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Frequently
asked questions

For Candidats

The contract is made between you and Fast Dolphin, Inc. as a freelancer in most cases, unless otherwise indicated in the offer.

Yes, the contract can be made in your name directly, through a company you have, or through some other company with which you have a contract.

As of now, payment through this means is not possible. We usually make wire transfers to your account, under your name, in any country.

Yes, as long as the account is in your name.

Yes, it is Fast Dolphin’s policy to keep all the people who participate in processes informed about this progress, both in positive and negative cases. You can also contact our sales team to find out how the process is going.

On our website, you will find the current job opportunities and the recruiter’s contact details

When a temporary assignment comes to an end, we will try to assign you to one of the available open positions. There is no guarantee that you will be selected, but we will do our best.

Due to the nature of our operation, we are not able to offer technical training or certifications. However, we have a series of documents and videos related to job search available, such as interview management and resume improvements, among others.

Although it is technically possible to obtain the Green Card after the TN visa, this is a long and expensive process, with a risk that when the employment relationship with Fast Dolphin is terminated, the process is interrupted. Because there is such a great risk, we simply prefer not to take that action.

Fast Dolphin takes care of all the costs related to obtaining the TN visa, including preparing the case, the consular fees, and the travel necessary in certain cases.

Sure, we can consider you for more than one job opportunity simultaneously, as long as you have the right profile.

Fast Dolphin is a consulting company, which works mainly in the IT area. Although most of our job opportunities are for the IT area, we occasionally have job opportunities for other areas, such as Finance, Accounting, Administration, Engineering, and Architecture.

Most of our job opportunities require at least a medium level of specialized experience. However, we have had junior profiles in the past, so we are always open to receiving all types of profiles to have the best professionals when they are needed.

We have most of our clients in the US, but we also have projects throughout Latin America, Canada, and occasionally European countries.

We have several options for payment schemes, depending on the needs of the client and candidate.

Fast Dolphin sponsors work visas for the United States to Chileans, Mexicans, and Canadians. Soon we will be processing work visas in Canada for Mexicans and Americans.

Yes, at Fast Dolphin, we developed a successful referral bonus program that allows anyone to benefit from referring contacts for Fast Dolphin job opportunities and receiving a bonus if any of those contacts are selected for the position. For more details consult the program here.

Yes, of course.

Depending on your country of origin, the country where the project is carried out, travel conditions, and remote work possibilities, each situation is analyzed individually. In those cases where it is both necessary and possible, Fast Dolphin carries out the necessary procedures to obtain a visa or work permit.

Although Fast Dolphin is a US company, we have a presence in Canada, Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil, so our job opportunities can be anywhere in America or even 100% remote work.

Yes, we do. But for now, due to COVID-19 issues, these procedures are paused.

Yes, within the variety of roles and schemes that we handle, we also have positions where we only take care of the first selection filter.

We do not handle bench since each project has different conditions and budgets, so we always seek to improve our consultants’ conditions as the project allows. Additionally, you can go from a Mexico project to one in the USA, so the salary will likely adjust accordingly.

It depends on the type of hiring scheme offered. All the conditions are always shared at the beginning of the process.

We take care of coordinating, paying, and processing your direct dependents’ visas, that is, spouse and children under 21 years of age.

It is not a common practice, but there may be opportunities that only require specific support, and if so, we could be able to collaborate on that model.

For Clients

The Nearshore Model

Nearshore staffing means hiring IT and Engineering professionals from a nearby country to work alongside your team, aligned to your time zone and business culture. For US companies, that means sourcing from Latin America: Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, and other markets that operate within zero to four hours of US Eastern Time. Fast Dolphin manages sourcing, vetting, and onboarding so your team gets the right professional without running a full domestic search. See how the model compares to offshore and onshore.

Staff augmentation means adding individual IT or Engineering professionals to your existing team on a flexible basis, without the overhead of a full-time hire. You stay in control of the work, the tools, and the direction. Fast Dolphin handles sourcing, vetting, and placement. It is the right model when you need to scale quickly, cover a specialist role for a defined period, or keep headcount flexible without adding permanent staff. If you need a fully managed team rather than individual contributors, our nearshore dedicated development teams may be a better fit.

