SAH Zürich

What SAH Zürich does

SAH Zürich is a Swiss non-profit association (Verein) headquartered at Wilhelmstrasse 10, Zürich, operating as the regional Zürich branch of SAH Schweiz (Schweizerisches Arbeiterhilfswerk), a national workers' aid organization whose lineage dates to 1936. The organization provides labor market and social integration services across more than 20 programs in four functional areas: professional qualification (INTEGRO Stadt Zürich, INTEGRO Kanton Zürich, INTEGRO Flüchtlinge, ANSCHLUSS, AMIE Zürich, AMIE Job, AMIE F, ICT Standortbestimmung, MenSAH, Cucina SalSAH), employment placement (Stellenpool, Restaurant SAHltimbocca as a social enterprise, Etcetera contract cleaning), education and counseling (impuls Fachstelle, MIRSAH legal consultation, Schweiz kennen citizenship preparation, Expertenwissen seminars, Arbeitszeugnis review), serving unemployed persons, recognized refugees and provisionally admitted persons, migrant women, ICT professionals, and youth in the Canton of Zürich.

The organization operates six primary delivery locations in Zürich and Wetzikon with a Co-CEO leadership structure (Philipp Leimgruber, since December 1, 2025, heading Education and Consulting; Melanie Schneitz heading Work and Placement) under President Vera Ziswiler. Technology infrastructure is conventional: a WordPress-based website using Google services, RaiseNow for donation processing, and Lunchgate/Foratable for restaurant reservations. No proprietary technology platform is described.

SAH Zürich is funded primarily through performance contracts (Leistungskontrakte) with the Social Department of the City of Zürich and the Office for Labor (AFA) of Canton Zürich, supplemented by individual municipal cost approvals under the Integrationsagenda Kanton Zürich, the cantonal integration flat fee (Integrationspauschale), client fees for selected services (e.g., AMIE at CHF 2,925/month, MIRSAH at CHF 50/hour, Arbeitszeugnis online at CHF 195, Schweiz kennen at CHF 75-150), and ZEWO-certified charitable donations. The go-to-market is primarily sales-led via institutional referral channels — RAV regional employment centers, IV disability insurance offices, and municipal social services — with direct-to-consumer touchpoints for City of Zürich residents through the impuls Fachstelle and the public-facing SAHltimbocca restaurant.

Name

SAH Zürich

Legal name

Schweizerisches Arbeiterhilfswerk SAH Zürich

Website

https://sah-zh.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Short description

SAH Zürich is a Swiss non-profit providing labor market integration, qualification, and counseling services to unemployed persons, refugees, and migrants across the Canton of Zürich, funded primarily through government performance contracts with the City and Canton of Zürich.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Employment Integration Services

NAICS

Special Food Services (7223), Caterers (72232), Limited-Service Restaurants (722513)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200), Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

Talent Acquisition (Recruiting) & Applicant Tracking (ATS) (BPACAPAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Asylum & Refugee Status Determination (RSD) Support (BPADAHAB)

Keywords

• Employment integration services
• Vocational qualification programs
• Migration law counseling
• Job placement services
• Social enterprise programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Zürich

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Performance Contracts: Primary funding source through Leistungskontrakte (performance contracts) with the Social Department of the City of Zurich and the Office for Labor (AFA) of Canton Zurich. These contracts fund the majority of operations including the impuls Fachstelle and other accredited programs. Programs are funded on a per-participant or contract basis.
2. Municipal Payments for Accredited Programs: Accredited integration programs under the Integrationsagenda Kanton Zürich are paid by municipalities through the annual integration flat fee (Integrationspauschale) and cost approvals (Kostengutsprachen). Individual programs like INTEGRO, ANSCHLUSS, and AMIE F are commissioned by municipalities and funded through the cantonal integration program.
3. Client-Funded Services: Some services are directly paid by clients or referring institutions. Examples include: MIRSAH legal consultations at Fr. 50/hour, Arbeitszeugnis online at Fr. 195 per certificate, Kurzassessment at Fr. 450, and AMIE programs at Fr. 2,925/month. Course fees like 'Schweiz kennen' at CHF 75-150 are paid by participants.
4. Donations and Membership: SAH Zürich accepts donations through its ZEWO-certified donation process (IBAN CH97 0900 0000 8000 0842 2) and encourages membership. The organization is a non-profit and politically neutral.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SAH Zürich provides employment integration, vocational qualification, education, counseling, and job placement services for unemployed persons, refugees, migrants, and other vulnerable groups in the Canton of Zürich. It operates accredited programs (INTEGRO, ANSCHLUSS, AMIE, impuls, MIRSAH, ICT) under government performance contracts, and runs social enterprises including the social restaurant SAHltimbocca and catering lines (MenSAH, Cucina SalSAH) that combine practical work experience with gastronomy qualification.

