SINP International Graduate Entrepreneur Category

The SINP's International Graduate Entrepreneur Category offers a pathway to Canadian permanent residence for international graduates from eligible Saskatchewan institutions who wish to establish, acquire or partner in an eligible business in the province.

Candidates must be international graduates of full-time, post-secondary degree or diploma programs of at least two years in length and have an Expression of Interest (EOI) registered with the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP). If invited to apply and approved, participants will have to operate and manage a business in Saskatchewan for at least one year and own at least one-third of the equity in a qualified business in order to be eligible for a provincial nomination for permanent residence.

Minimum Eligibility Criteria

1. Minimum Requirements for Candidates

In order to be eligible under the SINP's International Graduate Entrepreneur Category, candidates must:

• Be at least 21-years-old;
• Have completed a full-time post-secondary degree or diploma of at least two years in length from an institution in Saskatchewan that is listed as a designated learning institution by Canada's federal government. (Distant learning programs and accelerated academic programs are not eligible);
• Have a valid Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) with at least two years of eligibility remaining;
• Have resided in Saskatchewan for the duration of their academic program;
• Have a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) of 7.

NOTE: Candidates who meet the minimum eligibility criteria and are invited to apply must prove that they have an in-depth knowledge of their Business Establishment Plan (BEP).

Business Establishment Criteria

In order to be considered for a nomination for Canadian permanent residence from the SINP, candidates must meet the following criteria:

• Reside in Saskatchewan;
• Own and operate the business for at least one year before applying for a nomination;
• Own at least one-third of the business, have made a supportable direct investment in the business, and be actively involved in day-to-day management;
• Sign a business performance agreement with the Government of Saskatchewan after the application is approved.

NOTE: If a candidate began operating the business before submitting the Expression of Interest (EOI), he or she may not be eligible for Expression of Interest (EOI) pool selection or SINP approval.

2. Application Process

There are four steps in the application and nomination process through the International Graduate Entrepreneur Category.

1. Submit an Expression of Interest EOI to SINP: Candidates will first need to express their interest to the SINP by completing an EOI profile. Those who meet the minimum eligibility criteria are entered into the EOI candidate pool and awarded a score based on a points grid.
2. Invitation to Apply: The top-scoring candidates will be selected from the EOI pool. Applicants who pass the SINP's assessment stage will need to sign a Business Performance Agreement (BPA) based on their previously submitted Business Establishment Plan (BEP).
3. Business Establishment: Those who are approved on a valid Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) will then actively operate their proposed business. They must establish their business within the terms outlined in their BPA and they must fulfill the BPA requirements before their Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)
4. Nomination: After the conditions of the BPA are met, candidates can apply for a provincial nomination for permanent residence. Those who are nominated must continue to meet the terms of their BPA during the permanent residence application process. If candidates close or sell their business after receiving the SINP nomination and before obtaining permanent resident status, they will have their nomination revoked.

3. When Not to Apply

• Are refugee claimants in Canada;
• Are living illegally in Canada;
• Have been prohibited from entering Canada;
• Have been issued a removal order by IRCC or Canada Border Services Agency;
• Have intentionally misrepresented themselves in the application.