Global Outsourcing Talent Index

Assessing the best countries for offshore outsourcing

The Global Outsourcing Talent Index ranks 193 countries, based on labor cost, English proficiency, talent availability, digital infrastructure, and stability

Top 20 Countries for Outsourcing

Country	Rank
Philippines	1
Malaysia	2
India	3
Chile	4
South Africa	5

Country	Rank
Nigeria	6
Peru	7
Indonesia	8
Argentina	9
Romania	10

Country	Rank
Kenya	11
Dominican Republic	12
Brazil	13
Poland	14
Egypt	15

Country	Rank
Pakistan	16
Ghana	17
Nepal	19
Bangladesh	20
Hungary	21

Mid-Tier Countries

Country	Rank
Madagascar	85
United States	86
Bosnia and Herzegovina	87
Zambia	88
Paraguay	89

Country	Rank
Antigua and Barbuda	90
Belgium	91
Barbados	92
Laos	93
Romania	94

Country	Rank
Cape Verde	95
Kazakhstan	96
Austria	97
Papua New Guinea	98
Mauritius	99

Country	Rank
Tanzania	100
Ireland	101
Netherlands	102
Finland	103
Azerbaijan	104

Countries to Avoid

Country	Rank
Iran	18
Ukraine	22
Belarus	58
Venezuela	76
Russia	78

Country	Rank
Iraq	113
Lebanon	114
Syria	121
Myanmar	123
Libya	152

Country	Rank
Yemen	154
Cuba	157
Congo (Republic of the)	163
Sudan	165
Afghanistan	169

Country	Rank
Central African Republic	170
Haiti	171
Somalia	175
Eritrea	182
North Korea	186

How The Index Was Calculated

1

Researching data
for countries

2

Scoring each
variable

3

Ranking the
countries

The Global Outsourcing Talent Index evaluates countries across five key factors that influence global hiring: labor cost (52.5%), English proficiency (20%), talent availability (17.5%), digital infrastructure (5%), and business, legal, and political stability (5%). Each country receives a 0–100. score per factor, weighted according to its importance in hiring decisions. For example, a country with maximum English proficiency contributes fully to that factor’s weight, while a country with low talent availability contributes proportionally less to its overall score.

Scores are based on publicly available data and expert interpretation, drawing from sources such as LinkedIn, UNESCO, TOEFL/EF EPI, Gallup World Poll, ITU, Ookla, World Bank, World Economic Forum, and the Heritage Foundation. The index is neutral and comparative, designed to highlight relative strengths across countries rather than label any country as “good” or “bad.”

You may notice that English proficiency and digital infrastructure are weighted more conservatively than other metrics.

Here is the strategic reasoning behind that decision:

The Gap Between Macro Data and Micro Reality

National averages for English fluency and internet connectivity often fail to reflect the reality of the specialized talent pool. In many emerging markets, the professionals qualified for high-level outsourcing roles typically possess high speed internet and language skills that far exceed their country’s statistical average.

Because these factors vary significantly from one candidate to the next, relying too heavily on country-wide data can lead to false negatives, discarding high-potential regions based on generalized infrastructure scores.

Our Recommendation: The Individual-First Approach

We believe that infrastructure and communication are best validated at the point of hire rather than the point of index. We recommend (and practice) a thorough, individualized vetting process that includes:

1. Live, conversational interviews to gauge nuances in communication that standardized test scores often miss

2. Requiring candidates to submit internet speed tests and hardware specifications during the application phase

Diving deeper into our variables

Variable	Summary
Labor Cost	Relative wages and compensation expenses for remote specialist Cost-effectiveness compared to other countries Impacts overall hiring budget and scalability
English Proficiency	Ability to communicate effectively in English Reduces miscommunication in cross-border teams Supports faster onboarding and collaboration
Talent Availability	Size and skill depth of the local workforce Availability of specialists for specific roles Ability to scale teams as business needs grows
Digital Infrastructure	Reliability of internet and mobile networks Access to modern technology and cloud services
Business, Legal & Political Stability	Predictability of local regulations and labor laws Political and economic stability affecting operations

Labor Cost Analysis

Labor costs remain a critical factor for global employers when evaluating potential hiring locations. Countries with lower relative wages can offer significant cost advantages, particularly for roles where the quality of work can be standardized. However, labor cost alone does not determine overall attractiveness. Employers often balance expenses against productivity, workforce quality, and operational risks, making it one of several factors influencing hiring decisions. Data from sources like the World Bank and OECD provide benchmarks for comparative labor costs across countries.

