Effective March 27, 2025, the Farm Owner and Operator stream is permanently closed. As a result:
- No new applications will be accepted
- No new expressions of interest will be considered
- No further invitations to apply will be issued
The guide below takes a deep look into one of the streams of the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP), the Farm Owner and Operator 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 | Farm Owner and Operator – Overview
The Farm Owner and Operator (FOO) 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 FOO 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 FOO stream (and its Young Farmer sub-stream) does not require a valid job offer as its main eligibility requirement, but there are other requirements that must be fulfilled regarding the investment and personal net worth, amongst other eligibility criteria detailed below.
Saskatchewan | Farm Owner and Operator – Eligibility
The Farm Owner and Operator stream includes a sub-stream called Young Farmer. Each one has its own eligibility requirements, but they are quite similar. You can apply if you satisfy to all the requirements below.
Farm Owner and Operator stream
To be eligible to this stream, you must:
- Have a net worth of 500,000 CAD that has accumulated legally.
- Have Farm operation knowledge and experience as an experienced farm operator.
- Have a practical, well-thought-out proposal for a commercial Saskatchewan farming opportunity.
Young Farmer sub-stream
To be eligible to this sub-stream, you must:
- Have a personal net worth of at least 300,000 CAD that has accumulated legally.
- Be under the age of 40 at the time of application.
- Have at least 3 years of experience in farm ownership, farm management, or practical farming experience.
- Provide a documented proposal for a commercial Saskatchewan farming opportunity, with a reasonable expectation of profit. In Saskatchewan, a qualified farming business must have a minimum of 10,000 CAD in annual revenues.
- Have (and/or your spouse) marketable employment skills, based on education and experience that allows you to supplement your farming income.
Requirements applicable to both streams
Under either the stream or the the sub-stream, you must:
- Make a comprehensive exploratory visit to Saskatchewan for no less than five working days. You must meet with an SINP representative on your visit.
- Sign, at a later stage in the process, a Business Performance Agreement that will commit you to purchasing and actively operating a farm in Saskatchewan. You will need to make a “good faith” deposit of 75,000 CAD. The cash deposit will be returned to you when you have met the terms of the Business Performance Agreement. If the terms are not met within two years of landing in the province, the deposit will be forfeited to Saskatchewan.
Saskatchewan | Farm Owner and Operator – Application Process
For a better understanding of the process, below is a list of the steps involved in obtaining Permanent Residence through the Farm Owner and Operator (FOO) stream:
- The candidate must apply to the FOO when the stream is open, by submitting their complete application (filling in forms and providing required documents) by courier or in person to the SINP.
- Once the application is considered complete, the candidate will be sent an Acceptance of Application and Request for Processing Fee letter to pay the 2,500 CAD application processing fee by wire transfer. The candidate will have to hire a third-party financial service providers to assess their net worth and legal accumulation of net worth (below is a list of SINP-approved providers).
- If the application is approved for nomination, the candidate will be sent a Nomination Approval and Request for Deposit letter and a Business Performance Agreement. The candidate will need to make a refundable 75,000 CAD Good Faith Deposit by wire transfer within 3 months of receipt of the letter.
- After receipt of the deposit and the signed Business Performance Agreement, the candidate will be issued the provincial nomination.
- Finally, the candidate can apply for permanent residence to the federal government (IRCC) within 6 months of receiving the nomination. Candidates need to apply online to IRCC, and include the nomination documentation received from the SINP.
Third Party Financial Service Providers
KPMG
333 Bay Street, Suite 4600
Toronto Ontario, M5H 2S5
Phone: 416-777-3887
Email: [email protected]
MNP Ltd.
Regina Saskatchewan, S4P 0J3
Phone: 306-790-7900
Email: [email protected]
