SAGE SA - Solutions for international mobility

What SAGE SA - Solutions for international mobility does

SAGE SA is a Geneva-headquartered provider of international salary portage (portage salarial international) and Employer of Record (EOR) services, operating under a Swiss legal framework. Founded in 1989 and integrated into the Freelance.com group since 2014, the company specializes exclusively in cross-border mobility — enabling consultants, freelancers, and retired executives to work abroad under employee status, and enabling enterprises to deploy talent internationally without establishing local legal entities. Its service architecture rests on a tripartite contractual model (consultant, client company, SAGE SA as legal employer) that bundles contract drafting, multi-jurisdiction invoicing, payroll processing, social security filings, tax optimization, and a suite of optional social coverage products (GMCI international health insurance, CFE vieillesse pension contributions, supplementary pension via partners such as ZURICH and AXA, and expatriate unemployment coverage). Adjacent optional services include work permit applications, travel and relocation organization, and immigration management.

The company monetizes primarily through a 5-10% transaction take rate on consultant billing turnover, supplemented by managed-service fees for enterprise HR mobility engagements (compliance audits, practice analysis, market benchmarking, expatriate satisfaction surveys). Distribution is delivered exclusively through direct and inside sales supported by a team of dedicated personal advisors, with inbound lead generation driven by an SEO-optimized international mobility blog and a free net salary simulator. Customer segments split between companies/HR directors/CFOs seeking to manage expatriate fleets and individual independent professionals needing legal and social coverage abroad. The company operates across at least 27 countries spanning Europe, Africa, Asia, North America, Central America, and Oceania, and has 11 employees.

Name

SAGE SA - Solutions for international mobility

Legal name

SAGE SA

Website

https://sagesa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SAGE SA is a Geneva-based, Swiss-licensed provider of international salary portage and Employer of Record (EOR) services, serving enterprises deploying expatriate talent and independent consultants working abroad across 27+ countries. Founded 1989, it operates as a subsidiary of Freelance.com.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Payroll and Employer of Record (EOR) Services

NAICS

Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services (54121)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Global Employer of Record (EOR) Services (BPACAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Onboarding, Offboarding & Employee Lifecycle Administration (BPACAHAL), Employer of Record (EOR) & Global Payroll (FSAMAKAB), Global Contractor Engagement & Cross-Border Payments (BPACAGAI), Tax, Payroll & Compensation Advisory for Relocation (HSAKAJAG)

Keywords

• International payroll services
• Employer of record
• Umbrella company services
• Expatriate management
• Salary portage

Headquarters

HQ city

Chène-Bourg, Geneva

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. International Umbrella/Payroll Portage Fees: SAGE SA charges management fees (typically 5-10% of the consultant's monthly billing turnover) in exchange for administering contracts, payroll, invoicing, social security contributions, and providing the legal employer framework. This is the primary revenue stream from individual contractors and consultants.
2. Enterprise HR Mobility Services: For companies and HR departments, SAGE SA provides turnkey international mobility management including payroll administration, compliance audits, practice analysis, market benchmarking, and expatriate satisfaction surveys, billed as ongoing service fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

SAGE SA delivers international salary portage (umbrella company) and Employer of Record (EOR) services through a tripartite contractual framework (consultant, client company, SAGE SA) that administers cross-border payroll, invoicing, contracts, tax, social security, and legal compliance across multiple jurisdictions. The company bundles these core services with optional social coverage (GMCI, CFE, supplementary pension, unemployment), work-permit and relocation assistance, and international mobility consulting for enterprises. Operating under a Swiss legal framework with over 30 years of exclusive focus on international mobility, SAGE SA enables companies and independent professionals to work or deploy talent abroad without creating local legal entities.

