The guide below takes a deep look into one of the streams of the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP), the Entrepreneur stream. The guide will go through an overview of the stream, its eligibility requirements, how it works, the documentation needed, its cost and processing times.
Saskatchewan | Entrepreneur – Overview
The Entrepreneur stream is one of the three Saskatchewan PNP streams that are dedicated to international entrepreneurs who wish to invest their money in the province.
When receiving a nomination under the Entrepreneur stream, candidates can then apply for Permanent Residence to the federal government of Canada.
This stream is not aligned with Express Entry, which means that candidates cannot take advantage of the 6-month average processing times of Express Entry. Processing times of Provincial Nominee Programs (not aligned with Express Entry) are usually longer and take at least 1 year.
The Entrepreneur stream has minimum eligibility requirements, however, the SINP does not send Invitations to Submit an Application to every candidate that meets these minimum criteria. Each candidate, when entering the system, has a score (up to 140 points) that depends on multiple factors (explained in detail in the Eligibility Requirements section). In fact, the SINP conducts periodic Entrepreneur draws, and each draw has its minimum threshold score, and all candidates with scores above or equal to that draw’s threshold are invited to apply. More information is available in the Draw History section of this guide.
Saskatchewan | Entrepreneur – Eligibility
Eligible and ineligible businesses
To be eligible to the SINP Entrepreneur stream, your proposed business must meet the following criteria:
- Meet the requirements under the Canada-Saskatchewan Immigration Agreement, 2005,
- Have the potential to create economic benefit for Saskatchewan, as assessed by SINP immigration officers,
- Be the continued operation of an existing business or the establishment of a new business meeting economic needs in Saskatchewan. The SINP does not pre-approve or endorse any business proposals or projects,
- Be sole proprietorships, partnerships, or corporations but must meet the legal requirements of the community they operate in,
- Be for-profit entities with the primary purpose of earning profits through the sale of goods and/or services, and
- Be considered a “permanent establishment” as defined under subsection 400(2) of the Canadian Income Tax Regulations, 1985.
Additional criteria apply if (i) purchasing an existing business or business succession, or (i) purchasing an existing business from a previous SINP Entrepreneur nominee:
- (i) Purchasing an existing business or Business succession:
- The Saskatchewan based business must have been in continuous operation by the same owner for the past 3 years,
- You must complete an exploratory visit to meet the previous owners. This applies even if you’re buying a business succession opportunity,
- You must provide evidence that you made reasonable efforts to establish a fair market value for the business,
- The succession buy-out must result in a complete change in ownership with you assuming full control of the business,
- You must commit to maintaining employment for existing Canadian citizens or permanent residents, and
- You must commit to keeping the existing wages and employment terms.
- (ii) Purchasing an existing business from a previous SINP Entrepreneur nominee:
- The business must have been in continuous operation by the previous owner for at least 5 years following the previous owner’s Permanent Residence application approval by IRCC (or receiving a Good Faith Deposit return if the applicant had applied to SINP prior to 2015),
- The business must demonstrate a net profit for at least 2 of the previous 3 years. This should be evident in the business registration and licence documents, financial statements, etc
- 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 provide evidence that you made reasonable efforts to establish a fair market value for the business,
- The succession buy-out must result in a complete change in ownership with you assuming full control of the business,
- You must commit to maintaining employment for existing Canadian citizens or permanent residents, and
- You must commit to keeping the existing wages and employment terms.
Some types of businesses are not eligible for the SINP Entrepreneur stream:
- 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 loan, cheque cashing, money changing and cash machines,
- Credit unions,
- Home-based businesses, including bed-and-breakfasts and lodging houses,
- Co-operatives,
- Investments into a business operated primarily for the purposes of deriving passive investment income,
- A business located in a multi-business retail condo/location/project or business incubator that is not completed/operational, and/or is targeted or dependent on investment or business operations by SINP entrepreneurs for the development, completion or ongoing operation of the project,
- Seasonal Businesses,
- Wholesale Trade Businesses, and
- Electronic, appliance, furniture, and home furnishing retail stores.