Product overview

SAH Zürich operates as a social services organization offering a diverse portfolio of over 20 programs centered on employment integration, professional qualification, education, and counseling. The organization functions as a unified platform for workforce integration, combining multiple service modules: INTEGRO programs (Stadt Zürich, Kanton Zürich, and Flüchtlinge variants) provide qualification and job placement; impuls offers job search and employment rights counseling; SAHltimbocca restaurant provides gastronomy qualification; MIRSAH delivers migration law consultation; and specialized programs (AMIE, Stellenpool, MenSAH, Cucina SalSAH, ICT Standortbestimmung) serve specific target groups including mothers, low-qualified workers, migrants, and ICT professionals. Programs are accredited under the Integration Agenda of Canton Zürich and financed through performance contracts with the Social Department of Zürich and the Amt für Arbeit (AFA).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Restaurant SAHltimbocca: Social restaurant offering qualification programs in gastronomy, serving as both a training site for job seekers and a public dining venue.
• Etcetera
• impuls
• Fachstelle impuls
• MIRSAH
• INTEGRO
• AMIE Zürich / AMIE Job / AMIE F
• ICT Standortbestimmung
• Stellenpool
• MenSAH
• Cucina SalSAH
• SAH experts
• Schweiz kennen

Products and services

• INTEGRO Flüchtlinge Integration program for refugees (status F/F-B) combining German classes, edo/q2b qualification, and practical work experience; funded by a Kanton Zürich performance contract.
• INTEGRO Stadt Zürich Integration program for City of Zürich residents combining edo/q2b qualification and practical work experience; funded by a City of Zürich performance contract.
• INTEGRO Kanton Zürich Integration program for Canton of Zürich residents combining edo/q2b qualification and practical work experience; funded by a Kanton Zürich performance contract.
• ANSCHLUSS Integration program for provisionally admitted persons, recognized refugees, and asylum seekers (F, B, N, S) offering edo/q2b qualification and work-experience pathways; funded by SECO.
• impuls – Fachstelle rund um die Arbeit Low-threshold drop-in counseling at Zürich main station on work, unemployment insurance, and social-law topics; offered as a walk-in service.
• MIRSAH – Beratung für Migrations- und Integrationsrecht Specialized counseling on migration and integration law, including Familiennachzug (family reunification), for individuals in the region.
• Restaurant SAHltimbocca Public social restaurant providing luncheon and event catering, combined with gastronomy qualification and work-experience placements.
• Stellenpool Temporary staffing and placement service providing short-term personnel to companies, NPOs, and private households.
• MenSAH Catering and event services delivered as a social enterprise that doubles as a gastronomy qualification venue.
• Cucina SalSAH Gastronomy and job-coaching program combining food service practice with structured qualification pathways.
• AMIE Zürich Free German, integration, and early-childhood-education courses for City of Zürich residents, funded by a city performance contract.
• AMIE Job Free job-related German and integration support for City of Zürich residents under the AMIE umbrella, funded by the city performance contract.
• AMIE F Free German and integration support for refugee women and young mothers (Mütter mit Kleinkindern) under the AMIE umbrella.
• ICT Standortbestimmung Workplace digitalization assessment for managers and teams, identifying digital skill levels and gaps.
• ICT Proficiency Assessment Individual digital skills assessment benchmarked against the DigComp framework for ICT professionals and managers.
• Einzelcoaching (ICT) Individual digital-skills coaching at 175 CHF/hour, tailored to ICT professionals and managers.
• Coaching Group (ICT) Team-level digital-skills coaching at 175 CHF/hour for groups of ICT professionals and managers.
• Schweiz kennen (Certificate of Switzerland Knowledge) Issue of an SAH certificate confirming knowledge of Switzerland at 30 CHF per certificate, required for naturalization applicants.
• SAH experts (Expertenwissen) Consulting and practitioner network delivering expertise across SAH Zürich's social-integration and employment domains for external clients.
• Arbeitszeugnis – Beratung und Intervention In-person counseling and intervention service for HR reference (Arbeitszeugnis) issues at 110 CHF/hour.
• Arbeitszeugnis online Online service providing independent, second opinion on HR references (Arbeitszeugnis).
• Kurzassessment Short workplace assessment used to evaluate fitness for work and identify required integration or support measures.
• Etcetera – Soziale Auftragsvermittlung Job coaching and social placement service that supports individuals through structured assignment and on-the-job coaching.
• SAH network membership (Mitgliedschaft / SAH-Karte) Paid membership scheme (7 CHF/month) granting discounted access to SAH Zürich courses and integration offerings.