An Employer of Record (EOR) is a company that legally employs workers on another company’s behalf, handling all payroll, tax, benefits, and labor law compliance in the worker’s home country. When you engage a nearshore IT or Engineering professional through Fast Dolphin, we act as the EOR in their country of residence. That means you get the productivity of the hire without the legal and administrative complexity of employing someone across an international border. Your team directs the work. We handle everything else on the compliance side. Learn more about our payrolling and billing services.

Nearshore staffing sources IT and Engineering professionals from Latin American countries that operate within US business hours, typically zero to four hours from US Eastern Time. That alignment means standups, sprint planning, and incident response happen in real time. Offshore models, typically based in South or Southeast Asia, run eight to twelve hours removed from US Eastern, which forces asynchronous workflows that slow most IT delivery cycles. Domestic hiring competes in the same candidate pool at the same salary expectations. Nearshore sidesteps that competition without the time zone friction that offshore introduces. For a side-by-side breakdown, read our guide on nearshore vs. offshore vs. onshore staffing.

We offer temporary staffing, direct hire staffing, contract to hire staffing, nearshore dedicated development teams, and customized staffing solutions for more complex or ongoing needs. We also handle payrolling and billing services for candidates engaged through us. Temporary assignments run anywhere from one month to several years. If you are unsure which model fits your situation, tell us what you are trying to solve and we will recommend the right structure.

It depends on three things: how long you need the person, how much management oversight you want to retain, and whether you want the option to hire permanently. Short-term or project-based needs typically call for temporary staffing. If you want to evaluate before committing, contract to hire staffing gives you that runway. If you know you want a full-time addition, direct hire staffing is the cleaner path. And if your program is complex enough to need a tailored structure, we build customized staffing solutions around your requirements.

A few things our clients consistently point to. Speed: we deliver a qualified shortlist in 24 to 48 hours, and in many cases within a few hours of receiving the requirements. Focus: we work exclusively in IT and Engineering, so our sourcing network and vetting process are purpose-built for technical roles across a wide range of specializations and seniority levels. Flexibility: we adapt to your billing model, payment schedule, interview process, and engagement structure. Compliance: we manage work permits, TN visas, relocation logistics, and local tax and labor law in every country we operate, so you do not have to. And accountability: when something comes up, you deal directly with someone who knows your account, not a support queue.

Talent and Roles

The most consistently placed categories are software developers, DevOps engineers, QA automation engineers, cloud and infrastructure engineers across AWS, Azure, and GCP, SAP and Oracle consultants, Salesforce developers, data engineers, cybersecurity analysts, mobile developers, and telecom and network engineers. We also fill leadership roles including QA Leads, Architects, and Program Managers, and we place across Expert (10+ years), Senior (6–10 years), Mid-level (3–5 years), and Junior (1–2 years) seniority tiers. Roles requiring active US security clearances or regular on-site physical presence are not suited for this model. If you are unsure whether a specific role is available in Latin America, we will tell you directly. See all staffing services.

Yes. Fast Dolphin vets all candidates for English fluency as part of the screening process before any profile is submitted to a client. Most are bilingual in English and Spanish, or English and Portuguese. They participate in daily standups, written communication, and client-facing interactions in English without friction.

Our recruiting team conducts a structured search tailored to your internal requirements. That means technical skills assessment, seniority verification, communication evaluation in English, Spanish, or Portuguese depending on your project needs, industry experience review, and reference validation. We cover role types from individual developers and testers up to Architects and Program Managers, across all the technology disciplines we staff. We do not submit profiles that have not cleared our internal bar, and we do not charge for a direct hire placement until the position is successfully filled.

Speed and Collaboration

We deliver a vetted shortlist within 24 to 48 hours of receiving a complete role description. In many cases, initial profiles arrive within a few hours. For nearshore dedicated development team builds, most are operational within two to four weeks of contract signature. We do not operate on a bench model, so every candidate submitted is actively recruited for your specific opening. If you have an urgent need, contact us and we can start immediately.

Yes. All of our IT and Engineering professionals are based in Latin America, which places them within zero to four hours of US Eastern Time. Mexico City, Bogota, and Sao Paulo all operate within that range. There are no overnight handoffs, no delayed responses, and no communication lag. Same-day standups, live code reviews, and real-time incident response are standard across all our placements.

Cost and Billing

Hiring IT and Engineering talent in the US carries substantial loaded costs beyond base salary, including recruiter fees, benefits, payroll taxes, and time-to-hire overhead. Nearshore IT and Engineering staffing rates from Fast Dolphin are consistently more cost-competitive than US-based equivalents while drawing from professional talent pools with comparable technical training, English proficiency, and experience working with North American clients. For a role-by-role breakdown, see our nearshore cost comparison.

