Where to source developers with good English abroad

Key takeaways

• English as a standard: Proficiency is essential for technical documentation and seamless team integration.

• Cost-effective sourcing: Outsourcing to regions where English is a common second language (e.g., Eastern Europe or parts of Asia) balances quality and budget.

• Vetted networks: Platforms like Proxify provide pre-vetted developers, reducing the risk of communication barriers.

• Verification methods: Use a combination of automated tests, video interviews, and third-party certifications to ensure fluency.

Sourcing developers abroad can be a great way to get the talent you need for your engagement, especially if you're working with a tight budget or need to fill a high-level position quickly. But how do you know if the web developer you're looking at is skilled and reliable? And how do you ensure you don't waste money on someone who isn't even qualified for the job?

You have many options when hiring a developer with good English. But there are some things you should keep in mind as you start your search.

First of all, it's essential to know your requirements and needs.

• Do you need an English-speaking Bachelor's degree holder who can work remotely or on-site?

• Do you need someone with experience working with a specific programming language or technology?

• Do you want someone who has been working in the tech industry for a long time or someone more of an up-and-comer?

These are all factors that will affect where you source developers from.

Once you've figured out what kind of person would be best suited to your engagement, it's time to get searching!

Consider outsourcing

If you are looking for developers with English skills, you may want to consider a staff augmentation model for your development work. There are many options available, and many reasons you might choose to do so. This may be an ideal solution if you are working with a small tech team or have limited resources and cannot hire additional employees during the interview process.

You can also save money by outsourcing some of your development work overseas. This is because the cost of living in other countries is often much lower than in your country, which will allow you to hire talent at average salaries that could be lower than what would be necessary if they were located in your country.

Hire someone who speaks good English as their second language

When we say they have good English, we don't necessarily require a TEFL certificate or to have the ability to teach English online.

However, we consider them a suitable candidate if they're confident and can do their job successfully without communication issues. Consider hiring a distributed team from Asian countries and other regions where English is widely used as a second language.

This is an excellent alternative if you want to keep your development team in one place and close-knit, while still having someone who can communicate well with clients and customers overseas.

Why do we need to test developers' English anyway?

The ability to express oneself in writing is an essential component of being a programmer and one of the most important aspects of their work.

With more than half of the world's population speaking English as a first language and the rest speaking it as a second language, there is no doubt that English will remain the most popular language for quite some time. The sheer number of resources available online makes it even more convenient to find someone with good command of this language who can help you solve your business problems.

What makes a good developer?

The key is to find a developer who speaks English well and has been taught English for some time now. This will allow them to communicate with you and your team regularly. It also means they can be hired more easily in the US or Canada, compared with other countries such as Saudi Arabia or South Korea, where English is not widely spoken.

As demand for English rises, it may seem difficult to find developers abroad with good English. However, there are quite a few options.

Identify the types of software development languages your company needs from a team member. This will help narrow your search for foreign developers who are learning English or speak it well enough for you to understand them when they communicate with you about their work or any issues that need addressing immediately.

Where to look?

There are many places to find developers who speak English. You can search online or use a recruitment agency.

Online, you should look for people who have worked for companies specializing in software development. You can search for these companies on LinkedIn or Google. You should also look for people with experience with a specific language or technology, such as Java or Python.

Once you've narrowed down these languages, it's time to look at which countries offer these languages as their native tongue. This allows you to find someone who can build on what they already know, rather than learning something new from scratch when they arrive in another country where English isn't spoken as often.

In the following list, we've included some of the most popular networks where independent tech experts have their English tested and proven to be on par with native speakers.

To help you choose the right platform, here is a quick comparison of popular networks for finding English-speaking developers:

1. Upwork.com

Upwork is one of the largest freelancing platforms and is popular among employers seeking developers. It provides many features that make it easy and comfortable to post tasks, manage candidates, and hire someone. On top of that, it has an internal test that measures the developer's English and technical skills. The assessment comprises a rigorous skills test that is later evaluated by experts in their field.

They also offer an option to verify test results via a video call with an Upwork employee. This is great if you want to ensure that your candidate will pass the test before making an offer.

2. Proxify

There's an old saying that goes, "If all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail."

While that may be true, there are a lot of problems out in the world that aren't nails. Like fixing bugs on your website, for example. Or helping you build your next app. That's where Proxify comes in.

We've been working with independent developers for years, and we've seen firsthand how tricky it can be to find good ones who live near you and are looking for work. So we came up with Proxify.

It's a network where clients can look for talented developers, not necessarily in their own countries, who can still use their amazing skills to join their teams full-time or part-time.

It's just one more way we're making it easier for people to do business across borders—and it helps us build an even better product by giving us new perspectives and fresh ideas from our developers worldwide. That way, we can create the best possible network for you: our users.

3. Freelancer.com

Like Upwork, this is a marketplace where people can find freelancers to do their bidding.

However, it's more specific to the tech industry, so if you're a programmer or software engineer who wants to get involved in tasks for clients around the world, this might be the place for you!

Freelancer.com also offers an online English proficiency exam and video interviews with clients to ensure freelancers can communicate effectively before starting work with a new client. The company has been around since 2003, so it's been around for a while and has built up a directory of talented people and businesses that have made their mark on the site.

4. Fiverr

If you're looking for something quick and easy, Fiverr might be your best bet. Fiverr is another platform that tests English language skills before allowing users to post content on its site. In this case, users must pass an automated test or receive feedback from a moderator before they can start selling their services on the site.

5. Freelance-central

Freelance-Central is an online community where freelancers can connect and share advice about working remotely from home or abroad. Their listings feature a "communication" section where freelancers can demonstrate strong English by having their writing tested by an independent third party. The freelancer's writing is graded based on spelling and grammar against a high standard.

6. People Per Hour

People Per Hour is a website that software developers and engineers can use to find work. They provide an independent verification service, which means they test developers' English proficiency and ensure they are proficient before allowing them onto the site.

They also offer free trial periods, which means you can find good developers in countries like Ukraine and Belarus, for example, and test their skills for a week or two before going ahead with them on an engagement. They have many developers from different English-speaking countries, so you can quickly find exactly who you need for your task.

Finding quality developers is hard. Finding quality English-speaking developers is even more challenging. Teams of freelancers worldwide have proven themselves highly efficient; they understand the importance of writing (English) well. By choosing one of those freelancer outposts, you now have access to a large team of developers that can help you complete your task to meet your tight deadline.