Hire senior engineers at 60% of US cost.
Engineering finalists from CEE for your US team, with all agreed technical and soft-skill stages completed. Standard: 18% total, with $2,000 credited at launch. Working hours and expectations confirmed before you meet.
Why US hiring breaks runway
US engineering costs doubled since 2020. Runway didn't.
Three structural problems that make US engineering hiring painful for Series A–C startups in 2026.
US senior salaries hit $220K
A senior backend in SF/NYC is $180–220K before benefits and equity. Fully loaded: $280K+. Most Series A–B runway cannot support a 10-person team at US prices.
H1B lottery + green-card delays
H1B approvals in 2026: ~26% lottery odds. Green-card backlog for Indian engineers now 100+ years. Even when you win, relocation takes 6–18 months.
Nearshore markets are saturated
Mexico and LATAM rates are now $70–110/hr for senior engineers — once you factor in agency markups. The "nearshore discount" is disappearing fast.
How we solve this for US startups
CEE talent, US compatible.
Six concrete differences that matter specifically for US-based hiring — priced, structured, and scheduled for your context.
50–70% cheaper than US senior hires
A senior CEE engineer at €60–75K (~$65–82K) does the work you would pay a US senior $180–220K for. Equal output, fraction of the cost.
East Coast-friendly timezone overlap
With agreed shifted working hours, CEE candidates can provide 5–6 hours of overlap with NYC/Boston or 2–3 hours with SF. We confirm the schedule, location and seasonal clock changes before shortlisting.
No H1B, no visa sponsorship, no relocation
Our candidates work as B2B contractors from their home country. Your US company pays their invoice in USD. No immigration lawyers, no sponsorship license, no 18-month waits.
No 1099, no misclassification risk
CEE engineers run their own registered business (sole proprietorships in Poland, Ukraine, Romania) and invoice you B2B. No 1099, no misclassification risk — you pay one invoice to a foreign business, not a US contractor.
English and async-first by default
80%+ of candidates at B2+ English. CEE engineering culture is already async-first (GitLab, Toptal, Turing all built on CEE talent). No culture onboarding required.
A clear first-finalist commitment
First qualifying finalist by business day 15, or stop the search for a full $2,000 refund. The search runs for 60 calendar days from the agreed launch date while the vacancy remains open.
US vs CEE cost comparison
Example: one senior backend, first year of employment.
US loaded cost assumes $200K base + 40% benefits/taxes/equity. CEE cost is the engineer's annual fee plus Recruo's total fee (18%): $2,000 credited at launch, with the balance due when the hire starts. A 90-day replacement guarantee applies under the agreed terms.
US-specific FAQ
What US startups ask us.
How do we contract with a CEE engineer as a US company?+
Standard flow: your US LLC/C-Corp signs a B2B services agreement with the engineer's foreign sole proprietorship (ФОП in Ukraine, JDG in Poland, PFA in Romania). Monthly invoices in USD, payments via Wise/Mercury/Payoneer. No W-9, no 1099 required — they're a foreign business, not a US contractor. We provide contract templates that cover IP assignment, NDA, and termination.
What about 1099 misclassification risk?+
Cross-border hiring requires review of worker status, location, tax and the actual working arrangement. B2B contracting and EOR employment are different options; a foreign registration is not a universal exemption. Agree the structure with qualified advisers before the engineer starts.
How does the 5–6 hour East Coast overlap actually work?+
A five-hour East Coast overlap can cover 9am–2pm in the client’s local time, with an agreed afternoon-to-evening schedule for the CEE engineer. Exact local hours vary by city and seasonal clock changes. West Coast overlap needs a later schedule; we confirm the engineer’s availability for standups and pairing before shortlisting.
How is this different from Turing or Andela?+
Standard is 18% of the first-year salary. A $2,000 launch payment is credited toward that total; the balance is due when your hire starts. Finalists have passed all agreed technical and soft-skill stages, with interest, compensation expectations and availability confirmed. We run a 60-calendar-day search and support the final hiring steps. Compare the scope and total cost with the specific quote you receive.
Can CEE engineers work US hours if needed?+
Yes, but we screen for this upfront. Engineers who explicitly prefer US-hours work exist but are a smaller pool and charge 10–20% more. A 5–6-hour East Coast overlap requires agreed shifted working hours; we confirm the exact local schedule and the engineer’s preference before shortlisting.
Are there US tax implications for our company?+
For B2B contractor arrangements with foreign sole proprietorships: no US-side tax withholding required (they're not US persons), no 1099 filing, no 1042-S if services performed entirely outside the US. Your accountant should confirm based on the specific engagement structure, but this is the standard, well-trodden path used by thousands of US companies hiring offshore contractors.
Do you have US-based clients?+
Yes — Phase 1 pilots include NY-based Series B fintech and a Boston SaaS company. We don't publish names without written permission; we can share anonymized case study metrics on a discovery call (time-to-shortlist, pass rate, cost delta).
Get started
Tell us the role.
We'll help plan your next step.
Add whatever you know about the role, stack and hiring timeline. Your name and work email are enough to start; we'll reply within 24 hours.
$2,000 to launch
Fully credited toward the 18% Standard fee
90-day guarantee
One replacement search under agreed conditions
Human review
Recruiters review the screening evidence