Partnerships
In addition to the requirements above, 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, below are additional guidelines and requirements:
- When applying, all applicants must clearly indicate in their application forms that they’re proposing a joint venture with a program applicant or a permanent resident or Canadian citizen, and identify their proposed business partners,
- Each prospective applicant must submit their individual Expression of Interest simultaneously,
- Each prospective applicant will be evaluated separately. They’ll be selected based on whether they meet the eligibility criteria. They’ll also earn points as individuals, not as part of a group or partnership,
- If any partner is not selected from the pool for processing, all remaining partners will have to update their business proposal. They’ll need to make any required changes to ensure they continue to be eligible for the points they previously earned,
- If all partners are selected from the EOI pool and approved, each partner will be required to sign a separate Business Performance Agreement, and each partner must meet the agreement terms, to be approved for nomination, and
- If the SINP concludes that one or more partners failed to meet the terms of their individual Business Performance Agreement for reasons beyond humanitarian and compassionate circumstances, all remaining partners will be required to update their performance agreement to ensure they continue to meet program criteria. This includes, but is not limited to changes to the required investment amount.
Minimum criteria and Entrepreneur Points Grid
In order to meet the minimum criteria you must:
- Have minimum 500,000 CAD in Net Business and Personal Assets,
- Have minimum 3 years of relevant business management or entrepreneurial experience gained in the past ten years,
- Intend to invest minimum 300,000 CAD in Regina and Saskatoon or minimum 200,000 CAD in all other communities,
- Own minimum one third (33,33%) of the equity of a proposed business in Saskatchewan unless your total investment is 1,000,000 CAD or higher,
- Provide active and on-going participation in the day to day management and direction of the proposed business,
- If you are establishing a new business in Regina or Saskatoon, your business plan must include the creation of two employment opportunities for Canadians or permanent residents in Saskatchewan (non-relative workers),
- Have a minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level of 5, and
- Conduct an exploratory visit to Saskatchewan for at least 5 calendar days in the previous 12 months before your Expression of Interest. You will have to complete and submit an Exploratory Visit Report that details and shows evidence of the activities carried out during the visit
As said earlier, meeting minimum eligibility requirements does not necessarily mean that you will receive an Invitation to Submit an Application from the SINP. Each draw has a minimum threshold score, and you need to have a score above or equal to the threshold to receive an invitation to apply.
There are 3 factors (each with sub-factors) under which you can score points that are explained in detail below. Remember that for each factor you will be claiming points for, you will have to provide supporting documents to prove you satisfy to the criteria of the factor.
| Selection factors 140-point grid | Maximum Points |
|---|---|
| Factor 1 – Human Capital | 55 |
| Sub-Factor 1.A – Age | 15 |
| Sub-Factor 1.B – Official Language Ability | 10 |
| Sub-Factor 1.C – Qualifications/Education | 15 |
| Sub-Factor 1.D – Net Business and Personal Assets | 15 |
| Factor 2 – Business Experience | 50 |
| Sub-Factor 2.A – Entrepreneurial Experience | 20 |
| Sub-Factor 2.B – Business Revenue | 20 |
| Sub-Factor 2.C – Innovation | 10 |
| Factor 3 – Business Establishment Plan | 35 |
| Sub-Factor 3.A – Investment Amount | 20 |
| Sub-Factor 3.B – Investment in Key Economic Sectors | 15 |
| Total | 140 |
There are 5 sub-factors, each with a maximum of 15 points.
Sub-Factor 1.A – Age (Max 15 points):
There is no minimum or maximum age to be eligible to this stream.
To be eligible to the Entrepreneur stream, you need to demonstrate a minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) test score of 5 for each language skill, either in French or in English. In order to claim points for the language ability, you must demonstrate you have a minimum CLB test score of 6.
If you have test results for a second official language, you will not get any additional points.
You can claim points if:
- You have met the requirements for a trade or occupational certification that required at least one year of full-time post-secondary training or apprenticeship equivalent. One-year diploma or certificate programs from other educational institutions are also acceptable if the qualification is relevant to the proposed Business Establishment Plan.
