Search for outsourcing companies in Canada and you get a mix of very different businesses: large contact-centre groups, IT consultancies, payroll firms and offshore staffing companies. If you run a small or mid-size Canadian business, the real question is usually simpler: how do you add one to five dedicated people for admin, bookkeeping, customer support, marketing or property work without paying Canadian salaries, CPP, EI and benefits for every role?
This guide compares the outsourcing companies Canadian businesses actually choose between, with prices taken from each provider’s own website where they publish them (checked October 2026). We convert US dollars at C$1.4051 per US$1 (about C$1.41; ECB reference rate, 20 October 2026) and say so where a provider doesn’t publish prices.
Quick Answer
Most Canadian companies that outsource to the Philippines use either a large BPO for contact-centre volume or a dedicated-staff provider for one or a few people. For dedicated support, VA MASTERS recruits Filipino VAs from US$6.50/hr (about C$9.13), about C$1,460 a month full-time, who work the hours you set, with first candidates in about 2 business days. Large customer-experience companies with Philippine operations, such as TELUS Digital and IntouchCX, quote custom contracts; dedicated-assistant providers such as Stealth Agents (from US$1,600 a month full-time) and MyOutDesk (from US$1,988) publish monthly plans.
What Outsourcing Companies in Canada Do
Outsourcing companies that serve Canadian businesses fall into four groups. Decide which one you need before you compare names, because they are not interchangeable.
| Type | What you get | Typical buyer | How it’s priced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dedicated VA recruitment agency | A dedicated remote professional, recruited for your role, who works in your tools under your direction | Small and mid-size businesses hiring 1–5 people | Hourly or monthly per person |
| Offshore staffing company | Dedicated staff employed by the provider, often in its own Philippine office | Businesses building teams of 5 to 100+ | Monthly rate per staff member, usually quote-based |
| BPO and contact-centre company | A whole process run by the provider’s team and supervisors | High-volume customer service, sales or back-office work | Per agent, per hour or per transaction, custom contracts |
| IT outsourcing company | Software development, IT support or infrastructure, by project or dedicated team | Product companies and larger IT programs | Per project or per developer |
Freelance marketplaces and job boards are a fifth option: you post the job and do the recruiting, testing and management yourself. This guide focuses on the first three groups, because they are what most Canadian SMEs mean when they look for an outsourcing company. Running a business in the United States? See our guide to the best outsourcing companies in the US.
Traditional BPOs were built for repetitive tasks managed through middle management layers that separate the client from the worker. Modern business leaders don’t want an isolated call center. They want dedicated team members who understand their brand, work directly in their company tools, and help them accomplish high-level work.— Alon Pearl, Founder & CEO, VA MASTERS
Outsourcing Companies for Canadian Businesses Compared (2026)
The table puts each published price next to a full-time monthly cost, so you can compare like with like. Prices are from each provider’s own website in October 2026; “not published” means the provider quotes per client. C$ figures use C$1.4051 per US$1 (about C$1.41).
| Company | Model | Published price | Full-time per month | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VA MASTERS | Dedicated Filipino VA, custom-recruited for your role | US$6.50–$15/hr depending on the role (C$9.13–C$21.08) | C$1,460–C$3,370 (US$1,040–$2,400) | SMBs hiring one to five dedicated people |
| TELUS Digital | Customer-experience and digital IT outsourcing, Canadian | Custom contracts, not published | Quote | Large contact-centre and digital programs |
| IntouchCX | Customer-experience outsourcing, founded in Canada | Custom contracts, not published | Quote | Growing brands that need a managed support team |
| Stealth Agents | Dedicated executive assistants in the Philippines | From US$1,600/month (160 hours), plus a one-time onboarding fee | About C$2,250 | A fixed monthly plan |
| MyOutDesk | US-based managed VA provider | From US$1,988/month (Managed) or US$2,500 (Specialized), full-time | From about C$2,790 | A managed VA on a monthly plan |
| Wishup | VA subscription | Prime VA US$1,299/month (4-hour plan) or US$1,999 (8-hour plan) | About C$2,810 (8-hour plan) | Fast matching on a subscription |
| Athena | Premium executive assistants | US$3,000/month for one dedicated full-time EA, with an initial 90-day commitment | About C$4,220 | Founders who want a premium EA service |
| BELAY | US-based virtual assistants | Flat monthly fee, amount not published | Quote | Roles that need a US-based assistant |
| StaffVirtual | US-owned BPO with offices in the Philippines | Not published | Quote | Managed offshore teams |
Compare the full cost, not the headline. Some quotes are salary plus a service fee, some add onboarding fees, and office-based seats cost more than work-from-home staff. Ask every provider what its monthly figure includes and whether it is in US or Canadian dollars.