Hourly rates for temporary staffing and contract to hire staffing engagements are scoped during discovery and depend on the specific role, required seniority level, technology stack, and country of assignment. Because we operate across multiple Latin American markets, we can recommend the location that best balances your quality requirements and target budget. Contact us to receive a rate specific to your open role.

No. Fast Dolphin charges only on successful outcomes. For direct hire staffing, our fee is a percentage of the placed professional’s annual compensation and is billed once the role is filled. There are no retainers and no fees for roles we do not close.

The payrolling and billing services fee is a percentage of the professional’s monthly compensation and covers employer-of-record responsibilities including local tax compliance, insurance, and labor law adherence in the relevant country. For teams operating across more than one Latin American market, we consolidate billing under a single engagement. Learn more about our payrolling and billing services.

Completely. We recruit, operate, and bill in different countries, languages, and currencies, and we adapt to your procurement or finance team’s requirements. If you need a specific invoicing format, payment frequency, or currency arrangement, we match it. There is no standard arrangement we impose. Flexibility in billing is a core part of how we operate, not a special accommodation we make. Read more about our staffing models.

Engagement Models

Temporary IT and Engineering staffing means placing a vetted Latin American professional with your team for a defined period, without the commitment or cost of a full-time hire. Assignments run anywhere from one month to several years depending on the nature of the project or need. Some engagements cover a specific sprint or a backfill. Others extend long-term because the need becomes ongoing. There is no fixed maximum, and if your needs shift during the engagement, we adjust. If the candidate proves to be the right long-term fit, we offer contract to hire staffing that lets you convert without starting a new search.

Yes, and that is Fast Dolphin’s strength. On the IT side, this includes ERP and CRM consultants (SAP, Oracle, Salesforce, PeopleSoft, JDE, MS Dynamics), cloud engineers (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, IBM, Red Hat), mobile developers (iOS, Android, React Native), applications developers (Java, Python, Angular, Kubernetes), AI and data professionals (Azure ML, IBM Watson, AWS AI, Power BI, Tableau), and telecom and network engineers. On the Engineering side, we place Mechanical Design, Firmware, Hardware, and Aerospace engineers. See the full scope of what we place.

Contract to hire staffing starts with a defined contract engagement, typically three to six months, during which you evaluate the professional in your own environment before making a long-term commitment. Billing through the contract phase is structured as an hourly fee. If and when you convert to a direct hire, the pricing transitions to a one-time fee based on a percentage of the professional’s annual compensation, charged only once the position is successfully filled. Conversion terms are defined upfront so there are no surprises. Reach out to discuss the specifics.

The engagement simply ends at the agreed term with no obligation to convert. You are not locked in to a direct hire if the fit is not right. If the candidate was not the right match, we can start a new search informed by what you learned during the contract period. That is one of the core advantages of contract to hire staffing: low-risk evaluation with a clear path in either direction.

Direct hire staffing means we identify, vet, and present candidates for permanent positions on your team. The professional joins your organization as a full-time hire from day one. Fast Dolphin handles sourcing and vetting for IT and Engineering roles across Latin America, delivers a shortlist within 24 to 48 hours, and supports the process through offer acceptance. You stay in control of the final decision. Our fee is structured as a one-time percentage of the placed professional’s annual compensation, and it is only charged once the hire is confirmed. See all staffing services.

The quality of talent is comparable. The cost and timeline are not. A direct hire through Fast Dolphin comes at a significantly lower total cost than an equivalent US-based hire, with a shortlist delivered in 24 to 48 hours rather than the weeks or months a typical domestic search requires. The professional works in your time zone, communicates in a US business context, and integrates with your existing team from day one.

A nearshore dedicated development team is a fully assembled group of IT and Engineering professionals based in Latin America, working exclusively for you in your time zone. Rather than adding individual contributors to your existing team, a dedicated team gives you a complete, managed unit — developers, engineers, QA, and technical leads — structured around your stack and delivery needs. You direct the work: priorities, delivery, and team culture are yours to run. Fast Dolphin handles the employment relationship, payrolling and billing, and any HR-related matters on the Latin American side. Compare this model with staff augmentation.

