The short answer
Santiago is on New York time from early April to early September, and one or two hours ahead the rest of the year. Companies without a Chilean entity usually hire engineers as independent contractors who invoice with a fee receipt (boleta de honorarios), or through an employer of record for full-time roles.
Time difference with the US
Mainland Chile uses UTC−4 in its winter and UTC−3 from early September to early April. The US and Chile change their clocks on different dates, so the difference moves four times a year. The Magallanes region in the far south stays on UTC−3 all year.
| Period | Santiago | Compared with New York | Compared with San Francisco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early April to early September | UTC−4 | same time | 3 h ahead |
| Early September to early November | UTC−3 | 1 h ahead | 4 h ahead |
| Early November to mid March | UTC−3 | 2 h ahead | 5 h ahead |
| Mid March to early April | UTC−3 | 1 h ahead | 4 h ahead |
A team on US Eastern time shares at least six hours of a 9 to 5 day with Santiago. Put recurring meetings in a calendar that knows both time zones, so the changes in March, April, September and November are handled for you. More cities in Latin America and US time zones.
Where the engineers are
Santiago is the main tech city. Valparaíso, Viña del Mar and Concepción also have engineering schools and tech companies. The Universidad de Chile, the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and the Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María are among the universities that train engineers.
How companies hire engineers in Chile
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. Self-employed engineers usually invoice with an electronic fee receipt (boleta de honorarios) issued through the tax service, the SII. Engineers with their own company can issue invoices instead.
- Through an employer of record. Employees are hired under the Código del Trabajo. After one year of work, employees get 15 working days of paid vacation (article 67). Law 21,561 is cutting the legal working week from 45 to 40 hours in steps: 44 hours from April 2024, 42 from April 2026 and 40 from April 2028.
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 of the contract: US dollars or Chilean pesos (CLP). Some Chilean contracts use the UF (Unidad de Fomento), a unit that follows inflation.
- The weekly hours, if you hire through an employer of record, since the legal limit is coming down in steps.
- Public holidays, which differ from US holidays.
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 Código del Trabajo on Ley Chile, the National Congress Library, and the Ministry of Labor's page on the 40-hour law. Time zones: the IANA time zone database.
Questions companies ask
Does Santiago have the same time as New York?
From early April to early September, yes. The rest of the year Santiago is one or two hours ahead, because Chile and the US change their clocks on different dates.
What is a boleta de honorarios?
An electronic fee receipt that self-employed professionals in Chile issue through the SII, the tax service, to charge for their work.
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.
Related guides
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