English Proficiency

Language capability is essential for effective remote collaboration, particularly in cross-border teams. High English proficiency reduces miscommunication, accelerates onboarding, and improves overall team performance. Index data, including the EF English Proficiency Index and TOEFL results, indicate wide variation across countries, helping employers identify markets where language barriers are minimal and international communication is smoother.

Talent Availability

Beyond cost and language, the size, depth, and scalability of a country’s workforce are key considerations. Talent availability encompasses both the number of qualified professionals and the diversity of skills within the labor pool. Factors such as education levels, workforce participation, and sector-specific expertise shape a country’s capacity to support global employers. These insights help organizations anticipate hiring feasibility and scalability in different regions.

Digital Infrastructure

Reliable internet connectivity, access to modern technology, and general digital readiness are increasingly critical for remote work. Countries with strong broadband coverage, high mobile penetration, and accessible cloud services enable teams to collaborate efficiently regardless of location. Data from the ITU, Ookla, and World Bank digital infrastructure indicators inform how countries perform in supporting remote operations.

Business, Legal & Political Stability

Long-term hiring decisions are also influenced by the business environment, legal frameworks, and political risk. Regulatory consistency, property rights, labor law enforcement, and political stability affect operational predictability and compliance costs. Sources such as the World Bank Governance Indicators, WEF risk reports, and Heritage Foundation indexes highlight where employers may face higher or lower risk when hiring internationally.