For a small team of three to five professionals in roles with good availability in Latin America, we can have a qualified shortlist within 24 to 48 hours per role and move to onboarding within a few weeks. Larger teams or highly specialized disciplines may take longer, and we will give you a realistic timeline upfront. Start the conversation to get a specific estimate.

A customized staffing solution is what we build when a standard model — temporary staffing, direct hire staffing, or contract to hire staffing — does not fit the scope of what you need. It might mean structuring a multi-role nearshore program across several departments, creating a hybrid model that combines staff augmentation with project-based delivery, or designing a tech staffing arrangement aligned to your internal headcount policies. If you have tried standard staffing and hit the limits of what it can accommodate, this is the conversation to have. Talk to us about what you need.

Contingent workforce management refers to how a company structures, governs, and scales its non-permanent IT and Engineering talent over time: vendor consolidation, spend tracking, compliance, and program consistency across hiring managers. Fast Dolphin can serve as a primary staffing partner within a larger contingent workforce program, managing sourcing and delivery for Latin American IT and Engineering talent while adapting to your program’s governance requirements. See our full staffing model options.

We work across the full client spectrum: direct end-clients, technology implementation partners, consulting firms, Managed Service Providers (MSPs), and other staffing agencies that need a nearshore delivery partner in Latin America. On the industry side, we have placed across Financial Services, Manufacturing, Hi-tech and IT Services, Telecom, Oil and Gas, Pharma and Life Sciences, Transportation and Logistics, Retail, Automotive, CPG, and Utilities.

Compliance and Operations

Fast Dolphin acts as the Employer of Record for all candidates placed through us. We manage local payroll, tax and social security obligations, benefits administration, and any regulatory filings required under local labor law in each candidate’s home country. We operate across the US, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, and Canada, and can consolidate multi-country programs under a single invoice. Your HR and legal teams carry none of the cross-border employment complexity. Learn more about our payrolling and billing services.

Yes. If your team spans multiple countries or your staffing program scales across borders over time, we consolidate the complexity on our end so you do not have to coordinate across different jurisdictions. We currently operate across Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, and Canada, in addition to the US. Contact us to discuss your specific footprint, or read more about our payrolling and billing services.

In some cases, yes. If you have already identified a Latin American IT or Engineering professional you want to engage but need an employer of record to handle the payroll and compliance side, that is a conversation worth having. Reach out and we can assess whether our payrolling and billing services are the right fit for your situation.

Yes. When a placement requires a work permit, TN visa, or cross-border relocation, Fast Dolphin handles the full process and covers the associated fees. We also manage travel and logistical arrangements so candidates can stay focused on the work rather than the paperwork. If immigration or relocation is a factor in your engagement, let us know when you reach out.

Yes. We operate inside SAP Fieldglass, Beeline, and IQNavigator environments, following your rate cards, approval chains, SLA windows, and compliance requirements. We submit candidates within your required timeframes, manage our own compliance and payrolling on the Latin American side, and do not require your procurement team to carry our administrative load. From your team’s perspective, we operate like any other approved vendor on your panel. For more detail, read our post on integrating nearshore teams into MSP and VMS programs.

Risk and Assurance

Standard NDAs, scoped access controls, and compliance frameworks apply to nearshore candidates exactly as they do to any third-party IT contractor. Fast Dolphin requires NDAs on every engagement. The client controls all system access scope and provisioning directly. For regulated environments such as healthcare, financial services, or government-adjacent work, the relevant compliance standards (SOC 2, HIPAA, PCI DSS, NIST Cybersecurity Framework) govern access governance and documented processes, not the physical location of the contractor working within those controls.

Yes. Fast Dolphin has placed IT and Engineering professionals across the Americas for over 20 years, and the majority of our clients return with new requirements. The model is not a stopgap: companies that pilot it on one requisition consistently expand it across multiple roles because delivery quality holds over time. A nearshore dedicated development team can scale up or down as your project needs change, and temporary staffing assignments can be extended indefinitely if the need becomes ongoing.

For direct hire staffing, we discuss replacement terms before the search begins and do not charge until the position is successfully filled. If a hire does not work out within the agreed guarantee period, we initiate a replacement search at no additional charge. For temporary staffing and contract to hire staffing engagements, the arrangement ends at the agreed term with no conversion obligation. We do not disappear after a placement is made. Contact us to discuss terms specific to your situation.