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The 2026 guide · 10 minute read

Outsourcing in the Philippines, explained by people who do it daily.

Why Australian businesses hire in Manila, what it costs, how the time zones line up, and the mistakes we see first-time employers make.

The Adept team, Sydney & ManilaUpdated October 202610 min

01 · WHY THE PHILIPPINES

A two-hour time difference and a workforce built for Australian business.

Over a hundred million people, a culture shaped by decades of Western business, and an education system that teaches in English from primary school. That's why the Philippines is one of the world's leading offshore staffing destinations, and why we built our headquarters in Manila.

ManilaPHT · UTC+8

SydneyAEST/AEDT

About 6,300 kmAbout 8h direct flightSydney 2–3h ahead

110M+people, with a young median age

1.5M+working in IT and business process roles

up to 70%saving on a full-time Bookkeeper vs. an AU hire

02 · ENGLISH PROFICIENCY

English is an official language, used in schools, courts and business.

Your team member won't be translating in their head. They write client emails, take calls and read contracts in English every working day. Every Adept candidate is assessed on spoken and written English before you meet them.

Philippines

High

Malaysia

High

India

Mod.

Vietnam

Mod.

Relative business English proficiency band in common offshore markets. Source: EF English Proficiency Index, Asia rankings.

03 · TIME ZONE OVERLAP

Your team starts at 9:00 am AEST. In Manila it's 7:00 am.

Manila is two hours behind Sydney (three during daylight saving). Adept team members work your hours, so your stand-up, client calls and end-of-day handover all happen live. No overnight lag, no waiting a day for answers.

789101112123456

Sydney

9:00 – 5:30 AEST

Manila

7:00 – 3:30 PHT

Overlap

100% of your business day

Bonus: starting at 7:00 am means your team finishes mid-afternoon and gets home before Manila traffic peaks. It's one reason people stay.

A working day in ManilaOutsourcing in the Philippines

04 · THE TALENT POOL

Degree-qualified, experienced and already working with Australian tools.

Xero, MYOB, PropertyMe, LEAP, HubSpot, Shopify. Many candidates have spent years supporting Australian and US companies. Across the 62 roles we recruit for, the most requested are bookkeepers, executive assistants, paralegals, property management assistants and developers.

1,000Candidate Network

62roles we recruit for

5days to your shortlist, typically

05 · WHAT IT REALLY COSTS

One monthly price that includes everything.

Adept prices are all-inclusive: salary, benefits, 13th-month pay, equipment, the Manila office, IT and HR. Sales & Admin roles start from $1,400 a month + GST. Property & Digital Marketing roles start from $1,500 a month + GST. A one-off onboarding fee applies per person.

A Sydney bookkeeper on $63,500 costs about $79,375 a year with on-costs. The Adept equivalent is $16,800 a year. Try the calculator

06 · FAQ

Questions we hear every week.

Who is the legal employer?

Adept employs your team member in the Philippines and handles local payroll, tax and labour law. You direct their day-to-day work like any other colleague.

What about public holidays?

Your team member observes Philippine public holidays by default. Many clients arrange to swap these for Australian holidays, and we'll set that up for you.

Is my data secure?

Team members work from our office on company-managed equipment, and we sign your confidentiality agreement. Ask your account manager for our security overview and we'll walk you through it.

Can I visit the Manila office?

Yes, and we recommend it. Many clients like to meet their team in person. We'll organise the office day for you.

How long does it take to hire?

Most clients meet a shortlist within about five working days and have their new team member start in around three weeks, depending on notice periods.

Ready when you are

Tap into the Philippines talent pool.

Tell us about the role and we'll send a shortlist in about five days.

Book a call