For a while my former employer used a Spanish software consultancy for second level support on an open source solution; they were happy to work with us because we paid well [0] and didn't argue on every bill like their other (mostly south American I think) clients did.
[0]: my boss told me literally to tell them: contract is fine, except for the hourly rate, I should tell them he would not accept to be associated with such a cheap rate so they would have to add 20% to their prices.
I use this now that I hire through upwork as well. Espescially when you hire across the globe you get chances to build good relationships for peanuts compared to around here. (Oh, works with kids as well: you can buy many lifetime friends before they become teenagers.)
As a 18-old Polander I was absolutely thrilled to work part-time for a US company. In hindsight, it was also much more valuable for me than academic education I pursued later.
I would be offended if someone called this child labour and attempted to limit this opportunity.
>> Oh, works with kids as well: you can buy many lifetime friends before they become teenagers.)
> Are you seriously saying you are using child labour?
No, I say I buy myself friends and happy consultants that come back. The link is when you are in an advantage position (parent with small children, western SW company that use remote consultants) it takes next to no effort to make a difference in someones life.
Was your "before they become teenagers" statement perhaps in error? I'm trying to give you the benefit of the doubt, and ethical concerns aside, I have trouble imagining even a brilliant 12-year-old producing code you'd want to use in a commercial product. (Speaking as someone who started coding at 7.)
Perhaps you're mistaken about the meaning of "teenager"?
I'm not mistaken about the meaning of teenager but eiter my writing is unclear or some people are obsessed with reading it as me recommending child labour.
The "work" part is about consultants.
The "friends" part is about mine and relatives kids.
No, I do not try to extract value from kids.
And the youngest person I have seen coding anything useful was a 16 year that managed to complete 70+ days of effective 9-5 work in 14 afternoons.
He got a nice job (at well above market rate IIRC) at the compiler division at one of the big IT companies after finishing his bachelors degree a few years later.
[0]: my boss told me literally to tell them: contract is fine, except for the hourly rate, I should tell them he would not accept to be associated with such a cheap rate so they would have to add 20% to their prices.
I use this now that I hire through upwork as well. Espescially when you hire across the globe you get chances to build good relationships for peanuts compared to around here. (Oh, works with kids as well: you can buy many lifetime friends before they become teenagers.)