Franco Pereyra, co-founder and COO of Near, has sparked a heated debate about global pay disparities with a controversial LinkedIn post. Near, a platform that connects US companies with remote talent from Latin America, is rooted in the promise of uniting the global workforce. However, Pereyra’s claim that it is fair for global workers to be paid less than their American counterparts has polarized opinion online.

“As an Argentinian living in Buenos Aires, I can see how some people are upset by this statement,” Pereyra wrote. “But I can stay in my country, be with my family and enjoy a lower cost of living.” For Pereyra, wage differences are justifiable when viewed from the perspective of the local economy.

Pereyra has also acknowledged the reaction his stance has caused. “A lot of people get angry and say that workers in Latin America, India and the Philippines are being exploited. And yes, there are companies that do exploit global talent. But paying less to work overseas is not it’s inherently wrong,” he added.

The post quickly made its way to the “LinkedIn Lunatics” subreddit, where opinions were sharply divided. Some defended their perspective, citing the economic logic of offshoring. “This is how offshoring works. If they couldn’t pay people in countries with a lower cost of living less money, they wouldn’t employ those people,” commented one user. Others criticized Pereyra for oversimplifying a multifaceted issue, with one commentator noting: “It’s strange that he never mentioned the cost of living or working conditions.”

In a follow-up post, Pereyra shifted the focus to exploitative practices within global procurement, particularly in regions such as India and the Philippines. “I see this happen all too often, especially with talent from India and the Philippines, a revolving door of workers treated as disposable,” he wrote. Pereyra highlighted the impact of these practices on both employees and companies, saying: “Employees have a couple of miserable months and then leave, while the company faces the chaos of constant turnover , recontracting and recycling”.

The debate surrounding Pereyra’s statements highlights deeper issues in the global labor market. While Indian IT workers and other international talent drive innovation in critical sectors like SaaS and technology, they often face undervalued contributions, low wages and limited benefits.