In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic has sharply increased the popularity of remote work, and this trend has been preserved for 5 years. Foreign companies willingly hire remote workers from the CIS due to lower salaries and a growing number of specialists who speak English. The freelance market is growing by 20% per year: it is expected that by the end of this year it will reach $102 billion. The CIS countries are expanding the areas of activity of freelance specialists who see more prospects in this, especially in conditions of instability.
What is the price of the services of specialists from the CIS countries
European companies gain significant advantages by cooperating with freelancers from the CIS countries. English-speaking professionals from this region often choose Western companies because of the attractive payment combined with the opportunity to gain valuable international experience. Many also see remote work as a springboard for future relocation. This creates an influx of qualified specialists for European companies who are ready to work at a competitive price.
The field of programming and development is especially in demand on a global scale. According to Upwork, freelance developer services from the CIS range from $20 to $75 per hour. On platforms popular in the CIS, such as FL.ru and Freelancehunt.com, Middle level developer services are priced even lower at $15-20 per hour.
At the same time, the quality of work is in no way inferior, and sometimes exceeds European and American standards. For example, in the field of web design, specialists from the CIS often demonstrate more advanced skills. The level of fintech and telecom services, as well as the development of IT solutions, is also at a high level. Thus, expertise, affordable cost and high-quality service are three key advantages that make CIS specialists attractive to companies.
In graphic design, according to UpWork, the cost of services ranges from $15 to $110 per hour. Residents of the countries of the former USSR offer the lowest prices on the international market, and on local exchanges, such as FL.ru, the cost of services of the same specialists can drop to $5-10 per hour.
Customer concerns
Many companies, despite the obvious advantages of cooperation with freelancers from the CIS, have certain concerns that prevent the transition to a remote model of work. These fears are often associated with the following factors:
- uncertainty about first steps;
- lack of knowledge of effective channels for finding remote employees;
- language barrier, difference in mentality and communication features;
- concerns related to bureaucratic difficulties.
These concerns are understandable. However, they can be overcome by a clear understanding of the process and sequence of actions. There are two ways to start cooperation with English-speaking freelancers from the CIS countries: independently or with the support of an experienced recruiter specializing in remote hiring.
According to the experience of working with call-center operators from India and the CIS countries, employees from the countries of the post-Soviet bloc demonstrate significantly higher discipline and efficiency. While an Indian employee makes 10-15 calls, a specialist from the CIS countries manages to process up to 70 calls over the same period of time.
How to search for freelancers in the CIS countries
Publishing orders on freelance platforms in English is a common way to attract English-speaking performers and optimize communication. This is especially true when looking for remote employees from the CIS. But before publishing an English-language vacancy, it is important to be aware of the potential limitations: fewer responses are an inevitable trade-off that can lead to missed opportunities.
To widen the funnel of candidates, consider enlisting a bilingual assistant recruiter. Its task is to adapt your English-language requests for the local market, translate and post vacancies, correspond with potential employees and conduct a preliminary assessment of their qualifications. If you need a freelancer to perform small and irregular (perhaps even one-off) tasks, self-search remains the fastest and most economical solution. But when it comes to finding a specialist for a permanent job or for long-term projects, it makes sense to turn to recruiters. A recruiting agency specializing in the local market will help you find the perfect candidate, taking into account all your requirements and features.
Where to look for performers from the CIS
Freelance exchange
When you need to find a remote specialist quickly, freelance exchanges are the first thing that comes to mind. Platforms such as FL.ru, Freelance.ru, Freelancehunt.ru, EasyBusy, Weblancer.net, Kwork.ru and CIS leading YouDo.com offer a wide range of specialists of various profiles. Their main advantages are a convenient search by specializations and the ability to contact highly qualified performers directly. A transparent rating system, taking into account customer feedback, the number of successfully completed projects and the punctuality of performers, allows you to weed out unscrupulous freelancers.
Registration on the stock exchange and specifying payment details are mandatory steps. Most services support international payment methods, including PayPal and bank cards. The secure transaction system ensures that the contractor will receive payment only after the customer confirms the completion of the work, and the exchange withholds a commission of up to 10% of the project cost.
However, when choosing a freelance exchange, one important point should be taken into account: not all platforms provide the documents necessary for reporting in European countries.
Freelance exchanges are a great choice for small one-time projects or for testing performers. But other alternatives are worth considering to build a stable and long-term working relationship.
Sites, social networks, telegram channels
Remote working communities on LinkedIn, Vkontakte and Telegram are a quick and inexpensive way to find a freelancer. Listing is often free or almost free. Contacts are indicated directly, which simplifies communication with interested candidates.
But this approach has its risks: it is difficult to check the reliability of the performer, and the ad can easily get lost in the flow of information.
A more effective option is to use job portals. Define the requirements for the candidate clearly and draw up a detailed description of the vacancy. European companies often miss out on good specialists, not paying attention to the description of working conditions and requirements.
Recruiting
If you don’t want to waste time finding remote employees on your own and understand all the nuances, consider hiring a recruiter. Despite the fact that it can be more expensive, a professional will help you find the right specialist quickly.
Different options are possible here:
- Local recruiting agency in the country of business. It is easy to organize cooperation, but services are expensive, and you can not always find an agency specializing in English-speaking freelancers from the CIS.
- Full-time recruiter from the CIS. He saves money and provides an understanding of the local market, mentality and prices. Bilingualism precludes misunderstanding. This is suitable for companies that often hire remote workers, but disadvantageous for rare requests.
- Recruiting agent (freelancer) from the CIS. Ideal for one-off projects. Such a specialist has knowledge of the CIS market, experience in selection and, as a rule, has its own base of freelancers. Commission is equal to monthly salary (500-2500 EUR) with a replacement guarantee.
The choice depends on the frequency of hiring, the budget and the need for a highly specialized search.
Legal nuances of cooperation with freelancers from the CIS
International remote hiring used to be available only to large companies. Legal subtleties, taxes, bank transfers, reporting – all these created huge barriers for small organizations. Now the situation is changing.
Intermediary services make international hiring available to companies of all sizes. Such platforms allow businesses to cooperate with talented specialists around the world. The interaction takes place in this way: the client enters into a contract and receives a complete set of necessary documents for reporting. This makes it easier to resolve bureaucratic issues and ensures that payments are received without delays or problems.
Instead of conclusions
Modern companies are increasingly choosing flexible teams consisting of a small core of key employees and a wide network of remote specialists. Specialists from the CIS are in demand among Western companies due to their expertise, favorable cost and high-quality service. Thanks to freelance exchanges and specialized platforms that take over freelance management, young startups and entrepreneurs have more opportunities to develop their ideas, launch projects and scale their businesses.
By Julia Bataltseva, Marketing Director, EasyStaff