How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Filipino Virtual Assistant in Australia?

If you're considering hiring a Filipino virtual assistant or professional to work with your Australian business, the first question is usually simple: how much does it cost?

For most roles, Filipino professionals working with Australian businesses typically cost between $8 and $15 AUD per hour. That means a full-time professional working around 40 hours per week can cost approximately $1,400–$2,600 AUD per month, depending on their experience, skills, seniority and the role you're hiring for.

But there isn't one standard Filipino VA rate. An administration assistant, experienced bookkeeper, senior digital marketer and professional video editor will all have different market rates.

This guide breaks down what you can expect to pay in 2026, what influences the rate and what you should consider beyond the hourly cost.

Filipino virtual assistant rates in Australia

Here are indicative rates for some of the most common roles businesses hire from the Philippines:

How much does a Filipino VA cost per hour?

For many general administration and support positions, rates can start from around $8 AUD per hour. As the role becomes more specialised, the rate generally increases. A useful guide is:

• $8/hr — administration and less specialised roles
• $10/hr — experienced administration, bookkeeping, video editing and specialist support
• $12/hr — experienced professionals and more specialised roles
• $15/hr+ — senior, highly specialised or management-level positions

The important thing is not to treat these numbers as fixed salary bands. Two people with the same job title can have very different experience levels, skill sets and market value.

How much does a Filipino VA cost full-time?

If you're hiring someone for approximately 40 hours per week, the monthly cost can be calculated from their hourly rate. For example:

• $8 per hour — approximately $1,390 per month
• $10 per hour — approximately $1,730 per month
• $12 per hour — approximately $2,080 per month
• $15 per hour — approximately $2,600 per month

These figures are useful for budgeting and assume approximately 40 hours per week. Your actual monthly cost will depend on the agreed working arrangement.

How much does a part-time Filipino VA cost?

You don't always need someone full-time. For businesses that only need additional capacity for part of the week, 20 hours per week can be a practical starting point. For example, at $10 per hour:

• 20 hours/week = approximately $870/month
• 40 hours/week = approximately $1,730/month

Part-time professionals can be particularly useful for roles such as:

• Administration
• Bookkeeping
• Customer support
• Social media
• Graphic design
• Video editing
• Marketing assistance
• Real estate administration

As the workload grows, you can increase their hours or add another professional to your team.

What determines the cost of a Filipino virtual assistant?

There is no single Filipino VA hourly rate. Several factors influence what you'll pay.

1. Experience

Experience is one of the biggest factors. A professional with several years of relevant experience can generally command a higher rate than someone starting out. However, experienced professionals can also require less training and supervision.

For example, hiring an experienced bookkeeper who already understands your systems can be more valuable than hiring a cheaper candidate who needs months of training.

2. Technical skills

Specialist technical skills can increase the rate. Depending on the role, this might include experience with:

• Xero
• PropertyMe
• Adobe Premiere Pro
• After Effects
• Photoshop
• Illustrator
• Meta Ads Manager
• Google Ads
• SEO platforms
• CRM systems
• Project management software
• Accounting software
• Industry-specific platforms

If you need someone who can walk into the role and start contributing quickly, those skills matter.

3. Industry experience

Someone who already understands your industry can often get up to speed faster. For example, a real estate professional who already understands property management, listings, inspections, maintenance, arrears and PropertyMe may be more valuable to an Australian real estate business than a general administration assistant.

The same applies to finance, marketing, construction, agencies, ecommerce, technology and other specialist industries.

4. Seniority

Not every offshore professional is a junior VA. You can recruit:

• Experienced specialists
• Senior professionals
• Team leaders
• Managers
• Highly specialised technical professionals

The more responsibility and expertise the position requires, the more the rate can increase.

5. Role complexity

A role that involves following established processes will generally have a different market rate from one where the professional is expected to independently manage projects, clients, campaigns or business functions.

For example, there's a significant difference between an administration assistant processing information and an experienced operations professional managing an entire workflow.

