Hire Engineers in Argentina: Employment Options, Costs and Setup
Argentina is a common choice for overseas companies building engineering teams: Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Rosario and Mendoza have established tech communities, and the country is on UTC−3, close to North American working hours. Once you have found the engineer you want, the practical questions are how to employ them, what they cost beyond salary and how to protect your code. This guide covers each one.
Three ways to engage an engineer in Argentina
| Option | When it fits | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Employ through an employer of record | A full-time engineer who joins your team and works under your direction, without your own Argentine company | Choose a provider that maps the collective agreement correctly and assigns IP to you |
| Engage as an independent contractor | A defined project by a professional with their own business, other clients and their own tools | Fixed hours, exclusivity and day-to-day direction point to employment |
| Employ through your own Argentine company | A growing team and a long-term base in Argentina | Setup time, ongoing filings and payroll; see starting a business in Argentina |
Moving a contractor to employment
Many teams start with contractors and convert them later. If an engineer has already been working for you full-time, under your direction and only for you, treat the conversion carefully: a court may count the earlier period as employment. Law 27,802 says invoiced services are not presumed to be employment, but the facts of the relationship still decide. Document the change, agree a start date for employment and take advice if the contractor period was long.
Salary, currency and pay reviews
Decide whether you will agree the salary in pesos or in US dollars. Since Law 27,802, salaries may be agreed in foreign currency and paid into the employee’s salary account; contributions and income tax are still calculated in pesos. Engineering salaries are well above the minimum wage, but check whether a collective agreement applies to the employer and the role.
With inflation, peso salaries usually need reviewing several times a year. Agree a clear review policy in the offer, whatever the currency.
What an engineer costs beyond salary
On top of gross salary, budget for employer contributions of 24% (26.4% for large service and commerce employers), work-risk insurance and the aguinaldo, a 13th salary paid in June and December. Together that is roughly 35% to 40% of gross monthly salary over the year, before any benefits such as a private health plan, a home-office allowance or training.
With NNRoad’s EOR, add a monthly service fee per employee, quoted after we review the role. See Argentina EOR cost for worked examples, or try the Argentina labour cost calculator.
Protect your code: IP, confidentiality and equipment
In an EOR model the engineer’s employer is the EOR’s Argentine entity, not your company. Make sure the contract chain carries the rights to you:
- The employment contract assigns inventions and software created in the job to the employer
- Your service contract with the EOR assigns those rights on to your company
- Confidentiality, source-code and data-protection terms are in both contracts
- Equipment, repository access and security rules are set in writing, including for home working
- Remote-work terms follow the Telework Law: equipment, connectivity costs and the right to disconnect
Onboarding an engineer through an EOR
- You confirm the role, salary and currency, start date and benefits
- The EOR checks the applicable collective agreement and issues a Spanish employment contract with a 6-month probation period
- The employment is registered with ARCA before day one; ART, life insurance and the health fund are set up
- You ship equipment and grant system access; the engineer starts in your team
- Payroll runs monthly, with the salary paid by the fourth working day of the following month
NNRoad’s Argentina EOR is for local employees: Argentine citizens and permanent residents. To relocate or employ a foreign engineer in Argentina, see Hire Foreigner in Argentina.
Questions about hiring engineers in Argentina
Can I hire a software engineer in Argentina without a company?
Yes. An employer of record employs the engineer under Argentine law while they work in your team. See NNRoad’s Argentina EOR.
Can I pay an engineer in Argentina in US dollars?
Since Law 27,802, the salary can be agreed in US dollars and paid into the employee’s salary account. Contributions and income tax are still calculated in pesos.
Who owns the code my Argentine engineer writes?
Under an EOR, the employer acquires the rights through the employment contract and passes them to your company through the service contract. Check that both contracts say so.
How long does it take to onboard an engineer through an EOR?
Usually a few weeks from the signed offer, once the engineer’s documents are ready and the employment is registered with ARCA.
Is it cheaper to hire Argentine engineers as contractors?
Only when the work is genuinely independent. If the engineer works like an employee, a claim can bring back contributions, severance and interest, which removes any saving.
Hiring an engineer in Argentina?
Tell us the role, salary and start date. We will send an itemised EOR quote in pesos and US dollars.