diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/projects/ProjectModal.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/projects/ProjectModal.tsx
index 49c0a41..1f4cca2 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/projects/ProjectModal.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/projects/ProjectModal.tsx
@@ -499,8 +499,8 @@ export function ProjectModal({ project, onClose }: ProjectModalProps) {
                 </div>
                 <div>
                   <label className={labelClass} htmlFor="shoringThreshold">
-                    Max Offshore %
-                    <InfoTooltip content="Maximum allowed offshore staffing percentage (0-100). Triggers a warning when exceeded. Default: 55%." />
+                    Min Offshore %
+                    <InfoTooltip content="Minimum offshore staffing target (0-100). Green when met, red when below. Higher offshore = more cost-efficient. Default: 55%." />
                   </label>
                   <input
                     id="shoringThreshold"
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/projects/ShoringIndicator.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/projects/ShoringIndicator.tsx
index 2579cfe..14e9349 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/projects/ShoringIndicator.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/projects/ShoringIndicator.tsx
@@ -33,9 +33,10 @@ function getCountryColor(code: string): string {
 }
 
 function getSeverity(offshoreRatio: number, threshold: number): "green" | "yellow" | "red" {
-  if (offshoreRatio >= threshold) return "red";
-  if (offshoreRatio >= threshold - 10) return "yellow";
-  return "green";
+  // Higher offshore = better (cost-efficient). Threshold is the MINIMUM target.
+  if (offshoreRatio >= threshold) return "green";       // Target met
+  if (offshoreRatio >= threshold - 10) return "yellow"; // Close to target
+  return "red";                                          // Too little offshore
 }
 
 const SEVERITY_BADGE: Record<string, string> = {
@@ -127,7 +128,7 @@ export function ShoringIndicator({ projectId }: { projectId: string }) {
         </h3>
         <span className={`inline-block rounded-full px-2.5 py-0.5 text-xs font-medium ${SEVERITY_BADGE[severity]}`}>
           {data.offshoreRatio}% offshore
-          {severity === "red" ? ` — Above ${data.threshold}% limit` : ""}
+          {severity === "green" ? " — Target met" : severity === "red" ? ` — Below ${data.threshold}% target` : ""}
         </span>
       </div>
 
diff --git a/packages/api/src/router/assistant-tools.ts b/packages/api/src/router/assistant-tools.ts
index dd7c233..e46e7b6 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/router/assistant-tools.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/router/assistant-tools.ts
@@ -1389,7 +1389,7 @@ export const TOOL_DEFINITIONS: ToolDef[] = [
     type: "function",
     function: {
       name: "get_shoring_ratio",
-      description: "Get the onshore/offshore staffing ratio for a project. Shows the percentage of work hours allocated to each country, whether the project exceeds its nearshore threshold, and a full country breakdown.",
+      description: "Get the onshore/offshore staffing ratio for a project. Higher offshore is better (cost-efficient). The threshold is the MINIMUM offshore target. Shows country breakdown and whether the target is met.",
       parameters: {
         type: "object",
         properties: {
@@ -5576,9 +5576,13 @@ const executors = {
       .map(([code, info]) => `${code} ${info.pct}% (${info.resourceCount} people)`)
       .join(", ");
 
-    const warning = result.isAboveThreshold ? ` -- Above ${threshold}% offshore threshold!` : "";
+    const status = result.offshoreRatio >= threshold
+      ? `Target met (>=${threshold}% offshore)`
+      : result.offshoreRatio >= threshold - 10
+        ? `Close to target (${threshold}% offshore needed)`
+        : `Below target — only ${result.offshoreRatio}% offshore, need ${threshold}%`;
 
-    return `Project "${project.name}" (${project.shortCode}): ${result.onshoreRatio}% onshore (${onshoreCode}), ${result.offshoreRatio}% offshore. Breakdown: ${countryParts}.${warning}${result.unknownCount > 0 ? ` (${result.unknownCount} resource(s) without country)` : ""}`;
+    return `Project "${project.name}" (${project.shortCode}): ${result.onshoreRatio}% onshore (${onshoreCode}), ${result.offshoreRatio}% offshore. ${status}. Breakdown: ${countryParts}.${result.unknownCount > 0 ? ` (${result.unknownCount} resource(s) without country)` : ""}`;
   },
 };