BULGARIA: Up-and-comer.
Geopolitical risk.
English proficiency.
Average programmer salary: ($US3600-$6000/year)Infrastructure: FairPros: Bulgaria was the Silicon Valley of the former Soviet Union. As in most Eastern European countries, a large network of colleges produces more IT graduates than needed in-country.
Cons: Quality and price vary wildly from company to company, and pseudo-companies with fake customer references may exist.
Insider tip: The software market here is much more diverse in price and quality than stateside. Due diligence is key.
EGYPT: Rookie.
Geopolitical risk.
English proficiency.
Average programmer salary: (minimum wage is around $US400/year)Infrastructure: Fair. Reasonably modern telecom infrastructure. Telecom Egypt, though in the process of deregulation, has little competition and keeps rates high.
Pros: Egypt says it is keen to become a key player in the global IT industry.
Cons: IT skills shortage, security issues and high tariffs stymie growth.
Insider tip: Egypt is one of the most protected markets in the world with no signs of changing anytime soon. Government "support" is all talk, no action.
POLAND: Up-and-comer.
Geopolitical risk.
English proficiency.
Average programmer salary: ($US4800-$8000/year; minimum wage is $US1584/year)Infrastructure:
GoodPros: Good intellectual capital, and more of it than Hungary and the Czech Republic. Minimal costs.
Cons: Like most Eastern European countries, the nascent industry here needs time to grow and mature. Insider tip: If Poland can figure out how to retain its brain trust, Poland's capabilities look promising.
UKRAINE: Up-and-comer.
Geopolitical risk.
English proficiency.
Average programmer salary: ($US4968-$11,736/year)Infrastructure: Poor. Local telephone service in need of upgrades, monopolies charge steep rates, and privatisation has been postponed.
Pros: Plenty of high-quality, high-level engineers for minimal investment. Thirty-nine technology-oriented schools churn out 3000 IT-related degrees each year.
Cons: Like Russia, there are concerns about the economy, government, tax system, corruption, intellectual property laws and cultural barriers. Skilled project managers are scarce.
Insider tip: If the national anthem, which declares "Ukraine has not yet died", is any indication, Ukrainians are an undaunted, if not entirely upbeat, people.
Join the CIO Australia group on LinkedIn. The group is open to CIOs, IT Directors, COOs, CTOs and senior IT managers.