- You have a Bachelor’s or post-graduate degree in business, agriculture or science/technology from an educational institution recognized by UK NARIC. Bachelor’s degrees or professional certifications in other areas of study from recognized educational institutions are also acceptable if the qualification is relevant to the proposed Business Establishment Plan.
Sub-Factor 1.D – Net Business and Personal Assets (Max 15 points):
There is a minimum net worth of 500,000 CAD to be eligible to the Entrepreneur stream. Assets belonging to your spouse or common law partner will also be included in the calculation and must also pass verification. You can score up to 15 points in this factor.
Your personal net worth must be lawfully obtained and verifiable (e.g. proof of title to any real estate holdings and business ownership). You must provide a Net Worth Verification Report, and must be prepared by one of the SINP’s designated Third Party Providers (see list below). These verifiers are experts in assessing net worth and legal accumulation of net worth.
Third Party Financial Service Providers
KPMG
333 Bay Street, Suite 4600
Toronto Ontario, M5H 2S5
Phone: 416-777-3887
Email: SINPverification@kpmg.ca
MNP Ltd.
Regina Saskatchewan, S4P 0J3
Phone: 306-790-7900
Email: mnp.sinp@mnp.ca
There are 3 sub-factors totalling a maximum of 50 points, each with a maximum of between 10 et 20 points.
Sub-Factor 2.A – Entrepreneurial Experience (Max 20 points):
The number of points is based on your Entrepreneurial Experience in the last 10 years. There is a minimum 3-year business ownership and active management experience requirement to be eligible for the Entrepreneur Stream.
You can claim up to 20 points depending on the amount of business revenue, in at least one of the last 10 fiscal years, of the business(es) you have had ownership interest and ongoing active management responsibilities.
Sub-Factor 2.C – Innovation (Max 10 points)
You may claim additional points based on your previous experience in:
- Export Trade: You have had an ownership interest in one or more main businesses that derive not less than 50% of their annual turnover from export trade for at least one of the last three fiscal years.
- Registered patents: You have had one or more patents registered at least one year before the application is submitted. The patent must have been used in the day–to–day activities of the main business.
- Gazelle businesses: You have had a past main business registered for no more than five years at the time of application submission and the average annualized growth in revenue has been greater than 20% each year for three continuous fiscal years. The business must also have had 7 or more full time employees for at least 1 fiscal year in the same consecutive 3 year period claimed for growth in revenue.
You can only earn a maximum of 10 points in this sub-factor.
Factor 3 – Business Establishment Plan (Max 35 points)
There are 3 sub-factors totalling a maximum of 35 points, each with a maximum of between 15 et 20 points.
Sub-Factor 3.A – Investment Amount (Max 20 points)
You may claim points based on the total investment amount that will be made into your proposed business. The minimum investment is 300,000 CAD in Regina and Saskatoon or 200,000 CAD in all other Saskatchewan communities. The investment amount must be derived from your personal equity (investment amounts from loans or other forms of financing are not eligible). The maximum number of points for this factor is 20 points.
Points can only be awarded if you have committed to making an investment to establish or to purchase and operate an eligible business. To be considered eligible, investments must be relevant and directly related to your Business Establishment Plan, with evidence (receipts, invoices, signed contracts for goods and services, signed purchase and sales agreements, licenses and registrations) to show that the investment will be made within the first two years of arriving in Canada.
Applicants that establish or purchase and operate an eligible business in Regina or Saskatoon must create or maintain at least two jobs for Canadian citizens or permanent residents. All positions created or maintained must be over and above any position you fill in the business. Jobs created for your family members are not eligible.
You can claim additional points if the economic sector in which you will be invested in is:
- Science and Technology: Invest, develop and actively manage a science and technology related business. You’ll have to show you own a patent or an innovative IT idea that you intend to commercialize through an active investment in Saskatchewan.
- Manufacturing: Invest and actively manage a manufacturing production business where your business will create and assemble Saskatchewan-made components and finished “make-to-stock”, “make-to-sell” and “make-to-order” products for sale.
