[jfim]

> I can make a West Coast salary and live in the midwest if I so choose.

For now, until the execs realize that they don't need to pay West Coast salaries, just whatever gets them the engineering output that they need. If the job can be done with Latin American and Canadian engineers for less, or even less if they are open to other timezones, then West Coast salaries for remote work will go away in many instances.

I'm definitely enjoying working remotely, but I doubt that the high salaries from the good times in the tech industry will be there forever for remote work.

[cvhashim04]

I don’t think you realize how hard it is to find good engineers abroad. And if you do find them, they’re already likely employed at a good job and would want a significant pay bump to leave.

[jwestbury]

A "significant pay bump" could be an increase from the equivalent of $100k to $130k. Well below west-coast tech salaries.

Anecdotally, I had a total comp of (roughly) $400k as a senior engineer at Dropbox with a tier-1 salary (Seattle area). I asked about moving to the UK. The move would result in my base being cut from $220k to £120k, which, at the time I asked, was equivalent to about $140k. So, just over a 35% paycut. Now, because I already had RSU grants from the US, I'd continue to do better than that, and would have been making an extra $150k/yr in stock, roughly -- but a new-hire in the UK wouldn't have that advantage.

And Dropbox is one of the best-paying non-finance tech employers in the UK. Most tech employers in the UK are paying <$200k/yr total comp for senior engineers. Most tech employers in Europe are paying even less. And I'm talking about top-tier companies in terms of comp, here -- Facebook, Apple, Dropbox, etc.

So, yes, good engineers may already have a good job, but unless they're at quant hedge funds, US-based employers can probably offer 30-40% less than they'd offer to a west coast engineer, and it will still be a huge increase in comp.

[nunez]

That's the same argument's that been made for finding good engineers here in the US...

[BrandoElFollito]

Have you tried to find good engineers in Europe?

[lesuorac]

Offshoring is not new.

[helij]

I've been hearing this since 1991.