Saskatchewan (SISP) Entrepreneur Program
Saskatchewan (SISP) Entrepreneur Program: The Entrepreneur category of the SINP is designed to attract entrepreneurial talent to the province. The SINP entrepreneur category nominates approved applicants who, as per program criteria, acquire or partner in a business in Saskatchewan and are actively involved in its management, and who reside in Saskatchewan.
Entrepreneur Category Process
There are three steps to the nomination process:
1. Submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI) to the SINP:
Prospective immigrants indicate their interest in operating a business and residing in Saskatchewan by providing the required information about their entrepreneurial experience, assets, and Business Establishment Plan(BEP), among other factors.
a. Candidates that meet the minimum entry criteria are accepted into the EOI candidate pool.
b.Once submitted, EOIs are scored and ranked using the points grid.
2. Invitation to Apply:
Candidates are selected from the EOI system based on their score on the points criteria grid, with the top scoring EOIs being prioritized for selection and formal application submission. Selected candidates are invited to apply to the SINP.
a. Candidates that pass the verification stage will be issued a SINP Entrepreneur Approval Letter which will convey support of the applicant’s request to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for a two-year temporary work permit.
b.The work permit will allow persons to reside and work legally in Saskatchewan while they implement their business proposal.
3. Nomination:
Once an applicant satisfies the conditions of the Business Performance Agreement they can apply to be nominated by the SNP for permanent residency.
To meet the minimum entry criteria you must:
• Have $500,000 (CAD) at a minimum in Net Business and Personal Assets
• Have a minimum of three years of relevant business management or entrepreneurial experience gained in the past ten years
• Intend to invest a minimum of $300,000 (CAD) in Regina and Saskatoon or a minimum of $200,000 (CAD) in all other Saskatchewan communities.
• The SINP will use the information you provide for the points criteria grid to rank your EOI in the pool of candidates.
Candidates are selected from the EOI system based on their score on the points criteria grid, with the top-scoring EOIs being prioritized for selection. Selected candidates are invited to apply to the SINP.
• If you are invited to apply you must submit a Business Establishment Plan that corresponds to the information in your EOI
After your EOI has been selected:
• You’ll receive an Invitation to Submit an Application (ISA) letter. The letter will include a file number. If your application doesn’t match the information in your EOI it will be rejected and you’ll be unable to submit an EOI or apply to the SINP for two years.
• If your situation or any of your information has changed and the changes would result in a loss of points or you would no longer meet the minimum criteria then you should request to withdraw your EOI and not submit an application.
• You’ll have 20 calendar days from the date of the ISA letter in which to:
• Pay a $2,500.00 CAD non-refundable processing fee; and,
• Select and identify a recognized third-party financial review service provider on your online application.
• You’ll have 90 calendar days from the date of the ISA letter in which to:
• Submit your complete electronic application, including all required supporting documents; and
• Submit your BEP.
• You’ll have 180 calendar days from the date of the ISA letter in which to:
• Submit your Third Party Verification Report.
• You’re responsible for submitting the required documents to the Third Party Verification provider (see the Third Party Entrepreneur Category Document Checklist).
• The Third Party Verification provider may request further documents or information and may call you for an interview if necessary.
• If you’ve not submitted the required information or processing fee within the time given, your invitation to apply will expire and your application may be closed and removed from the system.
• If your application has been removed from the system and you’re still interested in applying to the SINP you’ll have to submit a new EOI, under the relevant criteria in place at the time of submission.
• You’ll need to upload supporting documents to your electronic application.
• Carefully review the document checklists for a full list of all required documents.
• All documentation must be provided in English or French.
• Where documents are in a language other than English or French, you must submit an electronic copy of the original document, as well as an electronic copy of its translation and a translator affidavit.
• If your application is accepted for processing and the information you provided changes, such as your family composition, marital status, country of residence, contact information, etc., you must inform the SINP. You’re required to update your application even if your visa has already been issued.
Applying for a Temporary Work Permit (TWP)
• You will need to obtain a TWP to operate your business in Saskatchewan.
• We require you to submit your SINP Entrepreneur Approval Letter along with your application for a TWP to the federal government within three months after you get the letter, to facilitate your arrival in Saskatchewan within 12 months of receiving your SINP Entrepreneur Approval Letter.
Arriving in Saskatchewan and Establishing Your Business
• All approved applicants who don’t attend an arrival meeting in Saskatchewan within 18 months of the date on the SINP Entrepreneur Approval letter will be deemed to have failed to fulfill BPA terms, and their applications will be closed.
• After you arrive in Saskatchewan you’ll have to:
• Meet with a business service provider that we designate within 90 calendar days of arriving in Canada. The contact details will be sent to you with your BPA.
The business service provider is available to answer your questions related to fulfilling the terms of the BPA. They can also refer you to other service providers for relevant information and guidance related to the establishment of your business;
• Submit your Arrival Report Form and the list of documents you should provide with it; and
• No later than 12 months after the Landing Date, submit your Business Establishment Progress Report to the SINP Entrepreneur category. This report outlines your business establishment activities to date.
Upon arrival in Saskatchewan, you’re to:
• Begin to establish or purchase your business as per the requirements of your BPA. We recommend you are prepared to begin establishing your business as soon as you arrive in the province.
To maintain the terms of your SINP approval, you must be actively operating and managing your business and it must continue to meet the terms of your BPA and nomination.
Application for Nomination
To qualify for nomination, you and your immediate family must be residing in Saskatchewan and you must meet the terms of your BPA, including:
• Transferring the required funds to Canada;
• Maintaining legal status in Canada; and
• Operating your business in accordance with your BPA for at least six months before requesting nomination.
