What is a Virtual Assistant (VA)?
A Virtual Assistant (VA) is a remote administrative professional who supports executives or businesses with tasks like scheduling, email management, research, data entry, travel booking, and customer follow-up. VAs work online and are commonly hired through managed staffing providers or freelance platforms.
In more detail
The role emerged in the late 1990s as broadband made remote admin work feasible. Today VAs span general admin, executive support, real estate admin, e-commerce ops, social media management, and lead generation. Most VAs work across multiple tools: Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, CRMs, project management software, and industry-specific platforms.
VAs are typically paid $8-$25 per hour on freelance platforms or $1,000-$2,500 per month through managed providers (offshore). US-based VAs cost $25-$50 per hour. The wide range reflects seniority, specialization, and location.
Typical VA tasks
- Calendar management, scheduling, and meeting prep.
- Email triage and response drafting.
- Travel booking and expense management.
- Research, data entry, and CRM updates.
- Light bookkeeping, invoicing, and follow-ups.
Related terms
Common follow-up questions
An EA is usually full-time dedicated to one senior executive and handles more complex or strategic work. A VA may support multiple stakeholders and typically handles more transactional tasks.
Most professional VAs work 40 hours per week dedicated to one client. Managed staffing VAs are almost always dedicated full-time.
Yes, when sourced through a provider with NDAs, access controls, and compliance coverage (e.g., HIPAA for healthcare, GDPR for EU).