Investment in Saskatchewan

The immigration program of Saskatchewan has several subcategories, three of which are related to investment. The investment methods in Saskatchewan include:

Entrepreneurship in Saskatchewan SINP Entrepreneur Category

Farming in Saskatchewan SINP Farm Owner/Operator Category

Entrepreneurship for International Graduates in Saskatchewan SINP International Graduate Entrepreneur Category

The Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) was launched to help meet the economic and labor market needs of the province, and out of every ten people who immigrate to this province, seven come through this program.

This article mainly focuses on the entrepreneurship program in Saskatchewan, examining all aspects of this program and explaining important related points.

Latest Updates

Recent draws held for the SINP Entrepreneur Category

Date	Number of Invitations	Minimum Score
January 5, 2023	50	80 – 130
March 3, 2022	58	80 – 130
January 6, 2022	58	80 – 130

Advantages of investing in Saskatchewan

The benefits of the investment method in Saskatchewan, including the entrepreneurship method, include:

Working in a stable and growing economic environment

Opportunities for growth and development of industries and businesses

Provincial government support for businesses

No need for a high language score to gain points

Receiving a temporary work visa for quicker entry into the province and starting work

Possibility of obtaining permanent residency in Canada for the main applicant, their spouse, and children under 22 years old

Conditions for investment and entrepreneurship in Saskatchewan

Investment and Entrepreneurial Conditions in Saskatchewan

To immigrate as an entrepreneur to Saskatchewan, the following conditions must be met:

Having a minimum net worth of $500,000.

Investing at least $300,000 in the cities of Regina and Saskatoon, or at least $200,000 in other areas of Saskatchewan.

Having a minimum of 3 years of managerial or entrepreneurial experience related to the intended business in the last 10 years.

Ownership of at least one-third (33.33%) of the proposed business’s shares in Saskatchewan or an investment of $1,000,000.

Active and ongoing participation in the management and daily operation of the proposed business.

Creating two job opportunities for Canadian citizens or permanent residents if establishing a new business in the cities of Regina or Saskatoon.

Having good physical health and a clean background check.

Unacceptable Businesses for Entrepreneurial Immigration to Saskatchewan

Activities related to renting properties, investment and rental of assets.

Construction/development/real estate brokerage, insurance brokerage, or business brokerage.

Employment services, operators of self-employed businesses that require a license or accreditation.

Activities related to payday loans, cash check services, currency exchange, ATMs, credit unions.

Home-based businesses such as providing bed and breakfast services and home lodging.

Investing in a business that is essentially aimed at generating income from passive investment.

Investing in a project whose development, completion, or ongoing operation is dependent on the investment or business operations of entrepreneurs in Saskatchewan’s provincial program.

Acceptable Businesses for Entrepreneurial Selection in Saskatchewan

In the Saskatchewan entrepreneurial program, eligible and acceptable businesses must have two main characteristics:

Create significant economic benefit for Saskatchewan.

Be a new business or an existing business that meets the economic needs of Saskatchewan.

Additionally, eligible businesses for this province must also possess the following features:

The company must be a sole proprietorship, partnership, or corporation,

Meet the legal requirements of the community in which they operate,

Be profitable,

Be a permanent entity.

Saskatchewan Entrepreneurial Program Point System

The investment immigration program in Saskatchewan is based on a point system, with points calculated on three main factors: human capital, business work experience, and business establishment plan (business plan). Each of these three factors has subcategories, which we will explain in detail with their corresponding points later in the article.

Investment point system in Saskatchewan	Maximum Points
1. Human Capital	75
Age	15
Exploratory Trip	15
English or French Language Skills	15
Level of Education	15
Net Worth	15
2. Business Work Experience	50
Entrepreneurial Experience	20
Business Income	20
Innovation	10
3. Business Establishment Plan	35
Investment Amount	20
Investment in Key Economic Sectors	15
Total Points	160

Human Capital Factors

Age

The entrepreneurial program in Saskatchewan has no age limit, but specific points are awarded for each age range.

Age	Points
Under 20	–
21 to 29	10
30 to 39	15
40 to 54	10
55 or older	–
Maximum Points	15

Exploratory Trip

The maximum points that can be earned from a trip to Saskatchewan to explore the intended business is 15 points. The exploratory trip must be taken 12 months before submitting the Expression of Interest (EOI).

An exploratory trip is mandatory in two cases:

1. To buy an existing business

2. To create and actively manage a business position in a rural area

Language Skills

For eligibility in Saskatchewan’s entrepreneurial immigration program, having a score in English or French is not mandatory, but to earn points for the language factor, a minimum CLB 4 score in English or French is required.

CLB 4 is equivalent to a General IELTS score of Speaking: 4, Listening: 4.5, Writing: 4, and Reading: 3.5.

