How Much is a Virtual Assistant in the Philippines? Rates, Expectations, Tips

The Philippines has had a reputation among international companies for its outsourcing and Virtual Assistant (VA) market. With diverse, highly efficient, and experienced professionals who are hardworking, they’re the go-to people companies reach out to access a cost-effective workforce. But hiring Virtual Assistants in the Philippines is one thing, and paying them is another. 

You might be on the fence about outsourcing to Filipino VAs because you think it could be more trouble than it’s worth. For one, you need to figure out how much is a Virtual Assistant in the Philippines. Then, set up a regular payment schedule and find a payment platform that works for you and them.

In this article, we’ll share the average rates of Filipino VAs, how to pay them, expectations to set up, and VA hiring tips to help you establish a seamless outsourcing journey from start to finish.  

How much is a Virtual Assistant in the Philippines?

Average Virtual Assistant Rates

Many would agree that hiring VAs in the Philippines is a more cost-effective option compared to their counterparts without sacrificing work output and quality. 

Entry-level VA

The average pay of an entry-level Virtual Assistant in the Philippines with 0 – 2 years of experience is between USD 400 – 600 monthly or AUD 600 – 950. 

Mid-level VA

Mid-level Virtual Assistants with 3 – 6 years of experience get paid around USD 600 – 800 monthly or AUD 950 – 1260. They’re the ideal choice if you want someone with a broader skillset who can handle various tasks like social media, content marketing, or customer service.

High-level VA

As for a more experienced VA with a highly specialised skillset like digital marketing, finance, graphic design, or real estate, these professionals can go for around USD 800 – 1200 monthly or AUD 1260 – 1900. Note: these VAs can go for higher rates, considering their industry experience and efficiency. 

Although you might encounter cheaper alternatives, there is no denying the efficiency, professionalism, and work quality of Filipino VAs. Most (if not all) of them are college/university graduates with industry experience and can adapt to different work cultures.  

How you can pay a Virtual Assistant in the Philippines?

When you choose to outsource, there are various things to prepare to pay your Virtual Assistants in the Philippines (which we will list below). But, when you go through an outsourcing provider like OMB, they will take over any salary, benefits, and even healthcare, so all you can focus on is improving your operations. 

1. Set Salary Dates

Lay out beforehand whether you will pay them monthly or bi-weekly. 

Ultimately, it will depend on your business preferences and needs. If you only have a few hours a month to commit to setting up payroll, it’s best to set up salaries once a month. A bi-weekly pay option is also manageable if you have someone to help you calculate payroll. 

Before you hire a VA, mention your salary dates to clear out misunderstandings from the get-go.

2. Choose a payment platform

There are a few payment platforms among hundreds available to transfer money online.

Popular payment platforms among Filipino Virtual Assistants are PayPal and Wise. Both are trusted and credible options. As for transfer fees, PayPal is a bit on the higher scale with a 2% transaction fee for international payouts, whereas Wise only has a $7.43 + 0.62% for USD to PHP transfers and $1.77 + 0.65% for AUD to PHP transfers. 

As for customer support, Wise has a more responsive service on weekdays and can help you with your inquiries almost instantly. 

Exchange rates for both platforms are up-to-date, but Wise converts using an inter-bank rate to save time instead of the marked-up rate used by PayPal. 

3. Set up time-tracking

As your VAs work remotely, time-tracking tools are essential in confirming their output, performance, productivity, and work-time activities. 

At Outsource My Business, we typically use Time Doctor for our VAs because of its great tracking features that work with most office devices. It has well-rounded features like work time tracking, working patterns, screencasts, and analytics for various employee activities.

It’s also an affordable time-tracking platform for only $6.70 per user/month. 

Training, Healthcare, and Benefits

When your Virtual Assistants get healthcare, benefits and bonuses, and consistent training, you can expect happy (and healthy) team members. 

If you’re considering hiring Filipino VAs, we strongly suggest that you consider additional costs like:

• Health Insurance
• Training
• Tools & Software
• Incentives and Bonuses

Supporting these costs can positively impact your VA’s work performance and dedication, considering you are giving them avenues to earn more and be more content with their work. Adding the complementary costs mentioned above attracts more applicants when hiring VAs, especially if you’re hiring them full-time. 

Virtual Assistant Expectations

Cost of Virtual Assistants vs Local Staffing

When you compare hiring Virtual Assistants and local staffing, you can see the pros and cons on both sides. And it’s up to you to choose which option is best for your business. 

As for cost-effectiveness, hiring a VA in the Philippines is better than hiring locally. The Philippines often has more competitive rates than local talent and can still provide quality work output, even remotely. 

VAs generally work as independent contractors or freelancers, so you won’t have to worry about work devices, office spaces, health insurance and other benefits. Although we highly encourage that you also (at least partially) cover additional benefits costs like health insurance, training and workshops, and benefits and incentives if you’re looking for someone who will stay long-term. 

But even with all those added costs, there will still be a substantial financial difference compared to hiring local talents without compromising quality.  

