Adding to the main reasons already mentioned by others; it's also about culture. Most companies have the perception that people who live close-by are more likel

Adding to the main reasons already mentioned by others; it's also about culture. Most companies have the perception that people who live close-by are more likely to fit into the existing culture. With that in mind, it does make sense to prioritize people in the same country/continent even for remote work. Also, the demand-suply for remote working engineers is way different, so it can be an alternative to relocting from abroad.