Question 1

How much does a Filipino virtual assistant cost?

Accepted Answer

A Filipino VA engagement through StaffPilot starts from $55/day, roughly $1,650/month, all-inclusive (incl. GST). That covers the VA's salary, our recruitment and management fee, payroll handling, and onboarding support. Senior specialists sit a little higher; we'll quote the exact figure on the discovery call once we know the role. There are no upfront placement fees, no lock-in contracts, and we handle the Wise transfers to the VA directly so you never touch foreign payroll.

Question 2

How long does it take to hire a VA through StaffPilot?

Accepted Answer

Most clients have a shortlist within 5 business days of submitting their brief. Total time from first call to your VA starting work is usually 7 to 14 days. Faster if you have urgency, slower if you want to interview multiple candidates. We don't push you to hire the first person we send through. The match needs to be right.

Question 3

What happens if the VA doesn't work out?

Accepted Answer

If the placement isn't working in the first 90 days we replace the VA at no additional cost. Beyond 90 days we still help with replacements and reduce or waive our re-recruitment fee depending on the situation. We have a 92% retention rate at 12 months, so replacements are rare, but the safety net is there.

Question 4

How do you vet candidates?

Accepted Answer

Every VA goes through a four-stage process before we shortlist them: skills testing, English fluency assessment, cultural fit interview, and a reference check against previous remote roles. We also run candidates through AI screening that flags risk factors like inconsistent work history or vague answers. Less than 8% of applicants make it through to a client shortlist.

Question 5

Do Filipino VAs work Australian hours?

Accepted Answer

Yes. By default our VAs work Australian time zones, typically 9am to 5pm AEST or AEDT depending on your state. Many clients prefer this overlap for real-time collaboration. Some clients run their VAs on Philippines time when the work is asynchronous (overnight reporting, e-commerce order processing, customer service for global stores). We can match either pattern based on what your business needs.

Question 6

How do payments work?

Accepted Answer

You pay StaffPilot a single monthly invoice in AUD. We handle the Wise transfer to your VA in Philippine Pesos. There are no foreign currency surprises and no separate contractor admin on your end. Invoices go out on the 15th and end of month for active engagements.

Question 7

Are VAs employees or contractors?

Accepted Answer

VAs are engaged as independent contractors through StaffPilot. We hold the contractor relationship, handle the ICSA paperwork, manage payments, and provide ongoing support. You get the working relationship without the legal complexity of cross-border employment.

Question 8

What about confidentiality, data security, and IP?

Accepted Answer

Every VA signs a confidentiality and IP assignment agreement before starting any work. That agreement assigns all work product to your business and binds them to confidentiality even after the engagement ends. We also brief VAs on security basics like password managers, two-factor authentication, and not sharing client data outside agreed tools. If your business has specific compliance requirements like ISO 27001 or healthcare data handling, we can layer those into the engagement.

Question 9

Can I interview the candidate before hiring?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Every shortlisted candidate is yours to interview. We typically present 2 to 4 candidates per role. You run the interview, we sit in if helpful, and you choose who you want to work with. You're never assigned a VA without your sign-off.

Question 10

What kind of equipment and internet do your VAs have?

Accepted Answer

Every VA we place has a personal laptop or desktop with at least 8GB RAM, a working webcam, a USB headset, and a fibre or high-speed home internet connection with at least 50 Mbps down. We verify this during the vetting process. VAs are also expected to have a backup internet option, usually a mobile hotspot, for outages.

Question 11

Do you handle onboarding and training?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We run a structured first-week onboarding that covers introductions, tool access, communication norms, and goal setting with you. Beyond week one, you direct the work. We stay involved through monthly check-ins with both you and the VA to surface any friction early.

Question 12

What happens when my VA is sick or takes leave?

Accepted Answer

VAs receive 10 days of paid leave per year plus Philippine public holidays. For unplanned sick leave or short absences, we can usually arrange interim cover from another vetted VA within our talent pool. Longer absences are managed case by case with you. You're never left without communication.

Question 13

Can I scale from one VA to a full team?

Accepted Answer

Yes, this is the most common growth pattern we see. Most clients start with one VA, prove the model in 60 to 90 days, then add a second or third. We can also build a dedicated team of 5 or more VAs reporting through a team lead if you reach that stage. The infrastructure scales with you.

Question 14

Can I hire a VA part-time?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we place part-time VAs at 20 hours per week or 4 hours per day, depending on what works for both sides. Pricing is roughly half of full-time, with the same vetting and onboarding process.

Question 15

How is StaffPilot different from freelancer platforms like Upwork or Fiverr?

Accepted Answer

Freelancer platforms put you in a marketplace with thousands of candidates and leave you to vet, hire, manage, and pay each one. StaffPilot is a managed service. We hand-pick candidates against your brief, vet them properly, handle payroll, and stay involved as a backstop. The result is long-term placements that average 18 months, not project hires that churn every few weeks.

Question 16

What languages do your VAs speak?

Accepted Answer

All our VAs speak professional-level English, scored 7 out of 10 or higher on our internal fluency assessment. Most also speak Tagalog natively. Some speak additional regional dialects like Cebuano or Ilocano. If you need other languages like Mandarin or Spanish, we can source for that on request.

Question 17

What roles can a Filipino VA actually do?

Accepted Answer

The most common roles we place are administrative support, customer service, e-commerce management, marketing coordination, sales support, executive assistance, social media management, and bookkeeping. We also place specialists like graphic designers, video editors, and software developers when the brief calls for it. See our Services page for the full breakdown.

Question 18

Do you work with non-Australian businesses?

Accepted Answer

Our primary focus is Australian businesses, which is where most of our experience and time zone overlap sits. We've placed VAs for clients in New Zealand and the United Kingdom as well. If you're outside those markets we can still help, but the time zone match and our market expertise are strongest for Australia.

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Filipino VA Hiring Questions, Answered

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