Hire when the market has already shown a signal, not to find one. Look for a network in the specific market more than a regional title. Employ through an employer of record until an entity is justified; Deel lists its service at USD 599 per employee per month. And budget for the statutory costs that do not appear in the salary line, such as the thirteenth salary in Brazil and the aguinaldo in Mexico and Argentina.
What you need to know
- The first country manager should inherit traction, not be asked to create it from zero.
- An employer of record lets you hire without a local entity; list prices start around USD 599 a month per person. 1
- Brazil adds a thirteenth salary and an 8% FGTS deposit; Mexico adds an aguinaldo of at least 15 days and profit sharing. 2 3 4
- A support team on the ground makes the hire productive from month one.
When is it time to hire?
The most expensive country-manager hire is the one made to answer the question “is there a market here?”. A single senior person, alone in a new country, spends the first two quarters building the network and the research that should have come before the hire.
A better trigger is evidence: paying customers or signed pilots, a partner pipeline, a regulatory path that is understood. Our guide on what a market entry actually costs compares hiring with the alternatives. This one is about doing the hire well once you decide to.
What profile should you look for?
1. A network in the specific market. “LATAM experience” often means one country. Brazil, Mexico and Argentina are different markets with different buyers; hire for the one you are entering. 2. A track record of building from zero. The first hire opens accounts and partnerships personally. Someone who has only run an established team will look for one that does not exist yet. 3. Fluency in your language and theirs. Portuguese for Brazil, Spanish elsewhere, and enough English to work with headquarters without a translator. 4. Regulatory literacy for your sector. In payments, fintech or crypto, the country manager speaks to regulators and banks; they need to know the vocabulary.
How do you employ them without an entity?
You have three options, and the order matters.
| Option | When it fits | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Contractor | Short, project-based work | A full-time, exclusive, managed role can be treated as employment by local courts |
| Employer of record | The first full-time hires in a country | Fees on top of salary; list prices from USD 599 a month 1 |
| Own entity | Several employees, or a regulated activity that needs one | Annual running costs; see our local entity guide |
For a first country manager, an employer of record is usually the right call: the person is properly employed, with local benefits, and you avoid incorporating before you know the market will pay for it.
What costs are not in the salary line?
Foreign finance teams tend to budget the base salary and discover the rest in the first payroll. The mandatory items differ by country:
Brazil. A thirteenth salary paid at year end, under Law 4,090 of 1962. 2 A monthly FGTS deposit of 8% of pay into the employee's severance fund, under Law 8,036 of 1990. 3 Employer social-security contributions on top.
Mexico. An annual aguinaldo of at least 15 days' salary, paid before 20 December, under article 87 of the Federal Labour Law, and a share of company profits for employees. 4
Argentina. An aguinaldo (sueldo anual complementario) equal to half a month's salary paid twice a year, plus employer contributions.
The employer of record will quote these precisely for your case. Ask for the fully loaded monthly cost, not the fee alone.
How to make the first 90 days count
Give the new country manager three things on day one: a target account list, the research that explains why those accounts, and someone to run the logistics (events, introductions, vendors) so they can spend their time with customers. That last part is where an on-the-ground partner earns its fee: we do not replace your country manager, we are their support team.
The first country manager fails more often from being alone than from being the wrong person. Give them a map, a list and a team on the ground, and the same hire looks twice as good by month six.
What this guide does not cover
It does not publish salary benchmarks, which vary too much by sector, seniority and currency to be useful in a general guide. It does not cover equity grants across borders, immigration for relocated staff, or termination and severance rules.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a local entity to hire a country manager?
No. An employer of record can employ them locally on your behalf. You incorporate later, when you have several employees or a regulated activity that requires a local company.
How much does an employer of record cost?
Fees sit on top of salary and statutory costs. Deel, for example, lists its employer-of-record service at USD 599 per employee per month. Ask any provider for the fully loaded monthly cost for your specific hire.
What is the thirteenth salary in Brazil?
A mandatory extra month of pay, paid at the end of the year to every employee, established by Law 4,090 of 1962.
What is the aguinaldo in Mexico?
A mandatory annual bonus of at least 15 days' salary, paid before 20 December, under article 87 of Mexico's Federal Labour Law.
Can I hire a country manager as a contractor?
For a short project, yes. For a full-time, exclusive role that you manage day to day, local courts may treat it as employment, with back payments and fines. An employer of record avoids that risk.
Related guides
- What a LATAM market entry actually costs
- Do you need a local entity in LATAM?
- Paying a Latin American team in stablecoins
Sources
- Deel, pricing page, Employer of Record plan (accessed September 2026)
- Brazil, Lei nº 4.090 de 13 de julho de 1962 (gratificação de Natal / 13º salário)
- Brazil, Lei nº 8.036 de 11 de maio de 1990 (FGTS)
- Mexico, Ley Federal del Trabajo, article 87 (aguinaldo) and chapter on profit sharing (PTU)