When you hire in the Philippines through an agency, the fee comes on top of the salary — and depending on the model, you pay it once or every month for as long as the person works for you. Here’s what each type of agency charges in 2026, what that looks like for real roles, and how to tell which model is worth it for your hire.
Quick answer: Most recruitment agencies in the Philippines charge 15–25% of the hire’s first-year salary for a permanent placement, with executive searches at 25–35%. Staff leasing and managed providers instead keep the worker on their payroll and bill a monthly all-in rate (salary, benefits and their margin) for as long as the arrangement runs. A flat-fee service charges one fixed amount per hire, whatever the salary.
| Model | How you pay | Typical cost | Who employs the hire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contingency recruitment | Once, when the hire starts | 15–25% of first-year salary | You |
| Retained executive search | Part up front, the rest on placement | 25–35% of first-year salary | You |
| Staff leasing / managed provider | Every month | Salary + benefits + a markup (often 10–25%) | The provider |
| Employer of record (EOR) | Every month | Salary + about $200–$600 per worker | The EOR, on your behalf |
| Flat-fee sourcing | Once per hire | A fixed fee, whatever the salary | You |
| Job board (do it yourself) | Per post or per month | Free to about $99/month | You |
A placement (or “contingency”) fee is the classic recruiter model: the agency sources and screens candidates, you hire one, and you pay a percentage of that person’s first-year pay. You owe nothing if nobody is hired. The percentage climbs with seniority and scarcity:
Check what the percentage is applied to. Many Philippine agencies calculate it on 13 months of pay, because the 13th-month bonus counts as compensation — one agency puts the usual range at 15–22% of 13 months, or roughly 1.8 to 2.6 months of the hire’s salary. That’s a handy rule of thumb when you compare quotes.
Skip the agency fee: hire directly for $29.
Post a job on WorkBase PH for a flat $29, with no subscription and no fees for the people you hire. Filipino specialists are matched to your role, and their profiles can include a video or audio intro.
Post a Job — $29 → Or let our team hire for you →Monthly pay below is taken from the ranges in our Filipino remote worker salary guide; first-year salary is 12 months of pay, and each fee uses the percentage band for that level.
| Hire | Monthly pay | Placement fee (one-time) |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level virtual assistant | $450 | $810–$1,080 (15–20%) |
| Mid-level bookkeeper | $850 | $2,040–$2,550 (20–25%) |
| Mid-level full-stack developer | $1,500 | $3,600–$5,400 (IT, 20–30%) |
The pattern is the point: a percentage fee grows with the salary even when the recruiting work is much the same. A flat fee doesn’t, which is why it tends to be the cheaper option for everyday roles and the percentage model earns its keep on scarce, senior or technical hires where a specialist recruiter’s network matters.
Staff leasing (also sold as managed staffing or offshore staffing) works differently: the provider recruits the person, employs them under its own company, and bills you every month. Most price it as cost-plus — salary and statutory benefits, plus a markup that is often 10–25% — or as one all-in rate. For a full-time virtual assistant, managed providers commonly quote around $1,600–$2,000 a month all-in, sometimes with a one-time setup fee of $200–$500 and a 3–6 month minimum contract.
Compare that with the roughly $300–$800 a month you’d pay a full-time VA directly, according to our salary guide. The bundle does cover more than the search — payroll, benefits, supervision and replacements — but you pay it every month for as long as the person works for you, rather than once.
An employer of record (EOR) is the compliance-only version: you find the person, and the EOR legally employs them in the Philippines, runs payroll and statutory contributions (SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG), and charges a monthly fee on top of salary — typically about $200–$600 per worker, with premium global platforms such as Deel and Remote starting near $599. It makes sense when you need a formal local employee; for most remote contractors it’s more than you need.
If you want to compare specific firms, see our breakdown of the 5 best recruitment and staffing agencies in the Philippines.
Done-For-You Hiring is the flat-fee version of what a recruiter does. Our team sources, screens and interviews Filipino candidates, checks references and work-readiness, and hands you a shortlist — you choose who to hire. It’s one flat fee per hire, quoted up front. Every role is different, so we’d rather send you a quote after a short intake than guess — you’ll know exactly what you’ll pay before the search starts. It’s paid in two parts: a deposit that starts the search (it comes out of your total fee) and the balance once your hire is confirmed. You get 30 days of support with a free replacement if needed, and there’s no percentage of salary, no monthly markup on their pay and no subscription.
If you’d rather screen candidates yourself, DIY Hiring is $29 per job post: AI-matched Filipino specialists, full profiles and contact details, messaging and video interviews. It’s free to sign up and draft your post, and you pay only when you publish.
Usually 15–25% of the hire’s first-year salary for a permanent placement: about 15–20% for entry-level roles, 20–25% for mid-level and 25–30% for senior roles, and often 20–30% for IT. Retained executive search runs about 25–35%. Staff leasing firms bill a monthly all-in rate instead.
A placement fee is paid once, usually when the hire starts (sometimes split, with part due after probation). Staff leasing, managed-provider and EOR fees are charged every month for as long as the arrangement runs.
Reputable agencies are paid by the employer. Philippine rules strictly limit worker fees — for local jobs, no more than 20% of the first month’s basic salary and only after the worker starts; for overseas jobs, no more than one month’s salary — and many licensed agencies charge candidates nothing.
Usually, for remote roles hired as independent contractors: you skip the salary-linked fee and the monthly markup. The trade-off is that you do the sourcing and screening yourself — or pay a flat fee for someone to do it for you.
With WorkBase PH Done-For-You Hiring: sourcing, screening, first-round interviews, an intro video or audio from every candidate, reference and work-readiness checks, and a shortlist to choose from. It’s one flat fee per hire, quoted up front after a short intake, with 30 days of support and a free replacement if needed.
Done-For-You Hiring: we source, screen and interview Filipino candidates, and you choose who to hire — one flat fee per hire, quoted up front, no percentage of salary, no subscription.
See How It Works →Prefer to screen candidates yourself? Post a job for $29 flat →Building more than a hire? Explore Launch Startup Services →
Sources: placement fee ranges from John Clements and Manila Recruitment; staff-leasing markups from GigaBPO; managed-VA pricing from Stealth Agents; EOR fees from Asanify; worker fee limits from Respicio & Co. Figures checked September 2026; agencies set their own terms, so always confirm in writing.
Related: Done-For-You Hiring → · Agency vs Direct Hire for a Filipino VA · 5 Best Recruitment & Staffing Agencies in the Philippines · What Is Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO)? · Filipino Remote Worker Salary Guide 2026