Best Outsourcing Companies for Canadian Businesses in 2026
We grouped these by what each does best. Read the “best for” line first: choosing the wrong type of provider is the most common outsourcing mistake. Two of the nine (TELUS Digital and IntouchCX) are Canadian; the others serve Canadian clients from the US or the Philippines. This guide is published by VA MASTERS.
1. VA MASTERS: Best for Dedicated Filipino VA Recruitment
VA MASTERS is a global virtual assistant recruitment agency, founded in 2021, that places Filipino VAs with businesses in the US, Canada, the UK, Australia and Europe. Every search is custom-built for the role, powered by a database of 400,000+ pre-assessed Filipino applicants, AI-assisted screening and human recruiters, and you meet the 2–3 best candidates.
Where the role needs it, candidates take a custom skills test built on the real work, such as reconciling a sample QuickBooks Online file for a bookkeeping role. Your VA works only for you, in your tools and on the hours agreed in the role brief: we recruit for your hours, whether that is Eastern, Central, Mountain or Pacific time. VA MASTERS stays involved after placement with HR support and regular check-ins.
| Founded | 2021 |
| Model | Dedicated VA who works only for you |
| Recruitment | 6-stage process; 2–3 candidates presented |
| Time to first candidates | About 2 business days |
| Price | US$6.50–$15/hr depending on the role (C$9.13–C$21.08); C$1,460–C$3,370 a month full-time; part-time available |
| Upfront fees | None: it costs nothing to start |
| If the fit isn’t right | Free replacement guarantee |
| Reviews | Average 5/5 on Trustpilot, Indeed and Glassdoor |
Trade-off: VA MASTERS recruits a person for you rather than running a department for you. If you want a provider to run a whole contact centre with its own supervisors, a BPO fits better.
2. TELUS Digital: Best for Large Customer-Experience Programs
TELUS Digital, formerly TELUS International, is the digital and customer-experience arm of Canada’s TELUS. In the Philippines it has worked since 2005, with seven sites in Metro Manila and two in Iloilo and more than 26,000 Philippines-based team members, according to its website. It runs customer experience, digital IT, AI data and trust-and-safety programs.
| Price | Custom contracts, not published |
| Philippines | Since 2005; 9 sites, 26,000+ team members (its website) |
Trade-off: built for enterprise-scale programs, not for a small business that needs one or two dedicated people.
3. IntouchCX: Best for a Managed Customer Support Team
IntouchCX, formerly 24-7 Intouch, is a customer-experience outsourcing company founded in Canada (Winnipeg) more than 25 years ago. It started Philippine operations in 2016, runs campuses in Manila, Cebu and Clark, and in July 2026 opened a new campus in San Juan (about 2,500 seats).
| Price | Custom contracts, not published |
| Philippines | Campuses in Manila, Cebu and Clark; San Juan opened July 2026 |
Trade-off: you buy a managed program with the provider’s own supervisors, which suits support volume more than one dedicated assistant.
