Frequently Asked Questions

Offshore staffing is hiring employees who work remotely from another country, typically managed through a staffing company. Unlike traditional outsourcing where you hand off entire processes, offshore staffing gives you dedicated team members who work exclusively for your company under your direction. The staffing company handles HR, payroll, and compliance while you manage the work.

Offshore Staffing: You hire dedicated employees through a staffing company. They work exclusively for you, follow your processes, and integrate with your team. You manage them directly.

BPO (Business Process Outsourcing): You outsource entire business functions to a provider. They use their own staff, processes, and metrics. You receive outputs rather than managing people.

Staffing offers more control and customization; BPO offers turnkey solutions with less management overhead. Read our detailed comparison.

Almost any knowledge work role can be staffed offshore. Common roles include:

• Customer Service: Support agents, chat support, phone support
• Technical: Software developers, QA engineers, DevOps, data analysts
• Administrative: Virtual assistants, data entry, bookkeeping
• Creative: Graphic designers, video editors, content writers
• Professional: Accountants, recruiters, project managers

The key factors are whether the role can be done remotely and whether there's sufficient talent in offshore markets.

Costs vary significantly by region and role. Typical hourly rates:

• Philippines: $8-25/hour (customer service $8-12, developers $15-30)
• India: $8-35/hour (IT roles on higher end)
• LATAM: $15-45/hour (premium for US time zone alignment)
• Eastern Europe: $20-50/hour (technical roles)
• Africa: $6-20/hour (emerging market)

These rates typically include the staffing company's margin. See our complete pricing guide.

Most staffing companies include:

• Recruitment and screening
• HR administration and payroll
• Benefits (health insurance, paid leave)
• Office space and equipment
• IT infrastructure and security
• Local compliance and taxes
• Account management

Some companies charge separately for equipment or have setup fees. Always clarify what's included before signing.

Watch for these potential additional costs:

• Setup/Onboarding fees: One-time costs ranging from $500-2,000
• Equipment: Some providers charge for laptops/monitors
• Termination fees: Early contract termination penalties
• Overtime: Rates for work beyond standard hours
• Management tools: Time tracking or project management software

Request a complete fee schedule before committing.

The best country depends on your needs:

• Philippines (24 companies): Best for customer service, virtual assistants, and voice roles. Strong English, cultural affinity with US.
• India (16 companies): Best for IT, software development, and technical roles. Largest talent pool, competitive pricing.
• LATAM (17 companies): Best for US time zone alignment. Real-time collaboration, cultural proximity to US/Canada.
• Eastern Europe (17 companies): Best for complex technical work. Strong engineering education, EU compliance.
• Africa (10 companies): Emerging market with competitive rates and growing talent pools.

Compare Philippines vs India.

Time zones affect collaboration and should match your work style:

• LATAM: 0-3 hours from US (best for real-time collaboration)
• Philippines: 12-16 hours from US (good for overnight support)
• India: 10-14 hours from US (overlap possible with early/late shifts)
• Eastern Europe: 6-9 hours from US (good overlap with East Coast mornings)
• Africa: 5-8 hours from US (good overlap with East Coast)

Many offshore teams offer flexible shifts or 24/7 coverage.

Key factors to evaluate:

1. Industry experience: Do they understand your sector?
2. Talent quality: What's their screening process?
3. Pricing transparency: All-inclusive or hidden fees?
4. Client references: Can you speak with current clients?
5. Security: What data protection measures are in place?
6. Scalability: Can they grow with you?

Read our 6-step evaluation framework.

Essential questions for evaluation:

• What is your all-in cost per hire?
• What is your recruitment timeline?
• How do you handle employee turnover?
• What is your notice period for scaling down?
• Who owns the intellectual property?
• What security certifications do you have?
• Can I interview candidates directly?
• What metrics do you track?

Warning signs to watch for:

• No client references: Unwilling to share contact info for current clients
• Vague pricing: Can't provide detailed cost breakdown
• No trial period: Won't offer pilot program
• High turnover: Employees leave frequently
• Poor communication: Slow responses during sales process
• No security certs: Missing SOC 2 or ISO certifications
• Locked contracts: Long terms with no exit clauses

Best practices for offshore management:

• Clear communication: Daily standups, regular 1:1s, documented processes
• Tools: Slack/Teams for chat, Zoom for video, project management software
• Expectations: Written KPIs, clear deliverables, response time standards
• Culture: Include offshore team in company events, recognize achievements
• Time zones: Find overlapping hours for real-time collaboration

Treat offshore employees like any remote team member—communication and clarity are key.

Essential tools for offshore collaboration:

• Communication: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Chat
• Video: Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams
• Project Management: Asana, Monday, Jira, Trello
• Documentation: Notion, Confluence, Google Docs
• Time Tracking: Time Doctor, Hubstaff, Toggl (if required)
• Password Management: 1Password, LastPass

Most staffing companies include basic tools; confirm what's provided.

Key security measures:

• Provider certification: SOC 2, ISO 27001 compliance
• Access controls: Role-based access, least privilege principle
• Device management: Company-managed laptops, no personal devices
• Network security: VPN, secure facilities, monitored access
• NDAs: Both company and individual NDAs
• Data location: Understand where data is stored and processed

Discuss security requirements upfront and verify compliance.