Reading time: 10 min
Author: ITDS Team
| Short answer: to hire nearshore developers, define the role as outcomes rather than a list of tools, choose a sourcing route (direct hiring, an employer of record or a staffing partner), vet for real seniority with a practical task and your own interview, sign a contract that covers IP, data and replacement, plan the first 30 days, and treat the engineer as part of your team from day one. |
You have decided to hire developers in another country. Now the practical questions start. How do you describe the role so the right people apply? Where do you find them? How do you tell a real senior from a good interviewee? What has to be in the contract? And how do you keep someone who works a thousand kilometres away?
This guide walks first-time nearshore buyers through hiring nearshore developers, step by step: define, source, vet, contract, onboard and retain. You can download the hiring checklist and use it as you go. For how ITDS runs this process for clients, see our page on nearshore software development from Poland and Portugal.
| In this guide | |
| 1. Define the role 2. Where to source 3. Vetting |
4. Contracts, IP and compliance 5. The first 30 days 6. Retention FAQ |
Step 1: Define the role before you hire nearshore developers
Most hiring problems start with a vague brief. "Senior Java developer" describes thousands of people. A good brief describes the work.
- Outcomes for the first six months. What should this person have built, fixed or owned by then?
- Must-have and nice-to-have skills. Keep the must-have list short. Every extra requirement shrinks the pool.
- Seniority in practice. Will they work alone on design decisions, or follow a lead?
- Working hours and overlap. Which hours must they share with your team?
- Languages. English level, and any other language the role needs.
- Duration. A six-month project and a long-term role attract different people.
| Describe the work, not the wish list. The best engineers choose roles they can picture themselves succeeding in. |
Step 2: Where to source nearshore developers
| Route | How it works | Best when | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct hiring through your own local company | You recruit and employ the engineer yourself | You already have, or plan, an entity in the country | Local employment law, payroll and slow first hires |
| Employer of record (EOR) | You find the engineer; a provider employs them on your behalf | You have candidates but no local entity | You still do all the recruiting and vetting yourself |
| Staffing or nearshore partner | The partner finds, vets and employs or contracts the engineer | You need speed, reach and replacement cover | Check how the partner vets, and what the rate includes |
| Freelance marketplace | You contract an individual freelancer | Short, well-defined tasks | Continuity, and employment-status rules in the EU |
Portugal and Poland are strong places to look for European teams. Both share most or all of the UK and Central European working day, and both have deep engineering communities. The shortage is real everywhere, though: according to Eurostat, more than half of EU companies that tried to hire ICT specialists in 2023 struggled to fill those roles. The best senior engineers are rarely looking, so a route that reaches people who aren't applying matters.
Step 3: Vetting nearshore developers, what good looks like
A strong vetting process tests what the job needs, in the conditions the job happens in. Good processes usually include:
- A structured screening call. Experience, motivation, availability and communication in English.
- A practical technical task. Close to real work, time-boxed, and discussed afterwards. The discussion reveals more than the code.
- A technical interview with a specialist in the stack. Design choices, trade-offs and how the candidate handles problems they don't know.
- Your own interview. Never skip it. You are hiring a colleague, not a CV.
- References. Ask about ownership, communication and how the person handled a difficult moment.
Red flags include candidates who can't explain their own past decisions, answers that sound rehearsed, and a provider who sends CVs before understanding the role. At ITDS, roughly one in five candidates passes our vetting, which is why shortlists are short.
| Want vetted senior candidates for your role? Describe it, and we will tell you how fast we can shortlist from Portugal or Poland. Send us your role |
Step 4: Contracts, IP and compliance
Whichever route you choose, the contract should cover:
- IP ownership. Everything the developer creates for you belongs to you, assigned explicitly in writing.
- Confidentiality. Covering your code, data and business information.
- Data protection. If the developer can access personal data, you need a data processing agreement under the GDPR. Developers working inside the EU keep this simple.
- Employment status. Contractor (B2B) arrangements are very common in Poland and also used in Portugal, where employment contracts are the norm. The rules on what counts as employment differ by country. Treating a contractor like an employee can create legal risk.
- Notice, replacement and exit. How either side ends the arrangement, and what happens if the developer leaves.
This is general information, not legal advice. Have your contract reviewed by counsel who knows the developer's country.
Step 5: Onboarding nearshore developers in the first 30 days
The first month decides whether a new developer becomes part of the team or stays an outsider.
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Before day one | Accounts, access, equipment and a named buddy ready. A short welcome message from the team lead. |
| Week 1 | Architecture walkthrough, local setup, first small task merged. Join every team ritual. |
| Weeks 2 to 3 | Real tickets with growing scope, regular pairing, quick code reviews. |
| Week 4 | A short review: what is going well, what is blocking, what comes next. Agree goals for months two and three. |
If you can, meet in person in the first months. A day together, in Lisbon, Warsaw or your office, pays back for years. On average, ITDS clients go from starting a search to an integrated engineer in about 20 days, so the onboarding plan is worth preparing while the search runs.
Step 6: Retention across distance
Senior engineers in Portugal and Poland have choices. Keeping them depends less on distance than on how they are treated.
- Same team, same rules. Same rituals, tools, information and recognition as your local team.
- Real ownership. Give them problems to own, not just tickets to close.
- Growth. Talk about their next step, in the role and in skills, at least twice a year.
- Fair pay. Review rates and salaries against the local market, which moves quickly for senior roles.
- Regular contact. One-to-ones with their lead, and occasional time together in person.
Where ITDS fits
ITDS is an IT staffing and nearshore company with teams in Portugal and Poland, part of House of HR. We handle the sourcing, vetting, contracts and replacement, so you can focus on defining the role, choosing from the shortlist and building the team. Roughly one in five candidates passes our vetting, and clients reach an integrated engineer in about 20 days on average.
Hiring nearshore developers: FAQ
Define the role as outcomes, choose a sourcing route such as direct hiring, an employer of record or a staffing partner, vet with a practical task and your own interview, sign a contract covering IP, data and replacement, plan the first 30 days and keep the developer fully part of your team.
No. An employer of record or a staffing partner can employ or contract the developer for you, so you can start without your own entity in the country.
It depends on the route, the role and the seniority. With ITDS, the average from starting a search to an integrated engineer is about 20 days.
IP assignment, confidentiality, a data processing agreement where personal data is involved, clear employment status, and notice, replacement and exit terms. Have it reviewed by counsel who knows the developer's country.
Treat them as part of the team, give them real ownership, talk about their growth, keep pay in line with the local market and stay in regular contact, including occasional time together in person.
Send us your roleTell us about the developer you need. On a short call, we will tell you how we would find and vet them in Portugal or Poland, and how soon they could join your team. You can also download the hiring checklist. |