The short answer
Buenos Aires is one hour ahead of New York during US summer time and two hours ahead during US winter time. Companies without an Argentine entity usually hire engineers as independent contractors, often registered in a simplified tax regime called monotributo, or through an employer of record for full-time roles.
Time difference with the US
Argentina has not used daylight saving time since 2009, and the whole country is on UTC−3. In each cell, the first value is during US summer time (second Sunday of March to first Sunday of November) and the second during US winter time.
| City | UTC offset | Compared with New York | Compared with San Francisco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buenos Aires | UTC−3 | 1 h ahead / 2 h ahead | 4 h ahead / 5 h ahead |
| Córdoba | UTC−3 | 1 h ahead / 2 h ahead | 4 h ahead / 5 h ahead |
| Rosario | UTC−3 | 1 h ahead / 2 h ahead | 4 h ahead / 5 h ahead |
| Mendoza | UTC−3 | 1 h ahead / 2 h ahead | 4 h ahead / 5 h ahead |
A team on US Eastern time shares at least six hours of a 9 to 5 day with these cities. A team on Pacific time shares three to four hours, so meetings fit best in the Pacific morning. More cities in Latin America and US time zones.
Where the engineers are
Buenos Aires is the main tech city. Córdoba, Rosario, Mendoza and La Plata are other cities with many engineers and tech companies. The Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), the Universidad Tecnológica Nacional (UTN) and the Instituto Tecnológico de Buenos Aires (ITBA) are among the universities that train them.
How companies hire engineers in Argentina
Without a company in the country, there are two common ways to hire. The general comparison is in contractor or employee in Latin America.
- As an independent contractor. Many self-employed engineers register in the monotributo, a simplified regime run by the tax agency ARCA (formerly AFIP) that combines taxes and social security in one monthly payment, up to a yearly income limit. Above that limit they move to the general regime. For clients abroad they issue an export invoice, known as factura E.
- Through an employer of record. Employees are hired under the Ley de Contrato de Trabajo (Law 20,744). Among other things, it requires a 13th salary (sueldo anual complementario) paid in two installments, due 30 June and 18 December (article 122), and at least 14 calendar days of paid vacation for employees with up to five years of service (article 150).
Your own local company makes sense once you have a larger team in the country, with local legal and accounting advice.
Things to agree before you hire
- The currency and how the engineer receives the money. Argentina has had exchange controls and high inflation in recent years, so settle both in the contract.
- A factura E from a contractor for each payment.
- Public holidays. Argentina has national holidays, and some of them move to another day each year.
How we help
Tell us about the role. We speak with each engineer about it before we share their profile, and you receive a shortlist of vetted engineers. You only pay when you hire, and if the hire leaves within 90 days, we find a replacement for free.
This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change, so check with a lawyer or accountant in the country before you sign.
Sources
Labor rules: the Ley de Contrato de Trabajo (articles 122 and 150) on InfoLEG, the government's legal database. Monotributo: ARCA. Time zones: the IANA time zone database.
Questions companies ask
What is the monotributo?
A simplified tax regime for self-employed people and small businesses in Argentina, run by ARCA. It combines income tax, VAT and social security into one monthly payment, up to a yearly income limit.
Does Argentina change its clocks?
No. Argentina has not used daylight saving time since 2009, so it is on UTC−3 all year. The difference with the US changes only when the US changes its clocks.
Do I pay anything if I do not hire?
No. Companies pay Boecia Talent only when they hire someone it introduced. The fee depends on the role and is given in the quote before any work starts, and a hire who leaves within 90 days is replaced for free.
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