4. Stealth Agents: Best for a Fixed Monthly Plan
Stealth Agents places dedicated executive assistants from the Philippines on fixed monthly plans of 160 hours.
| Price | Executive assistant (Core Support) US$1,600/month; Senior EA US$2,400; operations or project manager US$3,000 |
| Fees and terms | One-time onboarding fee (amount not published); 3-month commitment, according to its pricing page |
Trade-off: plans are built around executive-assistant work, and the onboarding fee and 3-month commitment add to the headline price.
5. MyOutDesk: Best for a Managed VA on a Monthly Plan
MyOutDesk is a US-based provider of full-time managed virtual assistants (8 hours a day, 5 days a week), best known in real estate.
| Price | From US$1,988/month (Managed Outsourcing) or US$2,500/month (Specialized Outsourcing); custom pricing for enterprise |
| Hours | Full-time |
Trade-off: prices are in US dollars on its pricing page, so the CAD cost moves with the exchange rate.
6. Wishup: Best for Fast Matching on a Subscription
Wishup sells virtual assistants on a subscription with 4-hour and 8-hour plans and markets its VAs to Canadian businesses.
| Price | Prime VA US$1,299/month (4-hour plan) or US$1,999 (8-hour plan); Elite VA US$1,999 or US$2,999 |
| Billing | Quarterly billing by default, annual with a discount |
Trade-off: plans are priced per VA and per plan length rather than by role, so ask how candidates are tested for your work.
7. Athena: Best for a Premium Executive Assistant
Athena provides dedicated, full-time executive assistants to founders and executives on a single monthly plan.
| Price | US$3,000/month for one dedicated full-time executive assistant |
| Commitment | Monthly after an initial 90-day commitment |
Trade-off: one premium plan for executive support; other roles such as bookkeeping or customer service are outside its focus.
8. BELAY: Best for a US-Based Assistant
BELAY places virtual assistants who are based in the United States, for clients who need an assistant in North American hours and culture without an offshore team.
| Price | Flat monthly fee, amount not published |
| Where VAs are based | United States |
Trade-off: US-based assistants cost considerably more than offshore ones, and the monthly fee is only quoted on request.
9. StaffVirtual: Best for Managed Offshore Teams
StaffVirtual describes itself as an American business process outsourcing company with offices in the Philippines, building managed offshore teams.
| Price | Not published |
| Model | Managed BPO teams in the Philippines |
Trade-off: quote-based, and the model fits companies planning several hires more than a single assistant.
Canadian Companies That Outsource to the Philippines
Canada has a long track record in the Philippines, from global insurers to its own customer-experience companies, and close ties at home: more than 957,000 people in Canada reported being Filipino in the 2021 Census (Statistics Canada). A few well-known examples:
| Company (Canadian HQ) | What it does in the Philippines | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Sun Life | Sun Life Global Solutions, with 35 years of operations in the Philippines | Sun Life Global Solutions website |
| Manulife | Manulife Business Processing Services, a global shared service centre in Manila set up in 2006 | Manulife Philippines |
| TELUS (TELUS Digital) | Customer experience and digital IT outsourcing since 2005; nine sites and 26,000+ team members | TELUS Digital website |
| Thomson Reuters | Manila is its global hub for English-language first-line product support | Thomson Reuters careers site |
| IntouchCX (formerly 24-7 Intouch) | In the Philippines since 2016; campuses in Manila, Cebu and Clark, plus San Juan (opened July 2026) | IntouchCX website |
Small and mid-size Canadian businesses follow the same logic at a smaller scale: instead of opening a centre, they add one or a few dedicated Filipino professionals for admin, bookkeeping, customer support, marketing or property work. That is the model VA MASTERS recruits for, and 87% of all VA MASTERS clients have fewer than 50 employees (as of July 2026, VA MASTERS statistics report).
Why the Philippines rather than India for these roles? Mostly English and customer-facing experience: the Philippines ranks 28th of 123 countries in the EF English Proficiency Index 2025, India 74th. India remains a strong option for software development and large IT programs. More in our Philippines vs India outsourcing comparison.
