Saskatchewan Entrepreneur Category

Saskatchewan Entrepreneur Category

The Saskatchewan Entrepreneur category is a subcategory of the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) that allows individuals who want to establish and operate a business in Saskatchewan to apply for permanent residency in Canada.

To be eligible for the Saskatchewan Entrepreneur category, candidates must demonstrate that they have a minimum net worth of CAD $500,000 that has been obtained legally, have at least three years of business management or entrepreneurial experience, and have a viable and sustainable business plan that will contribute to the provincial economy.

Candidates who are nominated through the Saskatchewan Entrepreneur category receive an invitation to apply for permanent residency in Canada. This stream is designed to encourage the development of new businesses in Saskatchewan, attract entrepreneurial talent, and contribute to the local economy. The Saskatchewan Entrepreneur category also provides support and resources to help entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses in the province.

Eligible Business

To be eligible your businesses must:

• Create economic benefits for Saskatchewan
• Be an existing business or a new business meeting economic needs in Saskatchewan.

Eligible businesses should also include the following:

• Be sole proprietorships, partnerships, or corporations
• Meet the legal requirements of the community they operate in
• Be a for-profit entity
• Be a “permanent establishment” as defined under subsection 400(2) of the Canadian Income Tax Regulations, 1985.

Ineligible Businesses

• Property rental, investment, and leasing activities.
• Real estate construction, development, brokerage
• Insurance brokerage or business brokerage.
• Professional services or self-employed business operators requiring licensing or accreditation.
• Pay day loans, cheque cashing, money changing, and cash machines.
• Credit unions.
• Home-based businesses, including bed-and-breakfasts and lodging houses.
• Co-operatives.
• Businesses operated primarily for passive investment income.
• Any business located in a multi-business retail condo or business incubator project that is targeted to and/or dependent on investment from SINP entrepreneurs for the development, completion, or ongoing operation of the project.

Purchasing an Existing Business

Additional points are available if you are buying an existing business.

• The business must have been in ongoing operation in Saskatchewan by the same owner for the past three years (before purchase).
• You must complete an exploratory visit to meet the previous owners.
• You must establish a fair market value for the business.
• There must be a complete change in ownership to you.
• You must maintain employment for existing Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
• You must keep the existing wages and employment terms.

Purchasing an Existing Business from a SINP Entrepreneur Nominee

• The business must have been an ongoing operation by the previous owner for at least three years and show a net profit for at least two years.
• The previous owner must be either a Permanent Resident or a Canadian Citizen.
• You must complete an exploratory visit to meet the current owners.
• You must establish a fair market value for the business.
• There must be a complete change in ownership to you.
• You must maintain employment for existing Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
• You must keep the existing wages and employment terms.

Joint Ventures between SINP Program Applicants

If you are proposing a joint venture with another SINP applicant in:

• The operation of a new business;
• The purchase of an existing business; or
• A partnership with a Permanent Resident or Canadian Citizen:
  • The business must have been in ongoing operation in Saskatchewan by the same owner for the past three years (before purchase)
  • All applicants must complete an exploratory visit to meet the previous owners or business partners.
  • All applicants must establish a fair market value for the business.
  • There must be a complete change in ownership to you and your business partner(s).
  • You must maintain employment for existing Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
  • All applicants must clearly indicate on their application forms that they are proposing a joint venture with a program applicant or a permanent resident or Canadian citizen.
  • Each partner must send their individual EOI at the same time.
  • Each partner will be evaluated separately. They will be selected if they meet the eligibility criteria and earn points separately.
  • If any partner is not selected from the EOI pool, other applicants must update their business proposal.
  • If all partners are selected from the EOI pool and approved, each partner must sign a separate Business Performance Agreement.
  • If the SINP finds that a partner failed to meet their individual Business Performance Agreement, remaining partners must update their agreement to continue to meet program criteria. This includes changes to the investment amount.

