Time zone alignment for North, Central, and South America
Building remote teams when outsourcing can be challenging due to the difference in time zones. This can interfere with effective communication and collaboration. However, the time zone alignment can be more favorable between countries when nearshoring. This alignment presents opportunities, especially for companies in the United States and Canada looking to hire workers from Latin America.
Latin America is composed of the entire continent of South America, Mexico, Central America, and the islands of the Caribbean.
South America is divided into five standard time zones (UTC-2/3/4/5/6). Except for Chile, Paraguay, Brazil, Easter Island, and the Falkland Islands, all the other countries follow the same time zone throughout the year. Although there are five time zones, the time difference between them is at most two hours.
Central America uses one standard UTC-6 time zone and maintains the same time zone all year. The following countries are in Central America: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.
Mexico, equivalent to the United States and Canada, uses four time zones (Central Standard, Pacific Time, Mountain Time, and Eastern Standard Time). The difference is that Mexico will remain on standard time year-round. The ten municipalities in Mexico that share a border with the United States will continue to observe a daylight-saving time pattern consistent with the United States.
Time zone alignment for North, Central, and South America
1. UTC-2
Some parts of Brazil have this time zone.
2. UTC-3
Argentina, Uruguay, French Guiana, some parts of Brazil, and Suriname have this time zone all year. During daylight savings, Chile, Paraguay, and the Falkland Islands have this time zone.
3. UTC-4
Venezuela, Bolivia, some parts of Brazil, and Guyana have this time zone. Chile, Paraguay, and the Falkland Islands have this time zone during Standard Time, which matches North American Easter time during daylight savings time.
4. UTC-5
Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, and some parts of Brazil have this time zone all year. Some parts of Chile (Eastern Island) have this time zone during daylight savings. This time matches North American Easter time during Standard Time and Central Time during daylight savings.
5. UTC-6
Galapagos Islands, Eastern Island, Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua have this time zone. This time matches North American Central Time during Standard Time and Mountain Time during daylight savings.
Hiring remote talent from these countries presents cost-saving opportunities and allows access to a diverse pool of highly skilled professionals. Contact us to learn more about hiring your next employee in LATAM.