Language Level	Poimts
Below CLB 4	–
CLB 4	5
CLB 5	10
CLB 6 or above	15
Maximum Points	5

Level of Education/Qualification

Business or technical certificate from at least one year of full-time training above high school level or equivalent apprenticeship	Points
Business or technical certificate from at least one year of full-time training above high school level or equivalent apprenticeship	10
Bachelor’s degree in business, agriculture, sciences/technology	15
Maximum Points	15

Net Worth Requirements

As previously mentioned, to invest and start a business in Saskatchewan, you must have a minimum net worth of $500,000 that has been legally obtained and can be documented. The assets and properties owned by your spouse are also considered in calculating net worth.

The maximum points for language skill is 20, and if you know a second language, you can earn an additional 5 points.

Business and Personal Net Assets	Points
$500,000 to $549,999	–
$550,000 to $749,999	5
$750,000 to $999,999	10
Less than $400,000	15
$1,000,000 or more	15

Business Work Experience Factors

Work experience in business has subcategories including: entrepreneurial experience, business income, and innovation. Maximum points are assigned for each subcategory, which we will elaborate on next.

Entrepreneurial Experience

Entrepreneurial Experience	Points
Less than 3 years of entrepreneurial experience in the past 10 years	Not eligible for the program
4 to 7 years of entrepreneurial experience	10
8 years or more of entrepreneurial/agricultural experience	15
4 to 7 years of entrepreneurial experience with more than 50% ownership of the business	15
8 years or more of entrepreneurial/agricultural experience with more than 50% ownership of the business	20
Maximum Points	20

Business Income

Based on the amount of income generated from the business in at least one year out of the last 10 financial years, you can earn up to 20 points. Income from businesses refers to those from which you have received profits due to ownership or have actively and continuously managed.

Business Income	Points
Documented previous experience in export	5
$100,000 to $249,000	10
$250,000 to $499,999	15
More than $500,000	20
Maximum Points	20

Innovation

Innovation	Points
Documented previous experience in export	10
Documented previous experience in patent registration	10
Documented previous experience in Gazelle Business*	10
Maximum Points	10

*Definition of Gazelle Business: At the time of applying for the Saskatchewan Entrepreneur Program, a business that you have registered for less than 5 years must have had an annual revenue growth of more than 20% for three consecutive financial years. Additionally, the number of full-time employees in the business must have been 7 or more during any one year out of those three financial years.

Business Establishment Proposal Factors

The business establishment plan, or business plan, has two subcategories: investment amount and investment in key economic sectors.

Investment Amount

As mentioned earlier, the minimum investment amount in the cities of Regina and Saskatoon must be $300,000, while in other areas of Saskatchewan it should be $200,000. It’s essential that the investment comes from your personal assets; if it’s funded through a loan or similar financial sources, it won’t be accepted.

Investment Amount	Points
Less than $300,000 in Regina and Saskatoon, or less than $200,000 in other areas of Saskatchewan	Not eligible for the program
$200,000 to $349,999	–
$350,000 to $499,999	5
$500,000 to $749,999	10
$750,000 to $999,999	15
$1,000,000 or more	20
Max Points	10

Investment in Major Economic Sectors

Investment in Economic Sectors	Points
Business activity is in the field of science and technology	15
Business activity is in the manufacturing sector	15
Business activity is in the export sector	15
Business activity involves buying a business in rural areas	15
Business activity involves establishing and developing a new business in rural areas	15
Max Points	15

Necessary documents for obtaining a Saskatchewan investment visa

Identification documents such as birth certificate, national ID card, passport, marriage certificate (if applicable)

Educational documents or certificates

English or French language proficiency certificate

Financial verification report from a third party

Resume

Employment contracts from the last 10 years

Organizational charts from the last 10 years, including the applicant’s name and other employees that indicate the applicant’s work history.

Pay slips for the last 12 months

If you own a business, provide ownership documents, company registration documents, business cards, business certificates, tax payment documents, product brochures, etc.

Documents showing exploratory travel such as round-trip tickets, hotel stay receipts, correspondence with local officials, photos, etc. (if necessary)

Business plan

Documents that show asset value, like property deeds, financial statements, investment documents, bonds, stocks, etc.

Financial account statements from the past year related to exports (if any)

Filling out the forms related to the entrepreneurship visa

Steps to apply for a Saskatchewan investment visa

To obtain a Canadian entrepreneurship visa in Saskatchewan, you need to go through several steps that result in acquiring a work permit or a temporary two-year work visa. After that, you will need to apply for a provincial nomination certificate and then for permanent residency in Canada.

Step One: Expression of Interest

Create an account online in the Saskatchewan provincial immigration nomination program and submit your Expression of Interest (EOI) for this program. After that, you will enter the draw pool, and if you are among the high-scoring applicants, you will be selected in the draw, which is called Draw, and you will receive an invitation.