How to apply

Online through SINP portal

Process

1. Expression of Interest (EOI) submission to the SINP
2. EOI Selection and Invitation to Submit an Application.
   • A candidate’s EOI is selected based on points. Those with the highest points are selected during each draw. The number selected depends on program requirements.
   • After candidates are invited to apply, applications are processed in the order they are received.
3. Business Establishment
4. Nomination

Application Assessment

• Before the application will be assessed, you must submit:
  • Application processing fee.
  • Third party verification report.
  • Electronic application including all supporting documents.
• Only complete applications will be accepted.
  • Incomplete applications will be closed.
  • If your application has been closed and you wish to reapply, you must submit a new EOI.
• Your application will be assessed using the Entrepreneur Eligibility Criteria and your EOI Points Assessment will be confirmed.
  • A Business Immigration Officer may contact you for more information or for an in-person interview.
• If you do not meet the program’s Eligibility Criteria, your application will be ineligible.
  • You can submit a new EOI once you meet the program criteria.
• If the SINP finds your score on the Points Assessment Grid to be different from what you claimed (due to intentional misrepresentation), or that you or any person associated with your application did not include relevant information or gave misleading information:
  • Your application will be rejected.
  • You will not be permitted to submit an EOI or application to the SINP for two years.
• If you meet the criteria, you will be contacted for a final interview. This could be in person or through video conferencing.
• Upon completion of your final interview, you will be sent a Business Performance Agreement (BPA) to review and sign.
  • You must email your BPA to the SINP within 20 days.
  • Once signed and dated BPA is received, we will issue a SINP Entrepreneur Approval Letter along with a Temporary Work Permit Support Letter.
  • You must apply to IRCC for your TWP within three months of the date on the SINP Approval letter.
  • You must arrive within 18 months of being issued the original Temporary Work Permit Support Letter.

The Expression of Interest (EOI) System

1. Those who meet the eligibility criteria will be accepted into the EOI candidate pool.
2. Once sent, EOIs are scored and ranked using the Points Grid.

Program Requirements

• To submit an EOI to the SINP, you must:
  • Meet the entry criteria.
  • Complete the Points Assessment Grid.
• To meet the entry criteria you must:
  • Have a minimum of $500,000 (CAD) in Net Business and Personal Assets.
  • Have at least three years of relevant business management or entrepreneurial experience gained in the past ten years.
  • Plan to invest a minimum of $300,000 (CAD) in Regina and Saskatoon, or a minimum of $200,000 (CAD) in all other Saskatchewan communities.
• If you are invited to apply you must submit a Business Establishment Plan (BEP). Your BEP must include:
  • Your plan to establish an eligible business that aligns with the points in the Entrepreneur Category Points Grid.
  • Your ownership of at least one-third (33 1/3 per cent) of the equity of a business in Saskatchewan, unless your total investment is $1 million CAD or higher.
  • Your commitment to the day-to-day management of the business.
  • The creation of two employment opportunities in Saskatchewan for Canadians or permanent residents who are not related to you.(This only applies if you’re establishing a new business in Regina or Saskatoon.)

Who to Include in Your Application

Accompanying dependents include your:

• Spouse
• Common-law partner
• Dependent children
• Your parents, brothers and sisters may not be included in the SINP application.

Applying for a Temporary Work Permit (TWP)

• Apply within three months of receiving Entrepreneur Approval Letter.
• Register in IRCC’s Employer Portal as the employer of your business (as a self-employed person).
• You will need to pay an employer compliance fee of $230 but are exempt from the LMIA fee.
• Apply for temporary work permit online.

Arriving in Saskatchewan and Establishing Your Business

• All approved applicants who do not attend an arrival meeting in Saskatchewan within 18 months of the date on the SINP Entrepreneur Approval letter will have their applications closed.
• After you arrive in Saskatchewan you must:
  • Attend an arrival meeting by contacting the SINP
  • Send your Business Establishment Progress Report to the SINP Entrepreneur category no later than 12 months after the Landing Date.
  • Establish or purchase your business. We recommend you are prepared to establish your business as soon as you arrive. To be eligible for nomination you must satisfy the terms of your signed BPA within two years of the date of your TWP and show operation of your business for no less than six months.
• You must maintain the terms of your SINP approval throughout the immigration process. The SINP will withdraw a nomination to IRCC for permanent residency if the terms are not maintained.

Application for Nomination

To qualify for nomination, you must be residing in Saskatchewan, and you must meet the terms of your BPA, including:

• Transferring your funds to Canada.
• Maintaining legal status in Canada.
• Running your business in accordance with your BPA for at least six months before requesting nomination.

You should have at least six months remaining on your TWP when you apply for nomination.

• Once you have fulfilled your BPA and operated your business for at least six months, you will be eligible to apply to the SINP for nomination.
• Apply for nomination online.
• If approved for nomination the SINP will:
  • Send a nomination certificate to IRCC.
  • 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

To gain permanent residence status, you must apply to IRCC with your SINP nomination.

• Ensure you maintain your legal status in Canada.
• Have a valid TWP while you are waiting for IRCC to process your permanent residence application.