If you search for a staffing agency or a recruitment agency in Australia, you will find providers that look alike but work in different ways. One finds you a candidate to employ. One employs a worker and sends them to you. A third employs a dedicated team member overseas who works your hours. Choosing the wrong model costs time and money, so it helps to know what each one actually does.
What a recruitment agency does
A recruitment agency finds and screens candidates for a role, then introduces the best ones to you. If you hire someone, they become your employee. You issue the contract, run payroll, pay superannuation and leave, and manage HR from day one.
Recruitment agencies usually charge a placement fee, commonly calculated as a percentage of the candidate’s first-year salary. Ask what happens if the hire leaves early, because replacement or refund terms differ between agencies.
Best for: senior, specialist or hard-to-find local hires, and roles that need someone on site.
What a staffing (labour hire) agency does
A staffing agency, also called labour hire, employs the worker and places them with your business. The agency stays the employer. You direct the day-to-day work, and you pay an hourly charge-out rate that covers the worker’s wages, on-costs and the agency’s margin.
That makes staffing agencies a good fit for short-term cover, seasonal peaks and trial periods. It gets expensive if you need the same person for years, and converting a temp to a permanent employee can carry its own fee.
Best for: temporary or seasonal local work, urgent cover, and roles where you need flexibility more than continuity.
What offshore staffing is
Offshore staffing is a third model. A provider such as WorkMate Pro recruits, employs and supports a full-time team member in the Philippines who works exclusively for your business, aligned to your Australian hours. WorkMate Pro handles the recruitment, employment contract, payroll, equipment, workspace and HR management. You manage the work.
It is an ongoing arrangement rather than a one-off placement, and the cost is an all-inclusive ongoing rate (from $12.50 AUD per hour at WorkMate Pro) instead of a salary plus on-costs. It suits work that can be done remotely: administration, virtual assistance, bookkeeping, customer support, design, development, and engineering and CAD support.
Best for: ongoing remote-capable roles where you want a dedicated full-time person at a lower cost than a local hire.
Side-by-side comparison
| Recruitment agency | Staffing (labour hire) agency | Offshore staffing | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who employs the person | You do | The agency | The offshore provider |
| Where they work | Usually Australia, often on site | Usually Australia, on site | Overseas, remotely, on your hours |
| How you pay | One-off placement fee, then wages and on-costs | Hourly charge-out rate, ongoing | Ongoing all-inclusive rate |
| Who manages the work | You | You | You |
| Typical fit | Permanent local hires | Temporary or seasonal cover | Ongoing remote roles |
| Time to start | Depends on the search | Often fast for common roles | Most WorkMate Pro clients start within 2-4 weeks of the strategy call |
Which do you need?
- The role must be done on site or needs a local licence or registration: use a recruitment agency or hire directly.
- You need cover for a few weeks or a seasonal peak: a staffing agency is built for this.
- You have ongoing work that can be done remotely and you want a full-time, dedicated person: offshore staffing is usually the more cost-effective route.
- You are not sure: many businesses use more than one. A local recruitment hire for the customer-facing lead, and offshore staff behind them for admin, bookkeeping or support, is a common split.
For a closer look at how offshore staffing works, roles and costs, read our offshore staffing guide for Australian businesses. If you are comparing providers, see how to compare offshore staffing companies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an offshore staffing company the same as a recruitment agency?
No. A recruitment agency introduces candidates for you to employ. An offshore staffing provider employs the team member itself and places them with your business as a dedicated, ongoing member of your team, so you do not run payroll or HR for them.
Is a staffing agency the same as labour hire?
In Australia the terms are often used interchangeably. Both describe an agency that employs workers and places them with host businesses for an hourly charge-out rate.
Do I employ offshore staff directly?
Not with a managed model. WorkMate Pro employs your team member and handles the contract, payroll, equipment, workspace and HR management. You direct the work, just as you would with an in-house team member.
How long does it take to get an offshore team member started?
Most WorkMate Pro clients have their new team member ready to start within 2-4 weeks of completing the strategy call and confirming requirements. The timeline depends on the role and the availability of suitable candidates.
Can an offshore team member replace a local employee?
For remote-capable work, yes. For anything that needs a local presence or a licence or registration held in Australia, keep that role local and use offshore staff to take the supporting work off that person’s plate.