Talent Index

Countries	Rank	Labor Cost	English Proficiency	Talent Availability	Digital Infrastructure	Business Stability	TOTAL
Philippines	1	96	90	90	70	60	90.65
Malaysia	2	92	90	70	70	70	85.55
India	3	96	60	100	50	60	85.4
Chile	4	90	80	70	90	70	83.5
South Africa	5	88	100	70	40	60	83.45
Nigeria	6	98	90	60	30	40	83.45
Peru	7	94	80	70	40	70	83.1
Indonesia	8	96	60	80	60	60	82.4
Argentina	9	91	90	60	70	50	82.275
Romania	10	87	100	60	40	70	81.675
Kenya	11	95	90	50	50	50	81.625
Dominican Republic	12	94	80	50	90	60	81.6
Brazil	13	93	60	80	80	50	81.325
Poland	14	78	100	70	70	90	81.2
Egypt	15	98	60	70	70	40	81.2
Pakistan	16	97	60	80	30	50	80.925
Ghana	17	91	90	60	40	40	80.275
Iran	18	97	60	70	50	40	79.675
Nepal	19	96	80	50	40	50	79.65
Bangladesh	20	97	80	60	10	30	79.425
Hungary	21	84	90	50	80	80	78.85
Ukraine	22	93	80	70	20	10	78.575
Ethiopia	23	98	60	70	30	20	78.2
Uganda	24	98	80	40	30	40	77.95
Bulgaria	25	86	90	50	70	50	77.9
Morocco	26	94	60	60	60	60	77.85
Czechia (Czech Republic)	27	80	90	50	90	90	77.75
Algeria	28	96	60	70	10	50	77.65
United Kingdom	29	65	100	80	100	90	77.625
Portugal	30	82	100	50	40	70	77.3
Colombia	31	91	60	60	70	70	77.275
Vietnam	32	96	50	70	40	50	77.15
Serbia	33	89	90	30	80	60	76.975
Bolivia	34	95	80	50	10	20	76.125
Australia	35	63	100	80	90	90	76.075
Ecuador	36	92	60	60	60	40	75.8
China	37	90	60	60	90	30	75.75
Croatia	38	84	100	20	90	70	75.6
Guyana	39	91	100	10	60	60	75.525
Dominica	40	90	100	10	70	60	75.5
Zimbabwe	41	96	100	20	20	10	75.4
Sri Lanka	42	98	60	50	10	50	75.2
Jordan	43	90	60	50	70	70	75
Turkey (Türkiye)	44	89	40	90	40	50	74.975
Republic of Korea (South Korea)	45	74	80	80	50	70	74.85
Greece	46	79	90	50	70	60	74.725
Malta	47	88	90	10	90	80	74.45
Georgia	48	94	80	20	70	40	74.35
Spain	49	77	80	70	40	70	74.175
Liberia	50	97	90	10	30	40	74.175
Montenegro	51	88	90	10	80	80	73.95
Nicaragua	52	98	80	20	40	20	73.95
Guatemala	53	95	80	20	50	40	73.875
Costa Rica	54	87	80	40	30	70	73.675
Armenia	55	93	80	10	70	70	73.575
Italy	56	72	80	70	80	70	73.55
Thailand	57	95	20	80	50	60	73.375
Belarus	58	91	80	40	40	10	73.275
Cyprus	59	80	90	30	90	70	73.25
El Salvador	60	94	80	10	60	60	73.1
Grenada	61	91	90	10	60	50	73.025
Mexico	62	90	20	90	60	60	73
Uruguay	63	90	70	20	90	70	72.75
Suriname	64	97	80	10	30	50	72.675
Tunisia	65	97	40	50	50	50	72.675
Honduras	66	95	90	10	20	40	72.625
Nauru	67	92	90	10	60	30	72.55
The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (North Macedonia)	68	91	90	10	40	60	72.525
Namibia	69	91	90	10	40	60	72.525
Albania	70	92	80	20	20	70	72.3
Marshall Islands	71	91	100	10	20	30	72.025
Micronesia (Federated States of)	72	88	90	10	60	60	71.95
France	73	66	80	70	90	90	71.9
Botswana	74	94	80	10	20	70	71.6
Republic of Moldova	75	94	80	10	30	60	71.6
Venezuela	76	98	80	20	10	0	71.45
Belize	77	86	100	10	40	50	71.4
Russian Federation	78	89	80	40	10	20	71.225
Canada	79	57	100	70	90	90	71.175
Lesotho	80	94	80	10	30	50	71.1
Slovakia	81	82	100	20	20	70	71.05
Jamaica	82	87	90	10	60	50	70.925
Latvia	83	83	90	10	80	70	70.825
Germany	84	58	100	70	80	80	70.7
Madagascar	85	97	60	30	20	30	70.675
United States	86	45	100	100	100	90	70.625
Lithuania	87	80	80	20	90	90	70.5
Bosnia and Herzegovina	88	90	90	10	30	40	70.5
Zambia	89	97	70	20	20	20	70.425
Paraguay	90	95	60	20	50	50	70.375
Antigua and Barbuda	91	84	90	10	60	70	70.35
Belgium	92	62	100	50	90	90	70.3
Barbados	93	80	100	10	70	60	70.25
Lao People's Democratic Republic	94	98	60	10	50	50	70.2
Cape Verde	95	97	60	10	60	50	70.175
Kazakhstan	96	92	20	70	60	50	70.05
Austria	97	63	100	50	90	70	69.825