To ensure you maintain legal status in Canada, you’re encouraged to have at least six months remaining on your TWP when you apply for nomination. You’re responsible for maintaining your legal status in Canada in line with the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA).
• Once you’ve fulfilled your BPA and operated your business for at least six months you’ll be eligible to apply to the SINP for the nomination.
• The SINP will assess your application for nomination and advise you of the outcome. You’ll be assessed upon your compliance with your BPA and any other criteria in place at the time you started your application process.
Submit your application for nomination electronically, using the SINP online system.
If approved for nomination the SINP will:
• Send a nomination certificate to IRCC; and,
• Send a nomination letter to you explaining how to send your permanent residency application to the IRCC Centralized Intake Office (CIO).
Application for Permanent Residence
Once you’ve successfully completed all three steps above, you may apply for permanent residency. To gain permanent residence status, you must apply to IRCC with your SINP nomination.
• Ensure you maintain your legal status in Canada; and
• Have a valid TWP while you are waiting for IRCC to process your permanent residence application.
IRCC considers your application after it receives the nomination certificate from the SINP, and is responsible for assessing each nominee’s eligibility for Permanent Residence. It completes health, security, and criminality reviews. It may also ask for any other information it thinks is needed, at any time during the application process. After all these reviews, if approved, IRCC will issue visas to you and your family members, as applicable.
Farm Owner and Operator Application
The SINP Farm Owner/Operator category offers Applicants and their families the opportunity to purchase and operate a farm in Saskatchewan. If an Applicant is nominated by the SINP, he or she is eligible to apply for Permanent Residence with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) as a Provincial Nominee
How the SINP Farm Owner/Operator Category Works
Step 1: The Applicant makes an exploratory visit to Saskatchewan.
•The visit must be no less than five business days.
•During the visit, the Applicant must meet with a SINP representative.
Step 2: An application that includes all documents outlined in the updated SINP document checklist is sent to the SINP office for processing.
•The application is received by the SINP office and is issued a SINP file number.
•Once the applicant has received a file number, the applicant then sends all forms and documents outlined in the updated Third Party Document Checklist that support the claimed net worth and accumulation of funds recorded on SINP form EF-002 and IRCC form IMM008 Schedule 4A to a third party identified the SINP.
•If required, the third party will request additional documentation and/or an interview to verify the information within the application.
•The third party assesses this information against the net worth and accumulation of funds criteria (listed below).
•The third party returns the documents to the Applicant and issues the Applicant a Third Party Verification Report.
Step 3: Once the applicant has received a Third Party Verification Report this report is sent to the SINP office for processing, along with any updated documents previously submitted to the SINP.
• If the application includes all required documents (including the Third Party Verification Report), the Applicant is asked to pay a $2,500 Canadian Dollars (CAD) non-refundable fee.
• If the fee is paid prior to the deadline stipulated within the fee request letter, the application will be accepted for processing and the SINP will assess the application against the remaining two criteria (listed below).
• If required, the SINP may request additional documentation and/or an interview to verify the information within the application3.
•An assessment of the application will be completed and a decision will be made either to approve the application for nomination or deem the application ineligible or refused based on the applicant’s ability to meet program criteria.
• If approved, the SINP immigration branch will invite the Applicant to sign and date a Business Performance Agreement specific to the Applicant’s circumstances and make a $75,000 CAD Good Faith Deposit.
•If the business Performance Agreement and Good Faith Deposit have been received prior to the deadline stipulated within the request letter, the SINP will nominate the Applicant and:
• Send the Applicant’s nomination to IRCC;
• Send a nomination letter to the Applicant explaining how to forward his or her application to the appropriate IRCC visa office; and
• If requested, the SINP may issue a Temporary Work Permit support letter provided that the applicant is able to demonstrate that they are business ready and will make a significant positive impact on Saskatchewan’s economy.
Step 4: After being notified of his or her nomination, the Applicant applies to IRCC as a provincial nominee.
•IRCC considers the application with the nomination information provided by the SINP.
•If the Applicant meets the criteria for IRCC’s health, security, and criminal reviews, IRCC will issue Permanent Resident Visas to the Applicant and his or her family members.
Eligibility Requirements
Farm Owner/Operator Category
Applicants are required to meet the SINP Farm Owner/Operator (Farm hereafter) category’s four criteria to be considered for nomination, including:
1. A minimum net worth of $500,000 CAD verified by a Ministry-approved professional third party prior to SINP application;
2. Accumulation of claimed net worth through legal means, verified by a Ministry-approved professional third party prior to SINP application;
3. Relevant Farm operation knowledge and experience; and
4. 4. A viable, considered proposal for a commercial Saskatchewan farming opportunity.
Young Farmer Stream
Applicants under 40 years of age are eligible to meet the SINP Farm category’s amended criteria to be considered for nomination under the Young Farmer Stream, including:
1. The minimum net worth of $300,000 CAD verified by a Ministry-approved professional third party prior to SINP application;
2. Accumulation of claimed net worth through legal means, verified by a Ministry-approved professional third party prior to SINP application;
3. Relevant Farm operation knowledge and experience; and
4. A viable, considered proposal for a commercial Saskatchewan farming opportunity;
5. The applicant or the applicant’s accompanying spouse / common-law partner must have marketable employment skills, based on education and experience, which will enable the applicant to supplement his or her farming income.
Return of the Good Faith Deposit
An Applicant may apply for their Good Faith Deposit to be returned:
•Within two years of the nominee Applicant landing in Saskatchewan; •When all terms of the business performance Agreement have been met; and
•When the Applicant can demonstrate that he or she has actively invested in the relevant Saskatchewan-based farm for a minimum period of six (6) months.