Why Canadian Businesses Are Outsourcing to the Philippines
Three things drive the decision for most Canadian SMEs: the full cost of a local hire, access to fluent English speakers who already work with North American clients, and the flexibility to add one person at a time.
- Cost: a full-time administrative VA through VA MASTERS costs C$1,460–C$2,250 a month. A local employee costs a salary (which includes paid vacation and statutory holidays) plus the employer’s share of CPP and EI and any benefits; details in the pricing section.
- English: the Philippines ranks 28th of 123 countries and 2nd in Asia, after Malaysia, in the EF English Proficiency Index 2025.
- Hours: the Philippines is 12 hours ahead of Toronto in summer and 13 in winter, so VAs who support North American clients commonly work during their client’s business day. We recruit for your hours.
- Tools: Filipino VAs commonly work in QuickBooks Online, Xero, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Shopify and the major CRMs. Where the role needs it, VA MASTERS tests the exact tools you use.
The Real Cost Gap: Canadian Hire vs. Filipino VA
A full-time administrative assistant at the Canadian median wage of C$26.44 an hour earns about C$55,000 a year for 2,080 paid hours, including vacation and statutory holidays. On top of that, the employer pays its share of CPP (5.95% in 2026, about C$3,060) and EI premiums (1.4 times the 1.63% employee rate, about C$1,250), which comes to about C$59,310 before benefits, recruitment, equipment and office space.
| Local administrative assistant, 2026 (median wage) | Cost per year |
|---|---|
| Wage (C$26.44/hr, 2,080 paid hours including vacation and statutory holidays) | C$55,000 |
| Employer CPP (5.95% above the C$3,500 exemption) | About C$3,060 |
| Employer EI premiums (1.4 × 1.63%) | About C$1,250 |
| Total before benefits, recruitment and office | About C$59,310 |
A full-time administrative VA through VA MASTERS costs C$19,000–C$29,230 a year at the agreed hourly rate of US$6.50–$10, with no recruitment fees: it costs nothing to start.
Sources: Job Bank median wage (2023–2024); CRA 2026 CPP and EI rates and maximums. Quebec employers pay QPP and a lower EI rate instead. Provincial employer health taxes, such as Ontario’s above C$1 million of payroll, and workers’ compensation premiums can add more.
What Canadian SMEs Outsource First
General Administration and Executive Support
Email and calendar management, document preparation, data entry, travel booking and expense tracking. It’s the most common first role, because it gives the owner or executive their time back fastest. See administrative VA services.
Bookkeeping and Financial Administration
Data entry in QuickBooks Online or Xero, accounts payable (bill entry and payment runs) and receivable, bank reconciliations, payroll support and GST/HST working papers for your accountant to review and file. See QuickBooks and Xero bookkeeping VAs and our accounting VA page.
Customer Service and Support
Email and chat support, order management, returns and follow-ups in helpdesk tools such as Zendesk, Freshdesk and Gorgias, on your business hours. If you need French as well as English, say so in the role brief: French-speaking Filipino candidates are much rarer than English-speaking ones, so the search takes longer. See customer service VAs.
Digital Marketing and Social Media
Content scheduling, social media management, email campaigns, SEO support and ad reporting in Meta Business Suite, Google Ads, Mailchimp or HubSpot. See digital marketing VAs.
E-Commerce Operations
Shopify store management, product listings, inventory, customer service and supplier coordination for businesses selling on their own store, Amazon.ca or Amazon.com. See e-commerce operations VAs and Shopify VAs.
Real Estate Administration
Listing support, client follow-ups, appointment scheduling, transaction coordination and tenant communication for agents, brokerages and property managers. See real estate VAs.
IT Support and Website Updates
Help-desk tickets, user and SaaS account set-up, software troubleshooting, simple website updates in WordPress or Shopify, QA testing and workflow automation in Zapier or Make. Technical-support and automation VAs cost US$8.50–$16/hr. See technical support VAs.
