire Dominican developers!

Benefits of hiring nearshore software developers in the Dominican Republic

#1 Physical proximity and similar time zones to the US.

The Dominican Republic is conveniently located in the Caribbean, only a few hours away from the United States. This allows your remote software development team to reach the US in merely 4.5 hours by plane if they ever need to, increasing collaboration opportunities. The time zone difference is almost insignificant as well, with the Dominican Republic being only an hour ahead of the EST time zone. With the working hours correlating almost at all times, it’s easy to work in real-time with nearshore developers and complete projects faster than with an offshore development team.

#2 Software development in the Dominican Republic keeps growing.

If you’re wondering how to hire nearshore developers in the Dominican Republic, you probably already know this country has a strong software development background. The Government allows flexible taxes to IT operations and is even investing in renewable energy to supercharge the local tech industry. Dominican developers have been increasingly dedicated to nearshoring to the United States, Canada, and Europe. This shows the country’s inclination towards exporting its coding solutions and the efforts made to position itself as a top nearshore outsourcing destination.

The major tech hubs are located in the country’s capital, Santo Domingo, and the smaller city of Santiago. These two locations boast the majority of IT operations in the country, being also the place of residency of many Dominican developers. When it comes to the GDP annual growth rate, the Dominican Republic faced complications due to the pandemic, as most of the world’s economies did. Still, you can see in the infographic down below that the GDP growth had remained steady during previous years. There’s no doubt that the Dominican Republic will bounce back from COVID-19 related growth issues and remain a prime location for nearshore outsourcing.

(The World Bank, GDP Data — The Dominican Republic)

#3 The Dominican Republic software development education is competitive.

As mentioned before, the major tech hubs of this top nearshore outsourcing destination are Santo Domingo and Santiago. In consequence, most technological universities and learning centers are located within these two cities. Many Dominican universities offer computer science, information technologies, and computing as undergraduate degrees. These institutions allow aspiring Dominican developers to perfect their coding skills and train for the competitive job market.

If there are aspiring nearshore developers in the Dominican republic who can’t or won’t attend university, there are still several online and in-person learning centers, virtual courses, and free internet resources available. This allows Dominican developers to fine-tune their skills without going through an undergraduate or master’s degree program. Though you can always vet candidates according to their level of education!

#4 Dominican developers have a strong command of the English language.

One of the most competitive advantages of choosing to hire nearshore developers in the Dominican Republic is their strong command of the English language. We know communication is a key factor when building trust with a remote software development team, so it’s always best to assure all developers are fluent in English. Lucky for you, Dominican developers have a high English level and will face no issues when communicating with the rest of your team.

According to the EF EPI Index, the Dominican Republic has a moderate English level with an overall score of 520 EPI points. It ranks #44 out of 112 countries and has the third highest English level in all of Latin America. This proves Dominican developers are ready to work with a US-based team and can handle projects conducted entirely in English.

#5 Hiring nearshore developers in The Dominican Republic costs less.

Considering that 1 Dominican peso equals 0.018 of a United States Dollar, it’s easy to see why the costs of hiring Dominican developers are lower compared to the average salaries of American IT professionals. The cost of living in the Dominican Republic is significantly cheaper than in the US, which means local professionals charge lower rates. Because of it, the USD salaries offered to nearshore developers in the Dominican Republic can be up to 40% lower than in the US while still being competitive within the local market.

Here is an estimate of the cost of hiring nearshore developers in the Dominican Republic:

Junior developers: $3000-$4000 USD per month.

Mid-level developers: $4000-$5000 USD per month.

Senior developers: $6000-$7000 USD per month.

Those are the standard rates for nearshore software outsourcing in the Dominican Republic. Please consider up to 40% extra costs if you’re working with a third-party firm.

#6 Nearshore developers in the Dominican Republic know different coding languages.

Because the Dominican Republic software development scene caters to a worldwide audience, Dominican developers understand the importance of having versatile expertise. These IT professionals know a variety of coding languages and technologies that can be applied to different types of projects.

