Yep. On the other hand, solid sofware engineers are never really disposable - it takes probably 6-12 months on average for SE to ramp-up to full productivity on

Yep. On the other hand, solid sofware engineers are never really disposable - it takes probably 6-12 months on average for SE to ramp-up to full productivity on a team. Even after that period, he/she will grow still, having more influence on the design, the process etc. It's not a smart move to ditch such highly performing remote worker for a fresh local one.