The gap between B2 and C1 English is the gap between "can do the job" and "gets trusted with the job." For a LATAM engineer applying to US companies, that gap often decides who gets the offer when two people write equally good code.
Most US job posts, ours included, ask for B2 or higher. In practice, roles where you talk to the client team every day need something closer to C1. Here's what that means and a practical way to close it.
Key Takeaways
- B2 lets you follow technical discussions in your field. C1 lets you handle ambiguity, disagreement, and small talk without losing precision.
- EF SET estimates roughly 600 hours of study to reach B2 and 800 to reach C1, so the jump is roughly 200 more hours of practice.
- Written async English (PRs, Slack, docs) matters as much as speaking for remote roles.
- Practice the actual situations: standups, code review comments, and explaining a tradeoff out loud.
What B2 and C1 actually mean
CEFR is the European framework most companies use to describe language level. The CEFR B2 descriptor, as EF SET quotes it, says a B2 speaker "can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialization" (EF SET, B2). EF SET describes C1 as being able to use language "flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes" (EF SET, C1).
Translated into an engineer's day:
| Situation | B2 engineer | C1 engineer |
|---|---|---|
| Daily standup | Gives a prepared update clearly | Also answers the unexpected follow-up without stalling |
| Code review | Leaves correct, short comments | Pushes back politely and explains why |
| Incident call | Follows what's happening | Takes the lead and gives instructions |
| Product meeting | Understands the requirements | Catches the unstated assumption and asks about it |
| Slack with a PM | Answers questions | Reads tone, notices when "sure, maybe" means no |
A B2 engineer can be very productive. But US startups hire remote engineers to work with less supervision, and the C1 column is what less supervision looks like.
On study time, EF SET puts B2 at about 600 hours of cumulative instruction (EF SET, B2) and C1 at about 800 (EF SET, C1). Those are averages, and engineers who already read English documentation all day often move faster on reading and slower on speaking.
Where LATAM stands
The 2025 EF English Proficiency Index gives useful context. It's a national average from people who took EF's test, so it says nothing about you personally, but it explains why US companies check English so carefully.
| Country | EF EPI 2025 score | Global rank |
|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 575 | #26 |
| Uruguay | 542 | #34 |
| Costa Rica | 516 | #55 |
| Brazil | 482 | #75 |
| Colombia | 480 | #76 |
| Mexico | 440 | #103 |
Sources: EF EPI country pages for Argentina, Uruguay, Costa Rica, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico. The global average is 488.
The sub-scores are worth a look too. Colombia's weakest skill is listening (457) and Brazil's is writing (442), per the same pages. For a remote engineer, those are exactly the two skills that show up in every standup and every PR.
Read that table as good news if you're in Colombia or Mexico. A recruiter who expects a low national average notices quickly when a candidate is well above it.
A practice plan built for engineers
Generic English classes spend a lot of time on travel and restaurants. You need different reps.
Speaking, 20 minutes a day. Record a 2-minute standup update every morning, in English, about what you're actually working on. Listen back once a week. You'll hear the same three filler words and the same grammar slip. Fix one at a time.
Explaining, twice a week. Pick a design decision from your work and explain it out loud as if to a US teammate: what you chose, what you rejected, why. This is the skill interviews test hardest, and the one B2 speakers find hardest.
Writing, every day. Write your commit messages, PR descriptions, and personal notes in English. Then do one extra thing: rewrite one Slack-length message to be half as long. US teams value short, direct written English, and async remote work runs on it.
Listening, while you do other things. Engineering podcasts and conference talks at normal speed. When you catch a phrase you'd use, write it down. "I'd push back on that a little" is worth more to you than a list of 50 idioms.
Conversation, once a week. A paid tutor, a language exchange, or an English-speaking open-source community call. Real conversation is where the unexpected follow-up question happens, and that's the C1 skill.
Track it. Take a free standardized test (EF SET is one) now and again in three months. A score is more motivating than a feeling.
A Concrete Version
A composite, not one real person.
Diego is a senior Java engineer in Guadalajara. He reads English docs all day and writes decent PRs, but freezes in calls. His EF SET score puts him at B2.
For 12 weeks he does the morning standup recording (20 minutes), one tutor session a week focused only on explaining past projects (1 hour), and writes all work notes in English. That's roughly 3.5 hours a week, or about 40 hours total. Not enough to jump a full level by the hours estimate, and he doesn't. His reading score barely moves.
What changes is speaking under pressure. In an interview, when asked why he chose Kafka over RabbitMQ, he answers in a clean 90 seconds instead of stopping twice to search for words. That's the difference the hiring team notices, and it's the skill the targeted practice built.
The Honest Counterpoint
Not every remote role needs C1. Some teams are async-first, with little live conversation, and a strong B2 engineer does great there. If your code is excellent and your spoken English is B2, apply anyway. Don't wait a year for a certificate.
And certificates themselves matter less than people think. A C1 on paper doesn't help if you freeze in the interview. Most US teams, including ours, assess English during the process, by talking to you. Practice for that conversation, not for the test.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an official certificate like TOEFL or IELTS?
Usually not for private companies hiring remote engineers. They'll judge your English in interviews. A free test is still useful to track your own progress.
Is my accent a problem?
Clarity matters, accent much less. Slow down a little and finish your words. Most US engineers work with accents from all over the world every day.
How do I practice if I can't afford a tutor?
Record yourself daily, join English-speaking open-source or community calls, and use language-exchange apps. Consistency beats cost.
The Bottom Line
B2 gets you in the door. C1 is what makes a US team comfortable giving you less supervision. Close the gap with practice on the real situations (standups, explanations, written async), measure it, and don't wait for perfect English before you apply.
Our open roles ask for B2+ and check English during the process. If you're getting ready for that step, read how to pass a technical interview in English and how to prepare for an AI video interview. Then pick a role, like data engineer or Java backend engineer, and apply.
Roberto Espinoza is CEO of Ruzora, which places senior LATAM engineers with US startups. Browse open roles.
