International remote jobs from Latin America: how to read a salary band
A salary band tells you the pay range a company expects for a role. To read it well in an international remote job, check five things. Base or OTE, gross or net, the currency, annual or monthly, and employee or contractor. Then you can compare it with your current pay.
What is a salary band?
It is the range between the minimum and the maximum a company is willing to pay for a role. Where you land in that range depends on your experience, your results and the negotiation. A clear band saves you time. If the maximum does not work for you, you know from the start that the role is not for you.
At Tessera Partners we share the band before you apply. If a company will not share it, we do not take the search. We believe pay transparency is a matter of respect for your time.
Companies set a band from the market for the role, their budget and internal fairness with the rest of the team. That is why two companies can pay very differently for a role with the same title. The band reflects the specific role, not your worth as a professional.
Base, OTE or total package?
| Term | What it means | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Base salary | The fixed pay, without bonus or commission | How often is it reviewed? |
| OTE (on target earnings) | Base plus commission if you hit target, common in sales | What share of the team hits target? |
| Annual bonus | Variable pay based on personal or company results | How is it calculated, and what did it pay last year? |
| Equity | Shares or options in the company | What is the vesting, and what happens if I leave? |
When you see a band, confirm what it covers. An OTE band can look much higher than a base band, but part of it depends on results you do not fully control.
Gross or net, annual or monthly?
Companies in the US and Europe usually quote bands gross and per year. In Latin America, people often talk about net pay per month. To compare, bring everything to the same basis: gross per year or net per month.
Remember the payments that exist in your country if you are hired as a local employee. In Argentina, for example, employees receive an annual complementary salary paid in two installments (Law 20,744, articles 121 and 122). Brazil has the 13th salary (Law 4,090/1962). As a contractor, those payments do not apply unless you negotiate them.
Which currency will you be paid in?
Many international remote jobs pay in US dollars or euros, especially under contractor agreements. Others pay in local currency through an employer of record. Always ask which currency the salary is set in, which currency you will receive and how it is adjusted.
If you are paid in local currency in a country with high inflation, the adjustment matters as much as the starting amount. Ask how often it is reviewed and on what basis. A clear answer is a good sign about the company.
Employee or contractor?
This changes the real value of the band a lot. As an employee, through an EOR or a local entity, you get social contributions, paid vacation, benefits and labor protection. As a contractor, you are paid against an invoice and handle your own taxes, health cover and time off.
That is why a contractor band should be higher than an employee band for the same role. Do the full math before you compare: what you keep after taxes, accountant, health insurance and the days you will not invoice.
How do you compare it with your current pay?
- Bring your current pay and the band to the same basis: gross per year or net per month.
- Add the benefits you have today and would lose, such as health cover or a 13th salary.
- Subtract the costs you would carry as a contractor.
- Consider the currency and how the pay is adjusted.
- Think about growth: some roles pay less at first but open an international career.
For reference figures by country and function, see our Latin America salary guide.
What are the red flags in an offer?
- The company will not share the band until the last interview.
- The pay is described only as "competitive" or "depending on experience".
- The employment model changes between the interview and the offer.
- Nobody can explain how the pay is adjusted.
- Variable pay is a large part of the total, and nobody says how many people earn it.
- You are asked to start before signing a contract.
None of these signs alone means the offer is bad. But if several appear, ask for more information before you continue.
How do you negotiate within the band?
A band gives you a frame for negotiation. If your experience and results are above what the role asks, you can aim for the upper part. Prepare concrete examples: projects you led, targets you beat, languages that add to the role.
Negotiate the package, not only the number. Sometimes the company cannot move the base salary but can move the review date, a sign-on bonus, vacation days or your equipment budget. And if the top of the band does not work for you, say so respectfully. It is better to know early than after five interviews.
What should you ask before you accept?
Before you accept, ask for the base salary, variable pay, currency, employment model, vacation and benefits in writing. Ask about probation and notice on both sides too. An international remote job can be a great opportunity, but only if you know exactly what you are accepting.
If something is unclear, ask. Good companies answer gladly. And if you are looking for remote jobs LATAM with a clear band from the start, join our talent pool.
What we see in real searches
In our searches, many candidates compare a dollar band with their net local pay and draw the wrong conclusion. Sometimes the offer looks huge and is not. Other times it looks low and, with benefits included, it is better than they thought.
We also see that candidates who ask about currency, adjustment and employment model negotiate better. Not because they ask for more, but because they understand what is being discussed. Companies value that judgment in a senior profile.
Finally, we see that a band shared from the start avoids frustration. You decide quickly whether you are interested, and the company only talks with people for whom the role makes sense.
About the authors
Federico is Co-Founder of Tessera Partners. He spent nearly 10 years in international corporate banking, including J.P. Morgan and Barclays. He leads searches for clients in EMEA, the US and Spanish-speaking markets.
Lidiane is Co-Founder of Tessera Partners. She grew up in Brazil and built her career in Italy and the Netherlands, in IT and product networks. She leads searches in Brazil and Portugal.