How to Hire a Virtual Assistant from Latin America
June 22, 2026
By Virtustant Team
Hiring a virtual assistant from Latin America has become pretty common for US small business owners. The time zones work, the talent is good, and it costs a lot less than hiring locally.
But "Latin America" covers 20 countries and a lot of agencies making similar promises. This is what the process actually looks like and what you should pay attention to before signing anything.
The Philippines and India are the other popular options for remote hiring. Both work fine for certain things, but Latin America has a few specific advantages for US businesses:
Time zones line up. Most of Latin America runs on US time zones, give or take an hour. Your VA is at their desk when you are. That sounds basic, but it changes how much you can actually get done together in a day.
English is strong. In markets like Colombia, Argentina, Mexico, and Costa Rica, there is a big pool of professionals who went through English-language education or have years of experience working with US companies. You are not working around a language gap.
They are bilingual. Spanish first, professional English second. If you serve any Spanish-speaking customers or operate in markets where that matters, this is a real plus.
Culturally pretty similar to the US. Not identical, but much closer than going further offshore. The way US businesses work is not a mystery to most LatAm professionals.
Rates depend on experience and the type of work, but here is a rough range:
| Level | Hourly Rate | Typical work |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level | $7-$12/hr | Admin, scheduling, data entry |
| Mid-level | $12-$20/hr | Customer service, social media, bookkeeping support |
| Senior | $20-$35/hr | Executive assistant, project management |
Compare that to a US-based hire doing similar work ($25-$60/hr) and the math is pretty clear.
It is not complicated if you are working with a good agency:
How do you screen candidates? You want a real answer, not "we have a rigorous process." Ask what assessments they run, whether they do background checks, how they test language skills.
What if it does not work out? Good agencies replace hires that are not a fit, usually at no extra cost within a set window. Know this policy upfront.
Is this person dedicated to me, or working for multiple clients at once? Some platforms share VAs across several clients. For most small business roles, you want someone focused on your business.
What are the contract terms? Month-to-month is standard and reasonable. Be cautious if they are pushing hard for a 6-month commitment before you have tested anything.
Almost any knowledge work that can be done remotely. The most common placements for small businesses:
You can browse the roles Virtustant fills at virtustant.com/roles.
Entry-level admin support starts around $7-$12 per hour through a managed provider. Mid-level roles like customer service or social media management run $12-$20 per hour. Senior placements like executive assistants typically fall in the $20-$35 range, all significantly less than equivalent US-based hires.
With a managed provider, you typically receive a shortlist of vetted candidates within a few days and make a hire within one to two weeks. Onboarding to full productivity usually takes another one to two weeks.
Yes. Most of Latin America aligns closely with US time zones. Colombia runs on Eastern Time, Mexico on Central, Argentina is one to two hours ahead of Eastern. Your VA works when you work.
For US businesses, the main practical advantage of Latin America over the Philippines is time zone overlap. The Philippines is 12-13 hours ahead, which forces overnight handoffs. LatAm-based VAs work your hours in real time. If your role requires live collaboration or quick turnaround, LatAm is usually the better fit.
Ready to hire a VA from Latin America? Contact Virtustant and we will send you a shortlist of vetted candidates for your role within days.
Virtustant Team