Here are the most popular programming languages for software outsourcing to the Dominican Republic:

Django

Java

Javascript

PHP

ASP.NET

Python

Node.JS

Ruby

Ruby On Rails

jQuery

How to hire nearshore developers in the Dominican Republic

#1 Hire nearshore software development services through a staff augmentation firm.

The easiest way to start hiring nearshore developers in the Dominican Republic is through a staff augmentation agency. These firms (like we do at Next Idea Tech!) provide you with a curated network of Dominican developers to choose from. We also take care of the recruitment process and handle all the payments to nearshore developers, helping you save both time and money. Your company only needs to worry about vetting the candidates we select and deciding which developers are the right fit for your coding needs.

#2 Ask your contacts for an industry referral.

Referrals are great because they help you streamline the recruitment process. If you have a contact in the region or are familiar with nearshore software development, don’t hesitate to ask for a personal recommendation. This referral can be the difference between a week-long hiring process and a month’s worth of recruitment efforts!

#3 Work with a direct contractor.

Working with a direct contractor can save you money and give you more flexibility than some of these other options. Since you’re directly hiring Dominican developers to work for your company, there’s no third-party involvement or freelancing platform to take into account. Though keep in mind that most of these contractors have limited availability, so hiring them might take longer than expected. If you still want to recruit one, you can search for independent contractors on LinkedIn or via Google search.

#3 Post a job ad on different online communities and job boards.

Job boards and online communities are efficient places to post about any vacant positions. You can filter them by location, coding language, or IT field. Nearshore developers in the Dominican Republic and all of Latin America are constantly looking for new opportunities, so it’s a smart move to let them know of any openings. Many Dominican developers join online communities like Reddit or LinkedIn groups to find fellow coders or potential employers. It’s definitely worth giving these platforms a try!

#4 Contact a Global Employment Agency.

Global Employment Agencies and Global Employment Organizations are another way to start software outsourcing to the Dominican Republic. You can hire Dominican developers through them, so it’s easier to find talent than when you search for them on your own. GEAs and GEOs are very involved in all the processes, therefore this option includes a heavily present third party. They also charge the total cost of the nearshore developers’ salary, perks and benefits, and a fee of 10% or more for their services.

#5 Look for Dominican developers at local events.

Since the Dominican Republic software development scene is always growing, there are more coding conferences every year. Almost all local developers join these events usually held in the major tech hubs of the country. Since the rise of COVID-19, the conferences are held both virtually and in person, so there’s plenty of options if you want to join. Try to attend a few of these events to scout for Dominican developers interested in nearshoring for US-based companies!

#6 Search for contractors on freelancing platforms.

Nearshoring has become a solid alternative to traditional recruitment for increasingly more US-based companies, prompting the launch of services that facilitate it. That’s why many freelancing platforms, like UpWork and Fiverr, are popular options for hiring nearshore developers in the Dominican Republic. These platforms have their fair share of advantages, like the ability to upload a job posting and get responses to it within hours or even minutes. Still, the difficulties when vetting freelancers and the fact that they get a cut of the developer’s rate tend to undermine the benefits of these sites.

#7 Set up a local company for software development in the Dominican Republic.

Establishing a local company to get into the Dominican Republic software development scene is an ambitious yet effective nearshoring strategy. Setting up your own local subsidiary allows you to have complete control over all operations and expand your presence within the region. You can hire both in-person or remote developers depending on the infrastructure of the company and your personal preferences. Though you need to be sure you’re complying with all local regulations to avoid any legal hassle!

Want to know how to hire nearshore developers in the Dominican Republic? We can help!

Hiring nearshore developers in the Dominican Republic provides several long-term benefits to your company. Not only is remote work the future of employment relations, but nearshoring also helps you cut down any software development expenses. Hiring Dominican developers allows you to get the same quality coding solutions for a lower cost!

At Next Idea Tech, we work hard to provide US-based businesses with nearshore software development services delivered by remote professionals that understand your creative vision. We are here to bring your ideas to life! That’s why we work with a broad network of talented nearshore software developers and UI/UX designers skilled in many programming languages. We offer both staff augmentation and direct placement arrangements to help you hire nearshore software developers in the Dominican Republic and all of Latin America. Schedule a consultation with us to learn how you can start software outsourcing to the Dominican Republic!