Business Investment Program - Saskatchewan

The Entrepreneur Category Process

There are four steps:

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

• The SINP does not provide preferential treatment for any application. All applicants must meet all program requirements. The SINP does not endorse any Saskatchewan-based companies or projects.

Your SINP Application Assessment

Before your 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. If your application is found ineligible, all submitted information will be removed. You can submit a new EOI once you meet 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.

• Your BPA is your legal agreement with the Government of Saskatchewan
• It will state the amount you will invest in your business and the business sector you will operate your business under. The BPA will also list other information based upon your Business Establishment Plan.
• You must email your BPA to the SINP within 20 days

Once we get your signed and dated BPA, we will issue a SINP Entrepreneur Approval Letter that includes instructions on how to apply to IRCC for a Temporary Work Permit (TWP), along with a Temporary Work Permit Support Letter. The letter is issued for your application to IRCC for a TWP. A TWP allows you to settle and run your business in Saskatchewan.

• 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.
• If IRCC refuses your TWP application, your SINP application will be ineligible.

The Expression of Interest (EOI) System

The EOI is not an application; it is an expression of your interest in the SINP. You can indicate your interest in running a business and living in Saskatchewan by providing info on your experience, assets, and a Business Establishment Plan (BEP).

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

Before you submit your EOI:

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.

They will assess the information you give in your EOI against the Points Grid to rank your EOI in the pool of candidates. Candidates are then selected based on their score. Selected candidates are invited to apply to the SINP. If you are invited to apply you must submit a Business Establishment Plan (BEP). Your BEP must include:

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 at saskentrpreneur@gov.sk.ca.
• 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.
• You are encouraged to use the settlement services available in Saskatchewan. You can access government funded settlement services through the Regional Newcomer Gateways.

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 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.

To ensure you maintain legal status in Canada, you are encouraged to have at least six months remaining on your TWP when you apply for nomination. You are responsible for maintaining your legal status in Canada in line with the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA).

• 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.
• The SINP will assess your application for nomination on your compliance with your BPA and other criteria.
• Send your application for nomination using the SINP online system. If approved for nomination the SINP will send a nomination certificate to IRCC and 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 the 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
• Have a valid TWP while you are waiting for IRCC to process your permanent residence application.
• IRCC 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. If approved, IRCC will issue visas to you and your family members, as applicable.
• The SINP is not responsible for IRCC's decision to grant or deny Permanent Residence status.