Papua New Guinea	98	95	80	10	10	30	69.625
Mauritius	99	92	60	10	80	70	69.55
United of Republic of Tanzania	100	97	40	40	30	40	69.425
Ireland	101	66	90	50	80	80	69.4
Netherlands	102	62	100	60	40	80	69.05
Finland	103	67	100	30	80	90	68.925
Azerbaijan	104	92	60	20	60	40	68.8
Solomon Islands	105	95	60	10	40	60	68.625
Uzbekistan	106	94	20	70	20	40	68.6
Seychelles	107	90	60	10	80	70	68.5
Trinidad and Tobago	108	89	70	10	60	60	68.475
Malawi	109	99	60	10	20	30	68.225
Estonia	110	76	90	10	90	80	68.15
Swaziland (Eswatini)	111	96	60	10	20	60	68.15
Bhutan	112	95	60	10	30	60	68.125
Iraq	113	94	20	70	40	10	68.1
Lebanon	114	96	60	20	30	10	67.9
Saint Lucia	115	90	60	10	60	70	67.5
Panama	116	90	60	20	40	50	67.25
Brunei Darussalam	117	79	80	10	90	70	67.225
Kiribati	118	97	60	10	20	30	67.175
Vanuatu	119	95	60	10	30	40	67.125
New Zealand	120	63	100	30	90	80	66.825
Syria	121	99	60	10	0	10	66.225
Bahrain	122	78	80	10	90	60	66.2
Myanmar	123	98	20	50	20	20	66.2
Democratic Republic of the Congo	124	98	20	50	30	10	66.2
Sweden	125	60	100	50	30	80	65.75
Maldives	126	89	60	10	50	50	65.475
Saint Kitts and Nevis	127	87	60	10	60	60	65.425
Fiji	128	79	80	10	70	50	65.225
Côte d'Ivoire	129	96	20	30	50	60	65.15
Slovenia	130	80	80	10	30	70	64.75
Cameroon	131	96	20	50	20	10	64.65
Senegal	132	98	20	20	50	60	64.45
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	133	85	60	10	60	60	64.375
Palau	134	91	60	10	30	20	64.025
Bahamas	135	69	100	10	70	50	63.975
Norway	136	57	100	30	90	80	63.675
Turkmenistan	137	91	60	10	20	20	63.525
Sierra Leone	138	97	30	10	30	50	62.675
Tonga	139	95	30	10	40	60	62.625
Samoa	140	93	30	10	50	70	62.575
Tajikistan	141	97	20	20	30	50	62.425
Mozambique	142	96	30	20	20	30	62.4
Kyrgyzstan	143	95	20	20	60	40	62.375
Japan	144	69	20	80	90	70	62.225
Rwanda	145	97	20	10	60	50	62.175
Andorra	146	68	80	10	90	80	61.95
Angola	147	99	20	10	20	60	61.725
Sao Tome and Principe	148	97	20	10	40	60	61.675
Tuvalu	149	96	30	10	50	20	61.65
Israel	150	54	80	50	80	80	61.1
Cambodia	151	96	20	20	50	10	60.9
Libya	152	96	20	20	50	10	60.9
Benin	153	99	20	10	30	30	60.725
Yemen	154	98	20	20	20	10	60.45
Togo	155	99	10	10	40	50	60.225
Timor Leste	156	98	20	10	30	30	60.2
Cuba	157	100	20	10	20	10	59.75
Gabon	158	94	20	10	50	40	59.6
Mongolia	159	92	20	10	50	60	59.55
South Sudan	160	99	20	10	10	20	59.225
Chad	161	99	20	10	20	10	59.225
Comoros	162	98	20	10	20	20	59.2
Congo (Republic of the)	163	98	20	10	30	10	59.2
Mali	164	98	20	10	30	10	59.2
Sudan	165	98	20	10	0	40	59.2
Denmark	166	46	100	30	100	90	58.9
Burundi	167	99	20	10	10	10	58.725
Burkina Faso	168	97	20	10	20	20	58.675
Afghanistan	169	98	20	10	10	10	58.2
Central African Republic	170	98	20	10	10	10	58.2
Haiti	171	97	20	10	20	10	58.175
Guinea	172	97	20	10	20	10	58.175
Iceland	173	52	100	10	90	80	57.55
Djibouti	174	91	20	10	50	30	57.525
Somalia	175	96	20	10	10	10	57.15
Mauritania	176	93	20	10	20	30	57.075
Singapore	177	46	100	30	70	80	56.9
Niger	178	99	10	10	10	10	56.725
Gambia	179	97	10	10	10	30	56.675
Saudi Arabia	180	68	20	70	30	60	56.45
Oman	181	78	20	20	90	70	56.45
Eritrea	182	97	10	10	10	10	55.675
Equatorial Guinea	183	95	10	10	10	10	54.625
Guinea-Bissau	184	95	10	10	10	10	54.625
Qatar	185	61	60	20	60	70	54.025
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea)	186	99	0	0	0	0	51.975
San Marino	187	57	60	10	90	70	51.675
Switzerland	188	27	90	50	70	90	48.925
United Arab Emirates	189	47	40	30	90	70	45.925
Kuwait	190	46	60	20	60	60	45.65
Luxembourg	191	18	90	20	90	90	39.95
Liechtenstein	192	2	90	10	90	90	29.8
Monaco	193	0	90	10	90	80	28.25