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Hire Remote SDRs in Asia: Complete Hiring Guide

Build a high-performing sales development team across Southeast Asia at a fraction of Western costs.

KopiRecruit Research February 2026 10 min read

Overview

Sales Development Representatives (SDRs) are increasingly being hired remotely from Southeast Asia, particularly the Philippines. The combination of English fluency, sales aptitude, and cultural alignment with Western business practices makes Asian SDRs a compelling option for B2B SaaS companies.

The Philippines leads the market for remote SDR talent due to its BPO heritage, but Malaysia and Singapore also offer strong candidates for more senior or strategic sales roles.

Why Hire This Role Offshore?

A remote SDR in the Philippines costs $8,000-$14,000/year — compared to $45,000-$65,000 in the US. Filipino SDRs are trained in Western sales methodologies, comfortable with cold outreach, and experienced with tools like HubSpot, Salesforce, and Apollo.

Salary Comparison by Country (USD/Year)

Min-max salary ranges across key hiring markets.

PhilippinesMalaysiaIndonesiaVietnamThailand$0k$5k$9k$14k$18k

Key Skills to Look For

Cold Calling & Email Outreach LinkedIn Prospecting HubSpot / Salesforce CRM Apollo / ZoomInfo Objection Handling Lead Qualification (BANT/MEDDIC) Pipeline Management English Communication

Best Countries to Hire

🇵🇭 PhilippinesTop Pick

Best English fluency. BPO-trained talent with Western sales experience.

🇲🇾 Malaysia

Bilingual (English + Mandarin). Good for APAC-focused sales teams.

🇮🇩 Indonesia

Most cost-effective. Growing pool of English-speaking sales talent.

Hiring Tips

1

Prioritize English fluency and confidence — SDRs need to sound natural on calls

2

Look for BPO or call center experience as a baseline

3

Test with a mock cold call during the interview process

4

Provide comprehensive sales playbooks and scripts

5

Set clear KPIs: calls/day, emails/day, meetings booked/week

6

Consider timezone overlap with your target market

Recommended Interview Questions

"Walk me through how you'd research and approach a cold prospect."

"How do you handle rejection on cold calls?"

"What CRM tools have you used, and how do you manage your pipeline?"

"Describe your most successful outreach campaign. What made it work?"

"How do you prioritize leads when you have a large list?"

Ready to Hire?

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