HR and Recruitment Support
Résumé screening, candidate sourcing on Indeed and LinkedIn, interview scheduling, reference-check coordination and onboarding admin, so your team spends its time on interviews and hiring decisions. HR and recruiting VAs cost US$8.50–$14/hr. See HR VAs.
Give Your VA the Canadian Context
A Filipino VA won’t automatically know Canadian specifics. A one-page reference sheet for the role saves a lot of corrections:
- Calendar: federal and provincial statutory holidays (Canadian Thanksgiving is in October), Boxing Day, the RRSP contribution deadline, tax season and your own busy periods.
- Language: Canadian spelling (colour, centre, cheque) and whether any customers need French.
- Bookkeeping: which of GST, HST, PST or QST applies in the provinces you sell to, and that payroll means CPP (QPP in Quebec), EI and T4 slips.
- Marketing: consent rules for commercial emails and texts under Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL), and Google.ca and local search for your cities.
- Online sales: postal code format, Canada Post and Amazon.ca.
How VA MASTERS Delivers for Business Owners
A VA MASTERS case study on recruiting a GoHighLevel specialist from the Philippines for a client who needed someone to run live funnels, integrations and automations: the job posting, CV screening, custom skills test, interviews and support after placement, and how the client saved over $40,000 compared with hiring a US specialist.
An executive assistant VA explains how she supports CEOs and founders with calendar and inbox management, travel logistics, follow-ups and operations, and the tools she uses.
Time Zone and Communication: How It Works for Canadian Businesses
The Philippines uses UTC+8 all year and has no daylight saving, so the gap with Canada changes twice a year. The table shows what 9am in your city is in Manila:
| Your city | Hours Manila is ahead | 9am your time is, in Manila |
|---|---|---|
| St. John’s | 10.5 (11.5 in winter) | 7:30pm (8:30pm in winter) |
| Halifax | 11 (12 in winter) | 8pm (9pm in winter) |
| Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal | 12 (13 in winter) | 9pm (10pm in winter) |
| Winnipeg | 13 (14 in winter) | 10pm (11pm in winter) |
| Regina, Saskatoon (no daylight saving) | 14 | 11pm |
| Calgary, Edmonton | 14 (15 in winter) | 11pm (midnight in winter) |
| Vancouver, Victoria | 15 (16 in winter) | midnight (1am in winter) |
“Winter” is standard time, from the first Sunday in November to the second Sunday in March.
A VA on a normal 8am–5pm Philippine day would barely overlap with a Canadian business day. That’s why Filipino VAs who support North American clients commonly work evening or night shifts in the Philippines. Work hours are part of the role brief at VA MASTERS: we recruit for your hours, whether that’s your full business day, a few overlap hours, or an overnight shift so work is ready when you log in. Many clients combine the two: live hours for calls and chat, and tasks briefed at the end of the day for research, data entry, reconciliations and content drafts.
More practical tips in our guide to managing time-zone differences with a Filipino VA.
Pricing: CAD Cost Comparison for Common VA Roles
A full-time Filipino VA through VA MASTERS costs US$6.50–$15/hr depending on the role, about C$1,460–C$3,370 a month or C$19,000–C$43,840 a year at C$1.4051 per US$1 (about C$1.41). The table sets that against the median wage for similar Canadian roles.
