Farm Owner and Operator Category

This category is designed for individuals who wish to move to Saskatchewan and meet the following criteria:

• Have experience in farming.
• Possess the necessary capital (money, assets) to invest in a farming operation.
• Intend to purchase and operate a farm in Saskatchewan.

Eligibility for Farm Owner and Operator Category

To be eligible for this category, you must meet the following requirements:

• Available Equity: Provide financial documents showing a net worth of at least $500,000 CAD.
• Refundable Cash Deposit: Sign a Performance Agreement to purchase and actively run a farm in Saskatchewan. You will need to make a good faith deposit of $75,000 CAD, which will be returned once the terms of the agreement are fulfilled. If the terms are not met within two years, the deposit will be paid to the Province.
• Mandatory Visit to Saskatchewan: Complete an exploratory visit to Saskatchewan for a minimum of five working days.
• Farm Operation Knowledge and Experience: Submit documentation that proves your experience in farm operations. This may be verified through an interview.
• Farm Proposal: Submit a detailed and viable commercial farming proposal for Saskatchewan.

Note: Provincial and federal immigration criteria may change.  The number of nominations available each year is determined by the federal government, and not all applications are guaranteed acceptance.

Application Criteria for Farm Owners and Operators Category:

To be approved for nomination, you must meet the following criteria:

• Personal Net Worth: Your personal net worth must be at least $500,000 CAD, accumulated legally.
• Experience: You must have at least three years of experience in one or more of the following:
  • Farm ownership
  • Farm management
  • Practical farming experience
• Farming Proposal: Provide a detailed proposal for a commercial farming opportunity in Saskatchewan. This proposal should outline plans to invest a minimum of $150,000 CAD. The proposal must be based on research, consultations, or formal coursework relevant to Saskatchewan’s agricultural conditions. Hobby farms do not qualify; the business must be a commercial project with an expectation of profit. A qualified farming business in Saskatchewan must generate at least $10,000 CAD in annual revenue.
• Intent Grid: Score at least 55 points on the Farm Owner/Operator Category Intent Grid (refer to the Application Guide for more information on the Intent Grading Grid).

Document Checklist for Farm Owners and Operators Category:  file:///C:/Users/admin/Downloads/SINP_Only%252BFarm_Category_Document_Checklist_%2528FINAL%2529.pdf

Farm Owners and Operators – Young Farmer Stream

The Young Farmer Stream is designed to help young farm families establish their lives and farming operations in Saskatchewan’s rural areas.

Application Criteria: To be eligible for nomination, you must meet the following requirements:

• Personal Net Worth: Your personal net worth must be at least $300,000 CAD, accumulated legally.
• Age: You must be under the age of 40 at the time of your application.
• Experience: You must have at least three years of experience in one or more of the following:
  • Farm ownership
  • Farm management
  • Practical farming experience
• Farming Proposal: Submit a proposal for a commercial farming opportunity in Saskatchewan. The proposal should be based on research, consultations, or formal coursework relevant to Saskatchewan’s agricultural conditions. Hobby farms do not qualify. The proposal must be a commercial venture with an expectation of profit. A qualified farming business must generate a minimum of $10,000 CAD in annual revenue.
• Employment Skills: You or your spouse must have employment skills, based on education and experience, to supplement farming income.

Nomination Requirements (Both Category Streams)

You may not qualify for nomination if:

• You do not meet one or more of the eligibility criteria listed.
• You or a dependent family member (whether accompanying you or not) has a serious medical condition.
• You or a dependent family member over the age of 18 (whether accompanying you or not) has a criminal record.
• You have unresolved custody or child support disputes affecting any member of your family.
• You have intentionally committed misrepresentation or fraud in your application.

Before Submitting Your Application:

• Ensure you meet all the eligibility criteria.
• Gather and prepare all required forms and documents.
• Complete the necessary steps in the application process, which include:
  • Paying a $2,500 CAD processing fee.
  • Paying the $75,000 CAD refundable deposit.
  • Fulfilling the program’s requirements.
• Exploratory Visit to Saskatchewan: You are required to stay in Saskatchewan for at least five days to conduct research, which should include meetings with service professionals.

Accompanying Farm Employee (Both Category Streams)

You may qualify under the International Skilled Worker: Employment Offer subcategory if you meet the following criteria:

• You live outside of Canada or have proof of legal status in Canada.
• You are not a refugee claimant.
• The principal applicant under the SINP Farm Category has been nominated.
• You score a minimum of 60 points in the points assessment grid.
• You have at least one year of work experience in the past 10 years as a Farm Employee with the nominated principal applicant.
• You have a language score of at least Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4.
• You have completed the SINP 100-8 Form and provided a valid nomination certificate number for the nominated principal applicant.

Important Notes:

• An accompanying farm worker application will not be accepted if the principal applicant’s nomination certificate has expired.
• The skilled worker application will only be processed after the principal applicant has been approved and has received their SINP nomination number.
• The program criteria may change at any time, and applications will be assessed based on the criteria in place at the time the application is received.

How to Apply (Both Category Streams)

• Document Checklist: You must submit all the documents listed in the SINP Farm Category Application Document Checklist. Be sure to follow the checklist to prepare your application.
• Country-Specific Requirements: If you live in or are a citizen of a country listed in the Country-Specific Checklist, include the required documents specific to your country. Failure to include these documents will result in your application not being accepted for processing.
• Document Translation: All documents must be in English or French. If any document is in another language, you must provide:
  • A photocopy of the original document.
  • A photocopy of its translation.
  • A Translator Affidavit, which describes the translator’s qualifications.

Translations can be done by anyone, except:

• Your spouse.
• A family member.
• A paid third party that has prepared your application to the SINP.
• While the SINP does not require certified translations, some Canadian visa offices may, and the translated documents must meet all federal requirements.

• Who to Include in Your Application: You may include the following in your application for nomination:
  • Your spouse (as defined by SINP).
  • Your common-law partner (as defined by SINP).
  • Your dependent children (as defined by SINP).
  • An employee working in your current farming operation (this employee must submit their Skilled Worker Application as part of your application). As the Principal Applicant, provide a letter of offer to the accompanying employee.
• Net Worth Evaluation by Third-Party Financial Service Providers: The SINP uses third-party financial service providers to assess the legal accumulation of net worth for applicants. You can choose between:

1. KPMG: Address: 333 Bay Street, Suite 4600, Toronto, Ontario, M5H 2S5

Phone: 416-777-3887

Email: SINPverification@kpmg.ca

2. MNP Ltd.: Address: Regina, Saskatchewan, S4P 0J3

Phone: 306-790-7900

Email: mnp.sinp@mnp.ca

You must submit all required documents from the Third-Party Document Checklist along with your file number to one of the third-party providers. Ensure the accuracy of your financial documents. Once the assessment is completed, the service provider will send you a report. Submit this report by email to saskentrepreneur@gov.sk.ca by the provided deadline.

• Passports: Submit photocopies of all passports for you and your family members who will accompany you. Each photocopy must include:
  • Passport number.
  • Date of issue and expiry.
  • Bio-data page with photograph, name, date, and place of birth.
  • All pages showing entry and exit stamps.

Incomplete passport submissions will result in your application being returned.