Remote Tech Talent Report

We surveyed more than 1,400 global hiring managers who are trying to find and recruit skilled knowledge workers. Insights from this research, combined with Remote’s in-house expertise in global employment, are distilled here into practical advice for employers who want to attract and retain the best tech talent in the world.

Uncovering the world’s best hidden tech talent

Row of flags. Germany, the Netherlands, France, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States

Get firsthand insight from more than 1,400 executives and hiring managers from organizations across Germany, the Netherlands, France, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Remote’s Tech Talent Report survey asked respondents about key considerations of hiring in emerging tech talent hubs around the world. We wanted to uncover perceived obstacles and misconceptions that may be preventing employers from uncovering hidden tech talent. As companies feel the economic squeeze around the world, it’s never been more critical to find and retain the right people to stay competitive.

Nearly two-thirds of hiring managers are planning to hire remotely and are considering both global and domestic markets to find the skills they need.

It’s great news that more companies are turning to remote hiring. But there’s one key question left, and our report offers some potential answers. As competition intensifies for knowledge workers and the business climate becomes less certain…

 What you’ll learn

  • The state of global tech talent recruitment and why some hiring managers are reluctant to hire internationally 
  • Analysis of 15 emerging tech hubs and what specialist skills to look for in each market
  • Insight into global compensation and how to develop equitable salaries, benefits, and stock option plans
  • The processes needed to enable high-performing remote workers, with resources and advice on how to build a globally distributed team

Find out how remote-first recruiting can give you the advantage

Early adopters are in the best position to achieve long-term results by looking in emerging tech hubs. For those HR managers who adopt a remote-first recruiting strategy and mindset, these new markets hold untapped potential and, very likely, provide a competitive advantage.

Snapshot of unexplored emerging tech markets around the world

Businesses are hiring remotely 
for tech talent

The state of global tech talent recruitment and why some hiring managers are reluctant to hire internationally

Real and perceived obstacles 
to hiring internationally

The processes needed to enable high-performing remote workers, with resources and advice on how to build a globally distributed team

Emerging tech hubs offer competitive advantages

Insight into global compensation and how to develop equitable salaries, benefits, and stock option plans

Overcoming barriers 
to global hiring

Analysis of 15 emerging tech hubs and what specialist skills to look for in each market

Expert global recruitment insight 01

Businesses are hiring remotely for tech talent

Ilya Brotzky

CEO at

Talent is everywhere. There’s a lot of opportunity to tap into emerging hubs to find top-of-the-line hidden gems in places most employers would typically overlook. In this current landscape, forward thinking companies are taking a conservative, cost-effective approach by hiring remote talent from these emerging centers.
01

HR managers are getting comfortable with global recruitment

65%

of hiring managers surveyed in the US, the UK, and Europe are looking to hire globally for tech talent.

Because remote work is now an embedded part of global work lives, hiring managers no longer feel constrained by their national borders to find tech talent. 

02

Global hiring is part of a larger strategy

20%

of hiring managers say they’re experiencing a tech talent crunch at home, most of the drivers for hiring internationally are entirely strategic.

48%

Want to diversify their team

45%

Want to try out new markets strategically

36%

Were enabled by the pandemic to broaden their search for talent

The opportunity for building capability has expanded beyond specific roles or skill sets. HR managers are considering all the benefits to a remote-first strategy.

Staying legal and compliant when hiring globally is a concern

A remote-first recruitment strategy is a huge head start for employers to take advantage of emerging tech talent hubs.

Expert global recruitment insight 02

Emerging tech hubs offer competitive advantages

Brett Jones

Co-founder at

You can often attract another country’s top tier talent that might not be accessible in your local market because of the level of competition. Tech professionals located outside of the established saturated hubs are more responsive to established organizations offering globally competitive compensation. This type of job opportunity can be life changing for international candidates and their families, especially in developing nations. You’ll see increased motivation and loyalty in return.
01

Most hiring managers are still looking at home

The majority of respondents are still looking for new talent in their own country.

USA

68%

UK

63%

France

61%

Germany

59%

Sweden

57%

Netherlands

52%

A domestic focus is fine, but it also means hiring managers are failing to tap into rich candidate pools in both traditional and emerging tech hubs.

02

International hiring is occurring in saturated markets

When venturing into global markets, hiring managers are sticking to existing tech talent hubs in large percentages.

London

83%

Paris

80%

Berlin

79%

New York City

79%

San Francisco

71%

Tokyo

68%

With so many people looking in the same places for the same roles, traditional tech hubs are becoming highly competitive.

London

Huge base of tech talent combined with intense demand and very high salary expectations.

Paris

Less competitive market for tech talent but high employment costs and a high cost of living.

Berlin

One of the smaller tech hubs in Europe comes with less competition and lower average salaries.

New York City

A large talent pool is matched by big demand for tech skills in New York, adding up to a highly competitive market.

San Francisco

The highest volume of elite tech talent comes coupled with the highest salary costs of all.

Tokyo

Lower employment costs and salary expectations, but the time difference poses problems for some organizations.

03

Emerging tech hubs present new opportunities

Gartner® Inc.’s recent report, Emerging IT Talent Hubs in 2022 provides insights into the “top existing and emerging IT talent hubs”. This research analyzed 120 cities in 28 countries for 15 key IT roles. 

