Where your assistant lives decides which hours of your day you share. When a New York office opens at 9 a.m., it is 3 or 4 p.m. in South Africa and 9 or 10 p.m. in the Philippines. Agree the shifts first.
Key Takeaways
- South Africa and the Philippines are the two countries we recruit from, and each suits different time zones.
- India, Malaysia and Colombia also supply remote accounting staff, though we know them less well.
- Choose a country by time zone overlap, English, data protection rules and the credentials the work needs.
- A foreign accounting credential does not let someone prepare US tax returns for pay, which takes an IRS PTIN, or represent you before the IRS.
- Salary level matters, but the match to your tasks decides whether the hire pays off.
Introduction
Hiring abroad for accounting work means a remote person enters bills, matches bank lines and prepares monthly reports in your own software. The professional limits stay the same wherever that person lives. A bookkeeper is not a CPA, return preparation for pay requires an IRS PTIN, and our assistants do not give tax or legal advice.
If you would rather compare firms than countries, our guide to the best outsourced accounting firms for USA companies describes what several of them offer.
Criteria for Selecting an Outsourcing Destination
Five things decide whether a country suits you. The first is skill: look for work history in the software you use, and test a sample task before you commit. The second is language, because most of the job is written, from customer emails to notes on transactions and questions for your accountant.
The third is cost, and it needs the whole picture. Salary levels differ from country to country and are the usual reason clients look abroad, but setup time, software seats and payment fees belong in the comparison too. The fourth is working style, which shows in small habits, such as whether the person asks when unsure and flags a problem the day it appears.
The fifth is infrastructure. Ask how the assistant keeps working through a power cut or a dropped internet connection, and who covers the shift if they cannot.
Top Countries for Outsourcing Accounting Services
South Africa and the Philippines get most of the space here, because they are where we recruit. Our home page says US and European clients usually choose South African staff, while Australian, New Zealand and Asian clients often prefer Filipino assistants.
English is an official language in both countries, and neither observes daylight saving time, so the gap to your clock changes only when yours does. For a view of how the field is changing, see our post on accounting outsourcing trends in 2025.
South Africa
South Africa runs on one time zone, UTC+2, all year. That puts it 6 or 7 hours ahead of New York. A standard local workday overlaps with the US East Coast morning. Agreed shifts can stretch the overlap.
Our recruiting there focuses on native English speakers. POPIA, the country's data protection law, has been enforceable since 1 July 2021, and the Information Regulator handles complaints under it.
Chartered accountants in South Africa hold the CA(SA) designation from the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants. A bookkeeping assistant does not need it, so ask each candidate which courses and software certificates they hold.
Philippines
The Philippines runs on UTC+8 all year, which is 12 hours ahead of New York in summer and 13 in winter. A US client usually agrees an evening shift in Manila. A client in Australia, New Zealand or Asia shares most of the working day.
Filipino and English are the official languages. The Data Privacy Act of 2012 sets the data protection rules, and the National Privacy Commission enforces them. CPAs there are licensed by the Professional Regulation Commission, and that license does not by itself let the holder sign US audit reports or represent you before the IRS.
Other Notable Countries
India, Malaysia and Colombia also supply remote accounting staff. We recruit in South Africa and the Philippines unless a client asks for somewhere else, so we know those two best and can speak to the others only in general terms.
For any country, check four things:
- Time zone: write down the hours you need covered and the overlap you want.
- Law: ask which data protection law applies and who enforces it.
- Credentials: find out whether the tasks need any, and remember that a foreign credential carries no US tax or audit authority.
- Payment: ask how the salary is paid, in which currency and with what bank fees, and check the tax paperwork with your accountant.
Benefits of Outsourcing Accounting Services
Hiring abroad widens the pool of candidates beyond the people who live near your office. It also lets you size the job to the work: a part-time assistant can cover bill entry and reconciliation for a small business, and a second can be added as volume grows.
Weigh these gains against the work you take on:
- A wider pool of candidates, chosen for the hours they can cover.
- A salary level that differs from yours, which is often the main reason clients look abroad.
- A job sized to the work, including part-time.
- Management time, which stays with you: you set priorities, review reports and handle the handover.
Budget a few hours of your own time in the first month. The assistant needs access, a chart of accounts and clear rules for categorizing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are the Data Privacy and Security Protocols for Outsourced Accounting Services?
Ask for the specifics in writing. Look for personal logins with two-step sign-in, access limited to the accounts the job needs, and encrypted storage and backups. Our post on data security concerns in outsourced accounting lists the questions worth asking. If you hold data about people in the EU, the GDPR can apply to you wherever your assistant sits.
What Are the Data Privacy and Security Protocols for Outsourced Accounting Services?
Set the rules on your side too. The assistant signs in to your software with a personal login, you keep approval of payments, and the files stay in your own cloud storage.
How Do I Ensure Smooth Transition and Integration With an Outsourcing Provider?
Hand work over in steps: give access first, then pass one task at a time, and review its output before you add the next. Expect the first month to be busy, because it takes more of your time than later ones. As one client noted, "It was like choreographing a complex dance: each step had to be precisely coordinated for seamless execution."
Can I Customize the Scope of Services Based on My Business Needs?
Yes. Choose the tasks, such as bill entry, bank reconciliation, invoicing and reporting, and set the hours. On the free 30-minute consultation call you describe the tasks and hours, and we recruit for that list.
What Are the Typical Contract Terms and Pricing Models for Accounting Outsourcing?
Firms usually bill a monthly fee or an hourly rate. Bench, for example, lists monthly plans and an hourly option, and its Bookkeeping + Tax plan carries a 12-month commitment (October 2026). Through us you pay a one-time $1,997 recruitment fee and then the assistant's monthly salary directly, and we replace unsuccessful hires in the first 3 months at no extra cost.
How Do I Evaluate the Quality of Work and Performance of an Outsourcing Provider?
Agree a short list of measures: reconciliations finished by a set date, reports delivered on time and errors your accountant finds. Review them monthly. Raise a miss the week it happens.
Final Thought
Pick the country by the hours you need covered, then pick the person by a sample task. A free consultation call is the place to describe those hours and tasks, and we recruit from there.