Quantifiable outcome

• INTEGRO program successfully places participants in external work placements leading to primary labor market employment
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• City of Zürich (Social Department)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary funder through Leistungskontrakte (performance contracts) with the Social Department of the City of Zürich. Funds impuls Fachstelle and other city-level programs.
• Office for Labor (AFA) Canton of ZürichcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary cantonal funder of accredited programs. Provides cost approvals (Kostengutsprachen) for INTEGRO, ANSCHLUSS, AMIE, and other programs under the Integrationsagenda Kanton Zürich.
• Municipalities of Canton of ZürichcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndividual municipalities fund and refer residents to accredited integration programs. Programs are credited through the cantonal integration flat fee (Integrationspauschale).
• RAV (Regional Employment Centers) Canton of ZürichcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRAV offices refer registered unemployed persons and act as the primary intake channel for programs including INTEGRO, Stellenpool, and gastronomy programs. RAV Personalberater coordinate cost approvals.
• IV (Disability Insurance) Offices Canton of ZürichcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIV offices refer persons with disabilities to SAH Zürich programs for vocational rehabilitation and job coaching.
• IV (Disability Insurance) Offices Canton of ZürichcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIV offices refer persons with disabilities to SAH Zürich programs for vocational rehabilitation and job coaching.
• IV (Disability Insurance) Offices Canton of ZürichcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIV offices refer persons with disabilities to SAH Zürich programs for vocational rehabilitation and job coaching.
• IV (Disability Insurance) Offices Canton of ZürichcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIV offices refer persons with disabilities to SAH Zürich programs for vocational rehabilitation and job coaching.
• IV (Disability Insurance) Offices Canton of ZürichcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIV offices refer persons with disabilities to SAH Zürich programs for vocational rehabilitation and job coaching.
• ECAP WinterthurminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerECAP Winterthur provides external work placement opportunities for INTEGRO program participants. One participant (Kateryna B.) transitioned from a placement to a permanent position at ECAP Kinderhüte.
• Caritas ZürichminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJointly conducts the Info-Tour 'Arbeit suchen in Zürich' with SAH Zürich impuls. Caritas leads the tour which visits multiple support organizations.
• SAH SwitzerlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational umbrella organization for SAH regional branches. SAH Zürich participates in the national SAH network celebrating 90 years in 2026. SAH Switzerland publishes joint publications and coordinates the SAH brand.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Winterhilfe Schweiz: Swiss welfare organization combating poverty and supporting families in need. Operates nationally but with a different primary mission (material assistance) rather than employment integration, making it a thematic rather than direct competitor.

Direct peers

• AOZ (Asyl-Organisation Zürich): Zürich-based organization providing asylum, refugee, and integration services including housing, social counseling, and labor market integration — directly overlapping with SAH Zürich's INTEGRO Flüchtlinge, ANSCHLUSS, and AMIE F programs.
• ORS Service AG: Swiss provider of asylum and refugee services including accommodation and integration support. Operates federally across multiple cantons with similar refugee status determination and integration assistance programs to SAH Zürich's MIRSAH and Kurzassessment offerings.
• Sozialwerk Pfarrer Sieber: Zürich-based social services organization providing emergency shelter, food, and integration support. Operates in an overlapping local ecosystem of services for homeless and vulnerable populations served by SAH Zürich.
• HEKS (Hilfswerk der Evangelischen Kirchen Schweiz): Swiss NGO running employment integration, refugee support, and social services programs nationally. Operates comparable qualification and placement programs for vulnerable populations, often funded through similar cantonal performance-contract mechanisms.
• Caritas Zürich: Regional Caritas affiliate operating employment integration, social counseling, and refugee programs in Canton of Zürich. Co-delivers the Info-Tour 'Arbeit suchen in Zürich' with SAH Zürich, indicating direct overlap in target beneficiaries and services.

Broad incumbents

• Adecco (Switzerland): Largest commercial staffing firm operating in Switzerland, providing temporary placement, permanent placement, and career transition services. Differs structurally as a commercial (not publicly funded) staffing provider, but operates in the same broad talent acquisition/placement category.
• Caritas Schweiz: National umbrella of the Caritas network in Switzerland. Operates across all cantons with a much wider portfolio (humanitarian aid, development, family services), making it a broader incumbent in the same social services space rather than a direct Zürich-focused competitor.
• Schweizerisches Rotes Kreuz (SRK): Swiss Red Cross, a major national humanitarian organization providing migration, health, and social services including integration support. Operates across all cantons with broader scope than SAH Zürich's specialized employment integration focus.
• ManpowerGroup Switzerland: Major global staffing firm with Swiss operations providing recruitment, temporary staffing, and outplacement services. Relevant as a broad incumbent in the same employment services industry, though commercially oriented rather than publicly funded integration-focused.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sahzuerich
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sah-zuerich
• Instagraminstagram.com/sahzuerich

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries5 records

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 SAH Zürich