We have taken a closer look at those locations and found that hiring managers said they were very likely or somewhat likely to hire in the following areas:

Melbourne

66%

Mexico City

65%

Helsinki

64%

Budapest

63%

Warsaw

62%

Rio de Janeiro

60%

While some of these emerging cities are clearly growing in demand with hiring managers, they still aren’t as popular as the well-known — and highly competitive — traditional tech hubs.

Snapshot of unexplored emerging tech markets around the world

65%

Mexico City, Mexico

Snapshot
A booming startup and fintech scene is fostering a growing community of tech talent.

Top motivator for hiring
Giving opportunities to new talent

63%

Budapest, Hungary

Snapshot
Thriving tech scene and a moderate supply-demand ratio

Top motivator for hiring
Diversify our team and try out new markets

59%

Johannesburg, 
South Africa

Snapshot
Affordable salaries, Europe-friendly timezone, and an established tech sector make Johannesburg a top pick.

Top motivator for hiring
Diversification

47%

Kolkata, India

Snapshot
Affordable salaries combined with a massive population make Kolkata a serious consideration for tech talent

Top motivator for hiring
Diversification and entering new markets

65%

Mexico City, Mexico

Snapshot
A booming startup and fintech scene is fostering a growing community of tech talent.

Top motivator for hiring
Giving opportunities to new talent

63%

Budapest, Hungary

Snapshot
Thriving tech scene and a moderate supply-demand ratio

Top motivator for hiring
Diversify our team and try out new markets

59%

Johannesburg, 
South Africa

Snapshot
Affordable salaries, Europe-friendly timezone, and an established tech sector make Johannesburg a top pick.

Top motivator for hiring
Diversification

47%

Kolkata, India

Snapshot
Affordable salaries combined with a massive population make Kolkata a serious consideration for tech talent

Top motivator for hiring
Diversification and entering new markets

65%

Mexico City, Mexico

Snapshot
A booming startup and fintech scene is fostering a growing community of tech talent.

Top motivator for hiring
Giving opportunities to new talent

63%

Budapest, Hungary

Snapshot
Thriving tech scene and a moderate supply-demand ratio

Top motivator for hiring
Diversify our team and try out new markets

59%

Johannesburg, 
South Africa

Snapshot
Affordable salaries, Europe-friendly timezone, and an established tech sector make Johannesburg a top pick.

Top motivator for hiring
Diversification

47%

Kolkata, India

Snapshot
Affordable salaries combined with a massive population make Kolkata a serious consideration for tech talent

Top motivator for hiring
Diversification and entering new markets

Download the Remote Tech Talent Report

A full breakdown of all 15 emerging tech talent hubs, complete with recruitment insights for each market and hiring advice for specific role types.

Expert global recruitment insight 03

Real and perceived obstacles to hiring internationally

Josh Brenner

CEO at

We're seeing salaries rise globally as employers expand their talent pools and candidates find more opportunities outside their backyards. To ride out this storm of uncertainty, we recommend a shift from hyper-growth to more efficient growth. Be responsive and attentive to what's important to employees, stay the course on DEI initiatives, and continue to nurture your employer brand.
01

Not having a legal entity is seen as a major barrier to global hiring

Many companies rely on having a legal entity for remote hiring. 


Overall, 33% of respondents say they won’t hire globally without one.

Challenges businesses face when hiring in new regions

Language barriers
Managing and merging work in different cultures
Working across time zones
Learning about local legal requirements
Learning about local payroll regulations
Understanding local benefits packages
Managing payroll

Working with an EOR makes hiring abroad simple and secure

Making adjustments that are currently outside your comfort zone are worth it for the right talent. Knowing where to find untapped tech talent pools that fit into your budget is the first step. Hiring, onboarding, and managing those people requires a change in mindset.

An Employer of Record (EOR) like Remote allows you to legally hire abroad. Remote owns local legal entities across the globe to employ on your behalf, managing payroll, benefits, and taxation to keep your company compliant and competitive in every market.

See how Remote makes global employment easy

Expert global recruitment insight 04

Overcoming barriers 
to global hiring

Anastasia
Pshegodskaya

Director of Talent Acquisition

The benefit of international hiring is obvious and compelling – you can suddenly open up access to the world's very best talent. Crucially, you can also develop truly a diverse team. Value-based recruitment provides the foundation for lasting success here. Leaders who seek out new team members with shared values can build an inclusive, equitable, and trusting environment that empowers a global team to thrive.
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03

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Download the Remote Tech Talent Report

Uncover 15 emerging tech talent hubs and learn how to attract a new world of highly skilled remote tech talent

Employ with Remote

Intentional remote-first work practices and async workflows facilitate innovation and maximize the productivity of your global team. While it takes discipline to develop good documentation and move away from real-time workflows, the benefits far outweigh the downsides of the traditional, synchronous way of working.
In the process of developing those documentation assets, you can transform your organization into one ready for the future of work. Diversity brings significant long-term advantages and a culture of inclusion baked into the fabric of your company.

Remote can help you remove the complexity of managing compliance with international legislation.

Setting up local entities abroad is almost always cost and time prohibitive. We establish our entities to meet the highest standards of compliance so you can grow your global footprint with confidence.

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