A comprehensive guide to payment rates, options, and methods when you outsource work to digital staff located in the Philippines.

Filipino virtual assistants are gaining a reputation for excellence worldwide. They speak English, aim to please with a dedicated work ethic and a warm sense of humor, and are well-versed in Western culture. The BPO industry keeps growing in this country. More and more businesses, small and large-scale, are catching up to the value for money when they choose to outsource to Filipino freelancers.

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You know what you want and need your VA to do. You have a plan, a layout of task flow. Now you want to factor your salary budget. Here’s our own definitive guide.

What’s the average rate for Filipino virtual assistants? How much do I pay?

Upwork (formerly oDesk) set the standards recently when it made $3 the minimum hourly rate for all freelancers. Before this, entry-level (beginners) data entry positions were snapped up for as little as $1.50 per hour.

Considering inflation, the current entry level rate is very low at $3.33 per hour. This is a VA you’ll have to train and supervise, or whose tasks doesn’t require expertise and experience.

For a veteran virtual assistant with years of experience, technical know-how and a well-rounded skill set, the “average” rate is $5 to $10.

Fixed rates. Some writers and graphic designers prefer charging a fixed price for every project, depending on the word count and complexity of the task. Average rates: $20 to $50 for a short blog post or a graphic.

How do I make my payment to my Filipino virtual assistant?

Payment methods and options depend entirely on you and your virtual assistant. You want the smallest fees and the least hassle in transferring and receiving the money.

Remit straight to their local bank. You need your freelancer’s bank code, bank name and bank account number. Inquire with your own bank, or sign up with various money transfer services. Australia has plenty because outsourcing is popular there and some Filipino expats have established money transfer as a business, like iRemit. Other options are Currency Online and Paymate.

Paypal. Widely used in the Philippines. The money is instantly transferred to your virtual assistant’s own PayPal account. They can use this instantly, or withdraw it to their own bank accounts. This takes 2-5 banking days. Fees depend on the location (cheapest from the US) and the transaction–lower for ‘personal’ transactions, or the ‘business’ mass payment method if you have to pay more than 2-3 freelancers.

“Payment for services or goods” removes a 5% chunk on your VA’s money after you transfer funds, and many are not fond of that.

Paypal Alternatives

Skrill (formerly Moneybookers). Great if you’re based in Western Europe.

With Skrill, you can make secure online payments with just your email address and password. All your money is stored securely online, and you can easily transfer it between your account and the sites you frequent.

Payoneer

Payments made through Payoneer are processed at about the same rates as those of PayPal, and your virtual assistant can immediately put those funds to use in the form of a Mastercard debit/ATM card, which they can use to make instantaneous ATM withdrawals or pay for goods and services online or in person.

Payza

Users of Payza are able to send and receive funds using their own personal Payza accounts.

There are separate business and individual accounts available, and merchants can set up “pay now” buttons on their websites so that customers who don’t have Payza accounts can still use their credit cards to make purchases.

Wise

Wise has its own payment network of thousands of bank accounts all over the world.

Because of this, money can be transferred through Wise quickly, cheaply, and without the threat of hidden fees from middlemen. This cost reduction is ultimately passed on to customers through reduced service fees and improved exchange rates.

Quickbooks

For many companies, QuickBooks is the go-to accounting software. Since QuickBooks Payments is designed to work in tandem with your existing QuickBooks accounts, setting it up is a breeze if you use QuickBooks for your accounting needs.

You can use QuickBooks Payments for a wide variety of purposes, including accepting mobile payments, sending invoices from a desktop computer or mobile app, setting up recurring billing, and getting real-time alerts when customers view or pay invoices.

Through payment terms with the agency or the platform.

Upwork, Freelancer, USource, and many other freelancer hubs have payment terms and options you can easily fund with your credit card.

Freelancer protection has been improved greatly over the years. Upwork now has an escrow to guarantee payment for fixed price projects. Hourly jobs are automatically billed, but a history of forgotten or abandoned payments happen for fixed price jobs.

These are now ‘funded’ as soon as the contract starts. Payment happens when you release or approve the ‘milestone’ upon your freelancer’s completion of the task.

When do I pay my virtual assistant?

If you’re on a fixed rate project, pay as soon as the project is completed. Approve the milestone.

(Should you withhold payment in case you want the task edited/redone? No. Redoing the work until you’re happy is an unspoken part of every contract.)

For monthly salaries, the staggered pay for the 15th and 30th of the month is not necessary. Many freelancers are happy with a salary at the end of the month.

At Upwork, even when funds are ready, freelancers often withdraw at fixed times as a form of discipline, to accumulate funds, and to reduce or completely do away with the fees. Paypal has no fees for withdrawals of more than Php7000, while Upwork has a $0.99 withdrawal fee regardless of amount. That dollar seems big when subtracted from $20, but it’s nothing when removed from $200.

Extras for Your Virtual Assistant: Internet, equipment, health benefits, taxes…

Do I pay for their internet connection and their equipment? That’s entirely up to you. Many freelancers consider these essential investments for their career and gladly upgrade their subscription and tech when funds allow.

Granted, “when funds allow” have different definitions for every freelancer. Many are the sole breadwinners in their family, and always allocate money for the family first and foremost.

What about bonuses? Again, entirely up to you. Filipino virtual assistants will love you and brag about you if you remember their birthdays and, of course, Christmas.

Freelance tax filing? If you have government-registered freelancers, they must file taxes regardless of whether or not they are currently receiving income. Filipino freelancers aim to be tax-compliant these days for their own peace of mind and as future-proofing: taxpayers have better opportunities in local contracts, financing, and visa applications.