[Terry]

English skills and tech skills are no longer the big problem they were 5-10 years ago, the third world nations have caught up and aware of most modern programming languages and other web trends and while culturally they might not understand Western clients as well, that doesn’t matter to many clients who readily hire them for $5-10/hour instead of the Western freelancer who is $50-100/hour

Now it definitely depends on the niche. But this summary is still true.

Look at all the Upwork freelancers from India, Bangladesh, Philippines etc whose earnings are more than $100,000 or more! They have endless supply of clients (some of them at least) and not just for stupid VA 4-hour-work-week stuff

[Christian]

Good example: https://www.reddit.com/r/Upwork/comments/1hhqfpl/why_you_arent_receiving_clients_like_you_once_did/

As a Client with Upwork since 2011 and over 500+ Jobs posted, I have a bit of experience to post on this subject.

When I post a job in 2024, I am receiving multiple bids from all over the world.

The reality is that simply because you believe your hourly or fixed rate is reasonable in your part of the world, the reality is that you have competition in developing countries that will for the most part do just as good of a job for 5% the cost.

If I post a job that has a $100 per hour rate from someone in the USA, 99% of the time, someone from Bangladesh or India, etc will offer a bid for $5 to $10 an hour. I will choose them.

With over 500+ jobs posted, the reality is that in 2024, they have caught up with the western world. 99% of their work from high rated freelancers is comparable to those from highly developed countries.

Many say they aren’t comparable. That is true for the majority. Yet those with high ratings, fluent English and years of experience, actually really do a very good job.

I provide the work to my western clients they provide and over 95% of my American clients are very happy with the work from freelancers in these developing clients. It wasn’t that way 5 years ago, it definitely wasn’t that way 10 years ago. Yet they have learned and caught up in many sectors and provide comparable work to that of western countries at a fraction of the cost.

Everyone on here continues to claim these developing country freelancers do not do good work. That is simply false. The highly rated ones with years of experience they charge a fraction of the cost of someone in the western countries, most certainly do for the most part.

So the reality is, if you aren’t receiving clients like you used too, the reality is, they are choosing freelancers with high ratings that are bidding at a fraction of the cost of you.

Obviously this is not the case for many freelancers doing well, I believe this is the case for many freelancers that are not doing well.

Whether you like it or not, this is simply reality. Take this information as you wish on your Upwork journey.

[Sara]

I think some of the comments are accurate tho.

Successful American companies don’t care about your price, they care about your quality.

They are always going to hire the American dev for $100/hour or $200/hour who is very good at Python or whatever, they are never going to hire that random guy from Nigeria just because he’s cheaper.

[Sharon]

Upwork seems to be crashing out after 2024 changes for freelancers

[Steven]

great time to be from Bangladesh.

[Sean]

who cares? the business world is now global, world peace

[Author]

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