| Canadian role | Median wage, Canada | Full-time per year (2,080 hours) | VA MASTERS equivalent | VA MASTERS full-time per year (2,080 hours) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative assistant (NOC 13110) | C$26.44/hr | C$55,000 | Administrative VA: US$6.50–$10/hr | C$19,000–C$29,230 |
| Executive assistant (NOC 12100) | C$34.62/hr | C$72,010 | Executive assistant VA: US$6.50–$10/hr | C$19,000–C$29,230 |
| Bookkeeper (NOC 12200) | C$28.02/hr | C$58,280 | Bookkeeping VA (QuickBooks, Xero): US$7.50–$14/hr | C$21,920–C$40,920 |
| Customer service representative, call centre (NOC 64409) | C$22.00/hr | C$45,760 | Customer support VA: US$6.50–$10/hr | C$19,000–C$29,230 |
Median wages are Job Bank figures for Canada (reference period 2023–2024, updated November 2025). Local figures are wages only (2,080 paid hours, including vacation and statutory holidays): the employer also pays its share of CPP and EI and any benefits, plus recruitment, equipment and office costs, so the real gap is wider. Other VA MASTERS role ranges: marketing US$8.50–$15/hr, social media US$7.50–$9/hr, real estate US$7–$12/hr, e-commerce US$6.50–$10/hr, technical support US$8.50–$16/hr, HR and recruiting US$8.50–$14/hr. VA MASTERS clients save up to 80% compared with local hiring. For a role-by-role view, see our virtual assistant cost guide for Canada and the VA cost savings calculator.
These are fair market rates for skilled professionals in the Philippines. The savings come from the cost-of-living gap, not from cutting corners.
Hiring Lawrence as a QuickBooks Expert and Lery as a Real Estate Administrative VA has completely transformed how I run my real estate business. … It was incredibly convenient to have VA Masters find the right talent and manage all the HR aspects. The cost savings compared to local hires are substantial, and the efficiency they bring is unmatched.
Hiring Locally
- About C$59,310 a year for an administrative assistant at the median wage, once employer CPP and EI are added
- Payroll, benefits and employment paperwork to run
- Weeks of job ads and interviews
- Re-hiring every time someone leaves
With VA MASTERS
- C$19,000–C$29,230 a year for a full-time administrative VA
- HR support and regular check-ins from VA MASTERS
- First candidates in about 2 business days
- Free replacement guarantee
CPP, EI, GST/HST and Privacy: What Canadian Businesses Ask
Before outsourcing, most Canadian businesses ask whether payroll deductions, sales tax and privacy rules change. Short, general answers below. This is general information, not legal or tax advice; confirm your own situation with your accountant or lawyer. Questions about how VA MASTERS works can go to our team on a discovery call.
Do You Pay CPP and EI for Offshore Workers?
CPP contributions and EI premiums are payroll deductions on your employees. The CRA’s general rule is that employment has to take place in Canada to be pensionable or insurable, with exceptions, mainly for Canadian residents sent to work abroad by a Canadian employer. How the rules apply depends on how the work is arranged, so ask your accountant before you engage anyone abroad, directly or through a provider.
GST/HST on Imported Services
Services you import from outside Canada can be subject to GST/HST self-assessment, but the CRA applies it to imported services used other than exclusively in commercial activities. A GST/HST registrant that uses the service fully in its commercial activities is usually not affected. Check with your accountant if part of your business is exempt, such as some financial or health services.
Privacy: PIPEDA and Quebec’s Law 25
PIPEDA, the federal private-sector privacy law, does not prohibit sending personal information to a service provider in another country for processing. Under the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada’s guidelines for processing personal data across borders, your business stays accountable for that information, should use contractual or other means to give it a comparable level of protection, and should tell people in clear language that it may be processed outside Canada, where that country’s courts and authorities may be able to access it.
Quebec is stricter. Since September 2023, under its private-sector privacy law as amended by Law 25, a business must complete a privacy impact assessment before personal information leaves Quebec, may send it only if the assessment shows it would be adequately protected, and needs a written agreement that reflects the assessment. Alberta and British Columbia have their own private-sector privacy laws (both called PIPA); Alberta’s requires you to tell people when you use a service provider outside Canada. Regulated sectors add their own rules, such as OSFI’s Guideline B-10 on third-party risk for federally regulated financial institutions and provincial health-information laws like Ontario’s PHIPA.
In practice: give your VA access only to the personal information the role needs, through accounts you control, and mention processing outside Canada (and outside Quebec, if Quebec’s law applies to you) in your privacy notice.