- Export: Invest and actively manage an export business where your business will create, produce or manufacture Saskatchewan-made or assembled goods to be shipped and sold internationally for the purpose of direct selling to end-users, regional distributors, or international retailers. Indirect selling of exports, where you are acting as a Saskatchewan-based intermediary between third parties who are responsible for product creation or direct sale to end users is not eligible for points.
- Rural Business Succession Opportunity: Invest at least 200,000 CAD to purchase and operate an eligible business anywhere in SK, outside the City of Regina or the City of Saskatoon. To be eligible for points, candidates must complete an exploratory visit to Saskatchewan that includes a visit to the community where the proposed business is located. The Saskatchewan-based business must have been in continuous operation by the same owner for the past two years. If the previous business owner is an SINP Entrepreneur nominee, they must have continuously operated the business for at least three years. They should also show a net profit for at least two of the previous three years. You must provide evidence that reasonable efforts were taken to establish a fair market value for the business, and the succession buy-out must result in a complete change in ownership, where you will assume full control of the business.
- Rural Business Development Opportunity: Invest at least 200,000 CAD to establish a new eligible business anywhere in Saskatchewan outside of the City of Regina or the City of Saskatoon. To be eligible for points, candidates must complete an exploratory visit to Saskatchewan that includes a visit to the community where the proposed business is located.
Saskatchewan | Entrepreneur – Application Process
For a better understanding of the process, below is a list of the steps involved in obtaining Permanent Residence through the Entrepreneur stream. Obtaining the provincial nomination is a two-step process:
Step 1:
- A candidate must register an Expression of Interest on SINP Online. This allows them to be included in the pool of candidates and be assigned a score out of 140 points based on their specific factors.
- If selected by the SINP (see Draw History section for more information), the candidate must pay the fees and select a recognized third party financial review service provider within 20 days. They must apply within 90 days to the SINP, meaning filling in forms, and uploading supporting documentation, which includes your Business Establishment Plan (more about deadlines in the Required Supporting Documents section below). The Third Party Verification Report must be submitted within 180 days.
- During the processing of the application, the candidate will need to attend a final interview, within 90 days of the SINP’s request. The costs related to this interview are not paid by the SINP, but by the candidate.
- If the interview of the candidate is successful, they must sign a Business Performance Agreement whereby they commit to achieving their intended investment. The agreement usually contains (but is not limited to) (i) investment amounts and timelines for commitments, (ii) number and types of jobs to be created for Canadian citizens or permanent residents, (iii) mandatory business milestones and achievements, etc.
Step 2:
- When the SINP receives the candidate’s signed Business Performance Agreement (which much be sent within 30 days of receiving it), they will be issued an SINP Entrepreneur Approval Letter along with a Temporary Work Permit Support Letter to apply within 3 months for a Temporary Work Permit to the federal government (IRCC).
- The candidate will have 18 months to from the date of receipt of the Temporary Work Permit Support Letter to arrive in Saskatchewan. Upon arrival, they must meet with a business service provider within 90 days of arriving in Canada.
- If the candidate satisfies to all the requirements, they will be issued a provincial nomination. The following are the main requirements:
- Transferring the required funds to Canada,
- Maintain legal status in Canada,
- Reside in Saskatchewan with their dependent family members within 50 kilometres of the business, and
- Operate the business in accordance with the Business Performance Agreement for at least 12 months.
- The candidate must finally apply for permanent residence to IRCC within 6 months of receiving the nomination. The candidate needs to apply on paper to IRCC, and include documents received by the SINP.
Saskatchewan | Entrepreneur – Application Fees
Saskatchewan | Entrepreneur – Processing Times
Based on the latest estimates (January 1 to March 31, 2024), an Entrepreneur stream application is processed by the SINP within:
- 6 weeks for the issuance of the SINP Entrepreneur Approval Letter and the Temporary Work Permit Support Letter (Step 1).
- 9 weeks for the issuance of the Provincial Nomination (Step 2).