Step Two: Submit your application for the Saskatchewan entrepreneurship program to the provincial immigration office

After receiving the invitation from the province, you have 20 days to hire a Third Party Financial Service Provider to assess your assets and their legality. The third-party confirmation report must be submitted to SINP within 180 days of receiving the invitation.

From the time you receive the invitation, you also have 90 days to submit your online application for the Saskatchewan Entrepreneur Program to SINP and upload the required forms and documents in the application.

Step Three: Interview

When your application is being reviewed by SINP, you will be invited for an interview. The interview can be conducted either in person or via video conference.

Step Four: Signing the Business Performance Agreement

If the interview goes well, you will be asked to sign a Business Performance Agreement with the province. In this agreement, you need to commit to making the intended investment in Saskatchewan. The contents of the agreement usually include the following:

The amount of investment and the time frame you have to meet the program commitments.

The number and type of jobs you must create for Canadian citizens or permanent residents.

Significant business successes and milestones that you are expected to achieve in the program.

Step Five: Submitting the Temporary Work Permit Application to the Federal Immigration Office

Once SINP receives the signed agreement, it will issue you an Entrepreneur Approval Letter along with a Temporary Work Permit Support Letter. You will then need to send these letters along with other necessary documents to the Federal Immigration Office to apply for a temporary work visa for Canada.

Step Six: Receiving the Saskatchewan Entrepreneur Visa and Entering Canada

Congratulations! You’ve received your Entrepreneur Visa. From this moment on, you have 18 months to enter Canada and complete the remaining steps towards obtaining permanent residency in Canada.

Saskatchewan Entrepreneurial Residency

From the moment you enter Saskatchewan with the Entrepreneur Work Permit, you need to go through two stages to obtain residency in Canada through investment:

First Step: Setting Up Your Business and Getting a Nomination for Permanent Residency

After entering Canada, you have 90 days to interview with one of the provincial government officers or pre-selected business service providers. Their role is essentially to help you gather information and guidance on establishing and launching your business in this province.

For developing a pre-existing business or starting a new one, your type of business must provide significant benefits to the province of Saskatchewan.

If you fulfill the commitments of your agreement with the province, you will be selected and receive a Provincial Nomination Certificate. This certificate is your ticket to apply for permanent residency in Canada.

Second Step: Applying for Permanent Residency in Canada

From the moment you receive your provincial nomination, you have six months to apply for permanent residency in Canada. At this stage, you need to submit your documents in paper form to the federal immigration office in Canada.

Farm Ownership Program for Entrepreneurs in Saskatchewan

As mentioned at the beginning of the article, another investment program in Saskatchewan is the Farm Owner or Operator program, suitable for applicants who have a background in farm ownership or management and sufficient agricultural experience. They must also have enough funds to invest in the agricultural sector of this province.

Applicants for this program need to visit the province and assess the conditions necessary to establish and launch their business.

Saskatchewan International Graduate Entrepreneur Program

The Saskatchewan Graduate Entrepreneur Program is for applicants currently in Canada who have graduated from a post-secondary educational institution. To create a business in Saskatchewan, these entrepreneurs must be at least 21 years old and hold at least one-third ownership of the proposed business.

Required Investment Costs in Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan Investment Programs	Minimum Net Worth in Canadian Dollars	Minimum Investment Amount in Canadian Dollars	Deposit
Saskatchewan Entrepreneur Program	$500,000	$300,000 for Saskatoon and Regina areas $200,000 for other areas in Saskatchewan Own at least one-third of the proposed business or invest $1,000,000	None
Saskatchewan Farmers Program	$500,000	None	$75,000
Saskatchewan International Graduate Entrepreneur Program	None	Own at least one-third of the proposed business shares	None

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Frequently asked questions

What are the main industries driving Saskatchewan's economy?

Agriculture and key industries in the natural resource sector like forestry and fishing.

How long does it take to review the Saskatchewan Entrepreneur Program?

Once the application is complete, it takes about 14 weeks for the Entrepreneur Program application to be reviewed by the province’s immigration office. However, the review time depends on many factors and varies based on the conditions of the Saskatchewan immigration office, the country you’re applying from, whether the application is complete or not, and so on.

What is the application fee for the Saskatchewan provincial investment visa?

The application fee for the investment application at the Saskatchewan immigration office is $2,500, and the fee for the work permit visa application at the federal immigration office is $255 per person.

Does the Saskatchewan Entrepreneur Program require a job offer?

No, in this program, the entrepreneur establishes or purchases a business and does not need a job offer.

Is an exploratory visit mandatory for the Saskatchewan Entrepreneur Program?

An exploratory visit is only necessary if you are purchasing a business in the province or starting a business in the rural areas of the province.

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