Is a Filipino virtual assistant just a VA?

Not necessarily. “Virtual assistant” is often used as a broad term, but the professionals available in the Philippines extend well beyond traditional administrative support.

Businesses recruit Filipino professionals for roles across administration, finance, marketing, creative, operations, technology, customer support and specialist roles.

At TD Hire, we recruit around the actual role, not simply the title “VA”. That could mean finding an Executive Assistant, Bookkeeper, Video Editor, Digital Marketing Manager, Graphic Designer, Real Estate Administrator, Finance professional or another specialist.

You're not hiring because they're Filipino. You're hiring because they're the right person for the job — and they're based in the Philippines.

What does it cost to find the right Filipino VA?

This is where businesses need to look beyond the hourly rate. You can advertise a role yourself and potentially receive hundreds of applications. But then you need to:

• Review applications
• Check employment history
• Assess relevant experience
• Interview candidates
• Check communication
• Test technical skills
• Review practical work
• Shortlist candidates
• Conduct interviews
• Make the final decision

And if you choose the wrong person, you start again. The hourly rate might look cheap, but the cost of a bad hire can be much higher.

How TD Hire recruits Filipino professionals

TD Hire takes care of the recruitment process before you meet the candidates.

1. We understand your role

We learn exactly what you need the person to do, including experience, skills, software and industry requirements.

2. We source the market

Depending on the role, we can review 100–300+ applicants to identify relevant talent.

3. We find the standouts

We assess experience, communication, technical capability, industry knowledge and overall fit.

4. We test their skills

Where appropriate, candidates complete role-specific skill testing.

5. You meet the strongest candidates

We introduce the people worth your time.

6. Your brief. Their work.

You can give shortlisted candidates a practical brief from your own business. This gives you the opportunity to see how they actually approach the work before making your final decision.

7. You choose your person

You make the final call. We find the people worth meeting. You decide who joins your team.

What does TD Hire charge?

TD Hire offers two ways to hire.

Direct Hire

With Direct Hire, TD Hire handles the recruitment process and introduces you to the strongest candidates. You hire the professional directly and manage them as part of your team.

Placement fee: from $2,000 one-off. There are no ongoing TD Hire recruitment fees after the placement. Direct Hire also includes a 6-month replacement guarantee, subject to the terms of the agreement.

Managed Service

Managed Service is designed for businesses that want ongoing support around their contractor. You still manage the professional and their day-to-day work. TD Hire handles the agreed offshore administration, including contractor payment administration, timesheets, invoicing and ongoing support.

$500 onboarding + ongoing Partner support fee. The professional remains an independent contractor.

Is hiring a Filipino VA worth it?

The answer depends on what you're hiring them to do and who you hire. The biggest mistake is looking only at the lowest hourly rate.

An $8/hour professional who needs constant training and supervision may provide less value than a $12/hour professional who already has the exact experience you need and can independently handle the role.

The goal isn't to find the cheapest person. It's to find the right person. That's why TD Hire focuses on recruiting around the role, assessing candidates and giving businesses the opportunity to see their work before making the final decision.

Why Australian businesses hire Filipino professionals

For many businesses, the attraction isn't simply the hourly rate. It's the ability to add another capable professional to the team without having to build every role locally.

That can mean more capacity, more output, more specialised skills and more room to grow. You can start with one professional and build from there — administration today, finance tomorrow, then marketing, creative, operations or specialist roles as your business grows.

Filipino VA cost: the bottom line

Bottom line: For many roles, you can expect to pay approximately $8–$15 AUD per hour for Filipino professional talent — roughly $1,400–$2,600 per month for full-time hours. The final rate depends on the role, experience, skills, seniority and requirements.

But the hourly rate is only one part of the decision. The real value comes from finding someone who can actually do the job, fits your business and becomes a genuine extension of your team. That's what TD Hire is built to do.

You tell us who you need. We find the people worth meeting. You choose who joins your team.

Frequently asked questions