Hire remote staff in Kenya
Kenya ranks 19th of 123 countries on EF's English index, and a Nairobi workday covers UK mornings. Here's what Kenyan remote staff cost, the hours they cover and how paying them works, from cited sources.
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What remote staff in Kenya charge
- Freelance VA rate on Upwork, Kenya
- $6–15/hr
What virtual assistants in Kenya list on Upwork. Upwork (opens in a new tab), checked Oct 2026
- US employee wage, median
- $23.23/hr
Secretaries and administrative assistants, $48,310 a year. US Bureau of Labor Statistics (opens in a new tab), May 2025 data
Kenya time zone and working hours
Nairobi is on East Africa Time (EAT), UTC+3, all year: it never changes its clocks, so only your side moves.
Your US Eastern 9-to-5, in Nairobi
- Your standard time (EST)
- 5 pm to 1 am
- Your summer time (EDT)
- 4 pm to midnight
- Shared hours
- 0 hours
- Shared hours, your summer
- 1 hour
Your US Pacific 9-to-5, in Nairobi
- Your standard time (PST)
- 8 pm to 4 am
- Your summer time (PDT)
- 7 pm to 3 am
- Shared hours
- 0 hours
Your London 9-to-5, in Nairobi
- Your standard time (GMT)
- noon to 8 pm
- Your summer time (BST)
- 11 am to 7 pm
- Shared hours
- 5 hours
- Shared hours, your summer
- 6 hours
Your Sydney 9-to-5, in Nairobi
- Your standard time (AEST)
- 2 am to 10 am
- Your summer time (AEDT)
- 1 am to 9 am
- Shared hours
- 1 hour
- Shared hours, your summer
- 0 hours
| Your 9-to-5 | In Nairobi, your standard time | In Nairobi, your summer time | Shared hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Eastern | 5 pm to 1 amEST | 4 pm to midnightEDT | 0 hours1 hour in summer |
| US Pacific | 8 pm to 4 amPST | 7 pm to 3 amPDT | 0 hours |
| London | noon to 8 pmGMT | 11 am to 7 pmBST | 5 hours6 hours in summer |
| Sydney | 2 am to 10 amAEST | 1 am to 9 amAEDT | 1 hour0 hours in summer |
The other way round: a 9-to-5 in Nairobi, in January
- US Eastern (EST)
- 1 am to 9 am
- US Pacific (PST)
- 10 pm to 6 am
- London (GMT)
- 6 am to 2 pm
- Sydney (AEDT)
- 5 pm to 1 am
Shared hours are the part of both 9-to-5s that overlaps. Every profile shows which business hours the person covers. IANA time zone database (opens in a new tab), checked Oct 2026
English in Kenya
EF's English Proficiency Index 2025 ranks Kenya 19th of 123 countries, with a score of 593, in its “high” band. It's based on people who chose to take EF's test, so treat it as a rough guide.
EF English Proficiency Index (opens in a new tab), 2025 edition
On StaffPick you don't rely on a national average: everyone takes the same English test, and their CEFR band and score sit on their profile. What the CEFR bands mean at work.
Paying someone in Kenya
- Wise
Wise sends Kenyan shillings to local bank accounts.
Wise (opens in a new tab), checked Oct 2026
- Safaricom
Safaricom's PayPal service moves a PayPal balance into the person's own M-PESA wallet, in shillings.
Safaricom, PayPal to M-PESA (opens in a new tab), checked Oct 2026
- Hire Direct, $79 a month
- Request intros, then pay the person directly, in the way you both agree.
- Done For You, their pay plus $399 a month
- StaffPick pays them for you and replaces them free if it doesn't work out.
Holidays and the law
- Public holidays
Kenya's Public Holidays Act lets the Interior Cabinet Secretary declare extra public holidays by notice in the Kenya Gazette, so one-off days off can come at short notice.
Public Holidays Act (Cap. 110) (opens in a new tab), Kenya Law, latest version
Agree up front which days they take off, and what happens if you need them on one.
- Contractor or employee
Kenya's main employment law is the Employment Act, 2007.
Employment Act, 2007 (opens in a new tab), Kenya Law, latest version
Whether someone counts as an employee usually depends on how the work really happens (who sets the hours, who directs the work, how they're paid), not on what the contract calls them. If you hire a contractor, keep it a contractor relationship, or use an employer of record. This is general information, not legal or tax advice.
Roles you can hire
Each guide covers what the role does, cited rates and how we test the people you'll meet.
Tested Kenyan staff on StaffPick
Live profiles. Each person passed the English, typing and role tests, and we reviewed the profile before it went live.
Questions about hiring in Kenya
Still unsure? Contact us. A person reads every message.
Keep reading
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- Virtual assistant cost calculatorMonthly cost by role, country, hours and how you hire, from published rates.