Top Regions Looking for Virtual Assistants

A VA, or Virtual Assistant, is an individual – usually self employed – who handles certain tasks remotely on behalf of those who hire them.

The type of work that is most commonly outsourced to VAs includes administration, clerical tasks, data entry, social media management, the answering of basic customer service enquiries and other similar day to day duties that would otherwise take up valuable time.

But where in the world are Virtual Assistants most in-demand?

Those who work in this industry may operate under a range of different job titles, on a full time or part time basis, and either as an employee or a self employed individual. This makes finding highly accurate data difficult. 

However, there are a number of indicators that can help us to better understand which regions use VAs the most.

In this article, we reveal the places where VAs are most likely to find regular work.

The US

The USA was among the countries that originally pioneered the use of Virtual Assistants back in the mid 90s.

A huge number of Americans are self-employed, with Forbes estimating that a surprising 28.2% worked for themselves at some point every week in 2020.

Individuals who run their own business are often in need of outsourced help in order to handle their workload effectively and achieve a manageable work-life balance.

This is likely to be a key reason why Virtual Assistants are so popular throughout the country.

Today, VAs will find the highest concentration of work along the east coast – in major cities such as New York in particular.

Canada

The wide range of languages spoken in Canada gives rise to a need for outsourced translation services and assistance with commercial and corporate interactions across the globe.

This has given rise to significant growth within the VA industry.

What is more, many American companies have found that they can often outsource work to Virtual Assistants in Canada for lower rates than those available in the US.

Additionally, there are often significant distances between urban centres and major communities in Canada – so outsourcing and hiring remote workers is a great way to avoid delays and find the best services – regardless of their proximity.

Australia

Another country that has made use of large numbers of VAs right from the start is Australia.

Marketing and research tasks tend to be the remit of VAs in Australia, as it is an English-speaking country that produces workers with strong literacy-based skills.

Much like Canada, Australia’s population is widespread across a huge landmass, with many miles between major cities. This factor serves to increase the demand for outsourcing opportunities.

The Philippines

Filipino VA services are among the most utilized in the world – and, with this area of employment being so prevalent in the country, many business owners within the Philippines have become accustomed to outsourcing tasks to Virtual Assistants themselves.

It is highly affordable to hire a Virtual Assistant based in the Philippines, as, over the years, the country has set itself up as a kind of global centre for services of this kind. 

This means the resources required are readily at hand and the processes involved have been carefully honed. 

English is widely spoken there, as are a range of other western languages, and the country has an impressive literacy rate of 96.2% – so it is sensible for companies aiming for a global reach to use Filipino VAs for high quality outsourced work at a low cost.

India

Another Asian country with a very high proportion of English speakers, India has one of the largest concentrations of Virtual Assistants worldwide.

The services here are very affordable, and, with a massive culture of outsourcing and a strong education system resulting in good levels of literacy, many companies across the globe – and in India itself – choose VAs from this country.

The UK

There is a strong culture of self-employment in the UK, along with a popular “side hustle” trend. In fact, it has been predicted that around half of all UK adults will run their own business alongside their main employed work by 2030.

This is one of the reasons why VAs are becoming more and more popular here – as small scale or one-person operations are always looking for affordable ways to outsource certain tasks.  This goes from everything from property / auction businesses (like our own) right through to online sales and other face-to-face activities.

Now, in particular, with the cost of living rising significantly faster than wages, work as a Virtual Assistant offers an attractive, flexible option for those looking for a second job. This means that the number of VAs in the UK is on the rise.

The UK has a 99% literacy rate, which is hugely beneficial to employers seeking VAs with a superb grasp of English.

The use of Virtual Assistants can help to reduce the administrative workload of almost any company or self-employed individual – and becoming a VA either as a main job or “on the side” is a great option for those who require a flexible means of making money.

Along with the global regions listed above, France, China, Thailand and others also have a high rate of VA usage – and, with remote working on the rise across the globe, the number of people operating in this field is only set to increase.

Find a Virtual Assistant

ClearDesk – one of our top-rated VA companies, may the right fit for you!

For a more budget friendly option, check out Remote CoWorker and Virtual Latinos.

Top Rated Virtual Assistant Companies, schedule a consultation call to discuss your needs and take a look at the Become a Virtual Assistant or Virtual Assistant Job pages for opportunities!

Author: James Durr, has been a property auction buyer and developer for almost 2 decades. As one of the co-founders of leading UK homebuying firm, he has accumulated a vast amount of knowledge in speaking effectively and empathetically with property owners and business owners to find genuine win-win solutions.