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Hire remote staff in the Philippines

Manila is on UTC+8 all year, so Australian mornings fall in its working day and a US workday is its night shift. Here's what Filipino remote staff cost, the hours they cover for US, UK and Australian teams, and how paying them works.

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What remote staff in the Philippines charge

Full-time VA salary, as workers report it
$480–2,000/month

Beginner $480–900 to expert $1,200–2,000. OnlineJobs.ph salary guide (opens in a new tab), updated April 2026

Freelance VA rate on Upwork, all VAs
$10–20/hr

$13 median. Upwork says Philippines-based freelancers often sit at the lower end of that range for general admin work. Upwork, Philippines VA page (opens in a new tab), checked Oct 2026

Local salary, Philippine employers
₱27,225/month

What local companies advertise for VA jobs, not what foreign clients pay. Indeed Philippines, local job postings (opens in a new tab), Oct 2026

Philippines time zone and working hours

Manila is on Philippine Standard Time (PHT), UTC+8, all year: it never changes its clocks, so only your side moves.

  • Your US Eastern 9-to-5, in Manila

    Your standard time (EST)
    10 pm to 6 am
    Your summer time (EDT)
    9 pm to 5 am
    Shared hours
    0 hours

  • Your US Pacific 9-to-5, in Manila

    Your standard time (PST)
    1 am to 9 am
    Your summer time (PDT)
    midnight to 8 am
    Shared hours
    0 hours

  • Your London 9-to-5, in Manila

    Your standard time (GMT)
    5 pm to 1 am
    Your summer time (BST)
    4 pm to midnight
    Shared hours
    0 hours
    Shared hours, your summer
    1 hour

  • Your Sydney 9-to-5, in Manila

    Your standard time (AEST)
    7 am to 3 pm
    Your summer time (AEDT)
    6 am to 2 pm
    Shared hours
    6 hours
    Shared hours, your summer
    5 hours

The other way round: a 9-to-5 in Manila, in January

US Eastern (EST)
8 pm to 4 am
US Pacific (PST)
5 pm to 1 am
London (GMT)
1 am to 9 am
Sydney (AEDT)
noon to 8 pm

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 the Philippines

EF's English Proficiency Index 2025 ranks the Philippines 28th of 123 countries, with a score of 569, 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 the Philippines

Wise

Wise sends pesos to any Philippine bank account, or to e-wallets such as GCash and Maya. E-wallet transfers are capped at ₱49,999 each.

Wise (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

Proclamation No. 1006 sets 10 regular holidays and 8 special non-working days for 2026. The longest breaks are Holy Week (2 to 4 April) and Christmas (24, 25, 30 and 31 December).

Agree up front which days they take off, and what happens if you need them on one.

Contractor or employee

Philippine employment law is the Labor Code. It also requires a 13th-month pay for rank-and-file employees (PD 851), which generally doesn't cover independent contractors.

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 Filipino 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 the Philippines

Still unsure? Contact us. A person reads every message.

Full-time VA salary, as workers report it: $480–2,000 a month. Beginner $480–900 to expert $1,200–2,000. Rates vary by role and experience, so check each person's own rate on their profile. Source: OnlineJobs.ph salary guide, updated April 2026.

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