Skills & Experience

Filipino Virtual Assistants have various skills and expertise that support different business functions. However, the most common responsibilities businesses outsource to VAs are administrative support, customer service, digital marketing, and finance. 

This versatility allowed them to be competent in various tasks, particularly routine tasks that prevented them from focusing on core business initiatives. Their cost-effectiveness comes from their all-around skills, which allow you to operate more smoothly and proactively without the hefty recruitment costs. 

One of the most essential things to expect when you hire a VA is their communication and project management skills. Being able to communicate ensures effective collaboration and establishes expectations, timelines, and project goals. 

Project management is also a critical skill because they should be able to coordinate across different time zones to build trust and reliability and keep tasks on track to complete projects on time and within scope. 

If you’re hiring a VA, ensure they have the skills mentioned above. This approach allows them to manage workloads, prioritise tasks, provide updates, and support your business according to your goals. You can train them to do other tasks in the future, but this foundation creates a harmonious working relationship that moves forward to success.  

Performance

When hiring a VA, set clear and attainable expectations beforehand to clear any miscommunications. 

One way to do that is to set Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to establish efficient operations and task management once you assign them to your VA. SOPs serve as a detailed outline of standard company practices and processes that one must follow. This step is especially critical if you tailor your operations to your industry. One example is security awareness for finance-related tasks. 

Setting performance expectations ensures VAs understand their responsibilities and perform their tasks consistently and efficiently. SOPs simply offer a well-documented approach to minimise (and easily mitigate) errors and miscommunications.

Aside from SOPs, using Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) along with other metrics (that are appropriate in their respective responsibilities) for performance evaluation is essential. KPIs provide a measurable framework to help asses your VA’s effectiveness and efficiency. This way, you can objectively evaluate their performance, recognise their achievements, and identify areas that need improvement. 

Tips for Hiring Virtual Assistants in the Philippines

1. Define Your Goals

Before you start the VA hiring process, make sure that you clearly define your business goals and objectives to understand what you hope to achieve with your Virtual Assistant. This step will also guide your search and ensure you select the right candidate. 

Questions you need to think about are:

• What tasks do you need assistance from a VA?
• Are there any projects or recurring duties that VAs could handle more efficiently than you?
• Would you need a long-term or short-term VA?

These questions help you take a structured approach and ensure your long-term vision at every step. 

2. Outline Job Roles & Responsibilities

Outline job roles and responsibilities from the get-go. The more detailed, the better. 

To start, draft a clear and comprehensive job description. If you have an outsourcing agency that hires VAs, be transparent with your requirements and goals. It’s also helpful to outline the specific tasks, responsibilities, and expectations you want from a VA. 

This process helps set expectations and attracts the right candidates who fit the criteria you’re looking for. 

3. Consider VAs with Specialised Skills

What skills do you need for your business right now to get you in the right direction? 

It is always best to hire specialised professionals, whether it’s in administrative support, customer service, digital marketing, or finance. These specialised experts will help align your strategies with your goals correctly.

4. Leverage Outsourcing Agencies like OMB

There are reputable outsourcing agencies like OMB that you can leverage to find the right Filipino VAs for your team. They will take over the recruitment process for you, and all you need to do is choose from a vetted pool of candidates and become there for the final interview. 

When you partner with an outsourcing agency, they also handle the HR responsibilities, so you will not need to worry about payroll, government contributions, benefits, and health insurance. All you need is to pay a monthly fee, and you’re good to go. 

If hiring an agency is not an option, you can also DIY and hire through VA hiring platforms, where you can sort out applicants and resumes yourself. This way, you have more control over applications. The downside is it is time-consuming and requires too much grunt work. 

5. Have a Flexible and Fair Compensation Strategy

A fair and competitive salary will always attract the best candidates. Refer to the information above on how much to pay for a Virtual Assistant in the Philippines. You can also include additional benefits like annual and personal leave to attract and retain top VA talent. 

As for compensation, establish a clear schedule from the get to prevent any confusion and misunderstandings. If you’re working with an agency, discuss their salary schedules and update some changes if you want your VA salaries to be consistent with your internal team.

If you have more specific preferences, such as devices and internet connection, you can provide them with these incentives and sometimes even allowances/bonuses. Down the line, this will depend on your preferences and what your business requires. 

Hire a Virtual Assistant in the Philippines with Outsource My Business!

Now that you understand how much a Virtual Assistant costs in the Philippines, You will have to evaluate your requirements, assess your options and costs and decide which solution aligns with your goals and values. 

Sounds easy, right? It should be if you’re with the right outsourcing partner like OMB. When you outsource with OMB, you’ll get all the information you need, plus the luxury of having a capable team handle your VA recruitment and HR requirements. Just let us know the experience, skill set, and specialisation you need, and we’ll do the rest.

To build a reliable Virtual Assistant team in the Philippines, connect with Outsource My Business (OMB). We will connect you with specialised talents experienced in helping businesses grow through streamlined operations and increased productivity. Whether you are looking for an entry-level VA or high-level experts, we make it easy for you to find the right one for your business. 

Ready to scale your business with a trusted VA? Feel free to contact us here today!