Is the Cost Deductible?
Fees for outsourced services used to earn business income are generally deductible business expenses, like other operating costs. Your accountant will confirm the treatment for your business.
Always Confirm With Your Accountant
Treatment depends on your province, your business structure and how the arrangement is set up. If you outsource for the first time, or engage someone directly rather than through a provider, ask your accountant or a lawyer.
The VA MASTERS 6-Stage Recruitment Process
Our process is built so you only spend time on the best candidates. It costs nothing to start: you sign the agreement and we run the search. More in how our recruitment process works.
Detailed Job Posting
A short consultation maps the role: daily tasks, tools such as QuickBooks Online or Shopify, your working hours in your time zone, any French requirement, and the skills that matter. We write a custom job description from it.
Candidate Collection
We post the role, headhunt where needed and use referrals, drawing on a database of 400,000+ pre-assessed Filipino applicants.
Initial Screening
Applicants are screened on internet reliability, English communication, availability for your hours and relevant experience, with AI-assisted screening and human recruiters.
Custom Skills Test
Where the role needs it, candidates complete real tasks from the job, such as a QuickBooks reconciliation or a transaction-coordination workflow, not a generic assessment.
In-Depth Interview
Our recruiters interview for skills, communication, culture fit and long-term motivation.
Client Interview
You meet the 2–3 best candidates and choose. If none is right, we keep searching at no extra cost.
About 1 in 508 applicants is placed (166,350 applications, January 2025 to July 2026, VA MASTERS statistics report).
Paying Canadian Employment Costs for Work That Could Be Done Remotely?
Book a free discovery call. We’ll identify the role that would make the biggest difference first, show you what it costs in CAD, and explain how the hours would work for your city.
Book a Free Discovery Call →Comparing Outsourcing Options for Canadian Businesses
| Feature | VA MASTERS | Offshore staffing companies | Local hire | Freelance marketplaces |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dedicated person who works only for you | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Depends on the freelancer |
| Published price | ✓ US$6.50–$15/hr by role | Usually quote-based | Market salary plus CPP, EI and benefits | Varies |
| Role-specific skills testing | ✓ Where the role needs it | Varies | You do it | You do it |
| Works your Canadian hours | ✓ Recruited for your hours | Varies | ✓ | Depends on the freelancer |
| Time to first candidates | About 2 business days | Varies | Weeks | Depends on you |
| Minimum team size | 1 VA, full-time or part-time | Varies | 1 | None |
| Replacement if the fit isn’t right | Free replacement guarantee | Varies | Re-hire yourself | ✗ |
What Our Clients Say
Real Messages from Real Clients
Hear From Our VAs: Happy VAs Deliver Better Results for Your Business
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best outsourcing companies in Canada?
It depends on what you need. For one or a few dedicated people, VA MASTERS recruits Filipino VAs from US$6.50/hr (about C$9.13) who work your hours. For large customer-experience programs, TELUS Digital and IntouchCX are Canadian companies with major Philippine operations (custom contracts). Stealth Agents (from US$1,600 a month), MyOutDesk (from US$1,988), Wishup and Athena sell monthly assistant plans, and BELAY places US-based assistants.
Which Canadian companies outsource to the Philippines?
Well-known examples include Sun Life (Sun Life Global Solutions, 35 years of operations in the Philippines), Manulife (a global shared service centre in Manila since 2006), TELUS Digital (nine sites and 26,000+ team members), Thomson Reuters (its global hub for English-language first-line product support) and IntouchCX (campuses in Manila, Cebu and Clark).
Why do Canadian companies outsource to the Philippines?
Mainly for strong English (28th of 123 countries in the EF English Proficiency Index 2025), long experience serving North American customers, and a lower full cost than a local hire once CPP, EI and benefits are added. Filipino VAs who support North American clients commonly work during their client’s business day.
How much does outsourcing cost for a Canadian business in CAD?