Product overview

SAGE SA provides international payroll and umbrella company services (portage salarial international) as a unified service offering, not a modular software platform. The core service encompasses international payroll management, Employer of Record (EOR) solutions, and comprehensive administrative handling for expatriates and international consultants. Additional offerings include social coverage packages (GMCI health insurance, CFE pension, supplementary pension, unemployment coverage), optional services (work permits, relocation, immigration management), and a net salary simulation tool. The company operates as part of the Freelance.com group and specializes exclusively in international mobility matters since 1989.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Portage salarial international: International salary portage service allowing freelancers and consultants to work abroad while maintaining employee status
• Payroll international
• Employer of Record (EOR)

Products and services

• Portage Salarial International International payroll and umbrella company service enabling independent consultants, freelancers, and experts to work abroad while maintaining employee status. SAGE SA handles contract drafting, invoicing to client companies, salary payment, social security contributions, multi-currency expense management, and legal/contractual obligations across the mission country for the consultant or freelancer.
• Employer of Record (EOR) / Payroll International Legal Employer of Record service in which SAGE SA acts as the legal employer for employees or contractors on international assignments on behalf of client companies, managing payroll, invoicing, social contributions, HR administration, and host-country compliance without the client needing to establish a local entity.
• International Mobility Management Consulting Consulting services for enterprises on international mobility, including audits of in-house practices, compliance reviews, comparison with market standards, expatriate satisfaction surveys, and recommendations for various transfer types.
• GMCI Private International Health Coverage Private international health coverage including hospitalization from the first euro, medical repatriation, accident and disability benefits, and death coverage, extendable to family members. A dedicated claims handler reimburses expenses within 10 days of documentation receipt.
• CFE Vieillesse Pension Coverage CNAV basic pension contribution service for expatriates or employees of foreign companies, maintaining French social security retirement benefits during international assignments.
• Supplementary Pension (AGIRC-ARCO equivalent) HUMANIS supplementary pension plan equivalent to the AGIRC-ARCO scheme for expatriates, delivered through international partners such as ZURICH or AXA.
• Unemployment Coverage for Expatriates Pôle emploi Expatriés special unemployment insurance scheme for expatriates, requiring a minimum of 18 months of contributions to establish entitlement.
• Work Permit Applications Assistance with work permit applications for international assignments, including preparation and submission of required documentation in the destination country.
• Travel and Relocation Organization Organization of travel arrangements and relocation support in host countries for consultants and employees on international assignments.
• Immigration Management Management of immigration requirements and documentation for international mobility assignments, including visa and residence permit support.
• International Pension Scheme Subscription Subscription to international funded pension plans (e.g., PERCO international, Article 83) to supplement or replace French social security during international assignments.

Quantifiable outcome

• International social security coverage is operational within 24 hours of engagement
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Deel: Global EOR and contractor management platform operating in 150+ countries. Direct competitor to SAGE in international payroll portage and Employer of Record services, though Deel is tech-first and venture-backed at significantly larger scale.
• Globalization Partners: Established global EOR provider with presence in 180+ countries. Competes with SAGE on enterprise international payroll deployment, particularly for large multinational corporations managing expatriate and contractor populations.
• Oyster HR: Global EOR platform focused on compliant international hiring and payroll. Competes with SAGE's core EOR and contractor engagement offerings, particularly for SaaS and tech companies hiring internationally.
• Remote: Global EOR and international payroll platform with proprietary local-entity infrastructure. Competes directly with SAGE on EOR, contractor management, and multi-country payroll, targeting similar enterprise and SMB segments.
• Velocity Global: Global EOR and international PEO provider offering payroll, benefits, and compliance in 185+ countries. Direct competitor in enterprise international mobility management, with comparable service-based delivery model.
• Multiplier: EOR and global payroll platform serving SMBs and enterprises. Comparable to SAGE in international contractor engagement and cross-border payments across multiple jurisdictions.

Others

• Freelance.com: Parent company of SAGE SA and leading French salary portage group. Operates in the same portage salarial category domestically (France) while SAGE handles the international mission vertical — sister/complementary business rather than competitor.

Broad incumbents

• ADP (International Payroll): Global payroll and HR services giant offering international payroll, EOR-adjacent services, and global mobility solutions as part of a much broader portfolio. Overlaps with SAGE on enterprise international payroll and expatriate management.

Regional players

• Skolae (formerly Portageo / Profilia): French salary portage operators focused primarily on the domestic French market. Comparable in portage salarial model and category but operate primarily in France, whereas SAGE focuses exclusively on international missions.

Emerging players

• Papaya Global: Global payroll and EOR platform with proprietary workforce management technology. Comparable to SAGE in international payroll and employer-of-record offerings, with growing enterprise traction.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sage-sa-portage-salarial-international

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SAGE SA - Solutions for international mobility