The short answer
Bogotá and Medellín are on New York time from early November to mid March and one hour behind it the rest of the year. Companies without a Colombian entity usually hire engineers as independent contractors with a services agreement, or through an employer of record for full-time roles.
Time difference with the US
Colombia does not change its clocks, and the whole country is on UTC−5. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bogotá | UTC−5 | 1 h behind / same time | 2 h ahead / 3 h ahead |
| Medellín | UTC−5 | 1 h behind / same time | 2 h ahead / 3 h ahead |
| Cali | UTC−5 | 1 h behind / same time | 2 h ahead / 3 h ahead |
| Barranquilla | UTC−5 | 1 h behind / same time | 2 h ahead / 3 h ahead |
A team on US Eastern time shares at least seven hours of a 9 to 5 day with these cities, and the whole day during US winter time. More cities in Latin America and US time zones.
Where the engineers are
Bogotá and Medellín are the main tech cities, and engineers also work from Cali, Barranquilla and Bucaramanga. The Universidad Nacional de Colombia, the Universidad de los Andes, EAFIT and the Universidad de Antioquia are among the universities that train them.
How companies hire engineers in Colombia
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. The engineer signs a services agreement (contrato de prestación de servicios), is registered with the tax authority, the DIAN, and invoices you. Depending on their tax situation, the invoice may have to be electronic.
- Through an employer of record. Employees are hired under the Código Sustantivo del Trabajo. Among other things, it requires a service bonus (prima de servicios) of 30 days of salary per year (article 306), severance pay (cesantía) of one month of salary per year of service (article 249), and 15 working days of paid vacation per year (article 186).
Colombia's Constitution, in article 53, puts the reality of the work above the form of the contract, so a contractor who works fixed hours under your direction can be treated as an employee. 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 Colombian pesos (COP). Payroll through an employer of record runs in pesos.
- An invoice from a contractor for each payment, electronic if their tax situation requires it.
- Public holidays. Many Colombian holidays move to the following Monday under Law 51 of 1983, so they change date every 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 Código Sustantivo del Trabajo, articles 186, 249 and 306, published by the Senate. Time zones: the IANA time zone database.
Questions companies ask
Is Colombia on the same time as New York?
During US winter time, yes. During US summer time, Colombia is one hour behind New York, because Colombia does not change its clocks.
What is a contrato de prestación de servicios?
A services agreement for independent work. The contractor decides how to do the work, invoices you and pays their own taxes and social security. It stays a services agreement only while the work really runs that way.
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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