Saskatchewan Entrepreneur Program
Saskatchewan Entrepreneur Program
The Saskatchewan Entrepreneur Program consists of four stages, each of which is important for the final nomination of the candidate. If you want to live in Saskatchewan and start your business in the province, please consider the following:
- You must submit your Expression of Interest (EOI) to the Saskatchewan Immigration Nominee Program (SINP) first;
- Wait for your EOI to be selected and then get the invitation to submit the Saskatchewan Entrepreneur Program application. (It is worth mentioning, that a candidate's EOI is selected based on the points received. Applicants with the highest-ranking points are selected during each draw and the number of the selected depends on the program requirements. After the invitation to apply, the applications of the candidates are processed in the order they are received);
- Then, establish your business in the province of Saskatchewan;
- If all the requirements of the Saskatchewan Entrepreneur Program are met, you will be successfully nominated.
The process of your Saskatchewan Entrepreneur Program application assessment starts after you submit: the application processing fee; the third-party verification report and the electronic application with all the required documents. Only complete applications will be accepted and assessed using the Entrepreneur Eligibility Criteria. Remember, a Business Immigration Officer may contact you for more information or for an in-person interview when needed.
If the SINP finds your application ineligible, you can submit a new EOI once you meet the program criteria. If you provide misleading information, your application will be rejected and you will not be permitted to submit an EOI or application to the SINP for two years.
Candidates, who meet the criteria of the Saskatchewan Entrepreneur Program will be invited for a final interview, that can be conducted in-person or through video conferencing. If you complete your final interview successfully, you will be sent a Business Performance Agreement (BPA) to review and sign. This legal agreement with the Government of Saskatchewan will state the sum of your business investment and describe the business you plan to operate in the province. The BPA will also include the information you have provided in the Business Establishment Plan.
It is important to email your BPA to the Saskatchewan Immigration Nominee Program within 20 days. Then, you will receive two letters - a SINP Entrepreneur Approval Letter, providing you with instructions on how to apply to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for a Temporary Work Permit (TWP); and a Temporary Work Permit Support Letter to add for your application to IRCC for a TWP. You are given three months of the date on the SINP Approval Letter to apply for the Temporary Work Permit, which will allow you to settle and run your business in Saskatchewan.
Remember, that your EOI is not an application yet, but an expression of your interest in running a business and living in the province of Saskatchewan. In your EOI for Saskatchewan Entrepreneur Program you must provide information on your business experience, available assets, and add your Business Establishment Plan. Check whether you meet the entry criteria before you apply for the Saskatchewan Entrepreneur Program. The following requirements are mandatory for all the candidates:
- they must possess at least 500,000 CAD in net business and personal assets;
- they must demonstrate at least three years of experience in relevant business management within the past ten years;
- they must be ready to invest a minimum of 300,000 CAD in Regina and Saskatoon, or a minimum of 200,000 CAD in all other Saskatchewan communities.
Your Business Establishment Plan (BEP) is another important element of the application process that will greatly influence its results. In the plan you have to demonstrate that your proposed business will be eligible; you will own at least one-third of the equity of your proposed business in Saskatchewan (or the total investment will be 1 million CAD or higher). Also, you have to show your commitment to the day-to-day management of the proposed business and the creation of two employment opportunities in Saskatchewan for Canadians or permanent residents. These people can not be your relatives.
The documents you will upload to support your application must be clear and easy to read. If they are written not in English or French, you must provide an electronic copy of the original document, an electronic copy of the English or French translation of the document, and an electronic copy of a document that describes the ability of the translator. The SINP asks you to upload copies of documents to an electronic application, but remember that the IRCC may require original documents or certified copies.
When applying to the Entrepreneur Category of the Saskatchewan Immigration Nominee Program, you must include all your dependents on the list, even if they are not coming to Canada with you. Also, the Saskatchewan Immigration Nominee Program will use two third-party financial service providers to assess the net worth and legal accumulation of net worth of applicants to the Entrepreneur Category of the Saskatchewan Immigration Nominee Program.
All approved applicants must come to Saskatchewan and attend an arrival meeting within 18 months of the date on their Approval Letters issue. It is important to send your Business Establishment Progress Report to the SINP Entrepreneur Category no later than 12 months after the Landing Date and to start the business as soon as you arrive. The applicant must satisfy the terms of the signed Business Performance Agreement within two years of the date of the Temporary Work Permit issue.
According to the Saskatchewan Immigration Nominee Program requirements, to qualify for the nomination, you and your immediate family must be residing in Saskatchewan and you must meet the terms of your BPA. Your funds must be transferred to Canada, you must maintain legal status in Canada and run your business in accordance with your Agreement for at least six months before requesting nomination. After you have fulfilled your BPA and operated your business for at least six months, you will be eligible to apply to the Saskatchewan Immigration Nominee Program for nomination. Then, your application will be assessed and your compliance with your BPA and other criteria will be checked.
You can upload your Saskatchewan Entrepreneur Program application for nomination using the SINP online system. If it is approved for the nomination, the Saskatchewan Immigration Nominee Program will send a nomination certificate to the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada. You will receive a nomination letter, explaining how to send your permanent residency application to the IRCC Centralized Intake Office.
Regards,
International Experience Club