A dedicated Filipino VA through VA MASTERS costs US$6.50–$15/hr depending on the role, about C$9.13–C$21.08 at C$1.4051 per US$1, or C$1,460–C$3,370 a month full-time. A full-time administrative VA costs about C$19,000–C$29,230 a year, against about C$59,310 for an administrative assistant at the Canadian median wage once employer CPP and EI are added.
Do Canadian businesses pay CPP or EI for offshore workers?
CPP and EI are payroll deductions on your employees, and the CRA’s general rule is that employment has to take place in Canada to be pensionable or insurable, with some exceptions. How this applies depends on how the work is arranged, so confirm your own situation with your accountant.
Is GST/HST charged on outsourced services from the Philippines?
Imported services can be subject to GST/HST self-assessment, but only when they are used other than exclusively in commercial activities. A GST/HST registrant that uses the service fully in its business is usually not affected. Check with your accountant.
Does PIPEDA allow Canadian companies to outsource to the Philippines?
Yes. PIPEDA does not prohibit sending personal information to a service provider in another country for processing. Your business stays accountable for it, should protect it by contract or other means, and should tell people it may be processed outside Canada. Businesses covered by Quebec’s private-sector privacy law must also complete a privacy impact assessment and have a written agreement before personal information leaves Quebec. This is general information; check with your lawyer.
Does the Philippines time zone work for Canadian businesses?
Yes, if the hours are agreed up front. Manila is 12 hours ahead of Toronto in summer (13 in winter) and 15 ahead of Vancouver (16 in winter), so Filipino VAs who support Canadian clients commonly work evening or night shifts. VA MASTERS recruits for your hours.
Can a Filipino VA handle bilingual English/French requirements?
English is widely spoken in the Philippines; French is much less common. If you need French, put it in the role brief: VA MASTERS can search for French-speaking candidates, but there are fewer of them, so the search can take longer.
Can a Filipino VA use QuickBooks for Canadian bookkeeping?
Yes. QuickBooks Online and Xero are common tools for Filipino bookkeeping VAs. Where the role needs it, VA MASTERS tests candidates on your software before you meet them, for example with a sample reconciliation. Filing GST/HST returns stays with you or your accountant.
How quickly can I get a VA for my Canadian business?
VA MASTERS presents first candidates in about 2 business days after the role is defined. You interview the 2–3 best candidates and choose.
How should a Canadian company start outsourcing?
Start with one role where the work is easy to define, such as admin, bookkeeping or customer support. Write down the tasks, the tools and the hours you need in your time zone, hire one VA, and hold a short weekly check-in. Add the next role once the first one runs smoothly.
Are there any upfront fees?
No. There are no upfront fees, no setup fees and no recruitment fees: it costs nothing to start. You sign the agreement and we run the search.
What happens if the VA doesn’t work out?
VA MASTERS has a free replacement guarantee: if you’re not satisfied with your VA, you get a replacement free of charge.
Ready to Add Your First Offshore Team Member?
If you need a dedicated, fully vetted VA who works your Canadian hours, let’s talk. Join 500+ businesses that work with VA MASTERS.
- Dedicated Filipino VA from US$6.50/hr (about C$9.13)
- Up to 80% savings compared with local hiring
- First candidates in about 2 business days
- No upfront fees: it costs nothing to start
- Free replacement guarantee
Anne is the Operations Manager at VA MASTERS, a recruitment agency specializing in Filipino virtual assistants for global businesses. She leads the end-to-end recruitment process — from custom job briefs and skills testing to candidate delivery and ongoing VA management — and has personally overseen the placement of 1,000+ virtual assistants across industries including e-commerce, real estate, healthcare, fintech, digital marketing, and legal services.
With deep expertise in Philippine work culture, remote team integration, and business process optimization, Anne helps clients achieve up to 80% cost savings compared to local hiring while maintaining top-tier quality and performance.
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: +13127660301
