After reviewing Farm Investor Pathway eligibility criteria to determine whether or not requirements are met, the prospective applicant can begin the application process by conducting a Farm Research Visit to Manitoba. The Farm Research Visit is a mandatory step in the application process. The visit must be conducted no more than a year before the submission of an Interest Guidelines and Farm Business Concept to the MPNP.

A key feature of the Interest Guidelines is the proposed investment. A prospective applicant must intend to invest a minimum of $300,000 in rural Manitoba.

The farm business investment must meet the following criteria: 

- The farm investor must live in rural Manitoba on a day-to-day basis;
- The farm business must be economically viable and be active in primary agricultural production; 
- The farmland must not be leased to others;
- The farm investor must manage the farm operation actively on a day-to-day basis.
- The farm investor must not use a third party or farm manager to run the farm; and
- The farm investor must not buy a farm for only land value appreciation purposes. 

A farm research visit is expected to help a prospective applicant:

- Collect information and prepare a Farm Business Concept that includes details, such as farmland costs, crop or livestock cost of production, marketing farm production, farm machinery, and equipment, analyzing competition, or investigating customers and farm suppliers.
- Research information settlement in rural Manitoba, including recreational activities, newcomer services, cost of living and availability of schools for children.

The Farm Research Visit is documented as a report if a LAA is issued to the FIP applicant. Although the MPNP does not provide guidelines for the Farm Visit report, the applicant is required to describe the nature of the activities that took place during the entire visit, including airline tickets, contacts made, hotel receipts, places visited, etc. 

Once a potential candidate completes the Farm Business Visit in Manitoba, the next steps are to complete and submit the Interest Guidelines and Farm Business Forms.

The Interest Guidelines form is where a potential applicant provides self-assessed details about their profile that include their past education, adaptability, farm business experience, language proficiency, and details on personal net worth. The Interest Guidelines form functions like an Expression of Interest (EOI) to apply to the Manitoba Farm Investor Pathway.

At this stage, the potential applicant will also be required to submit a complete Farm Business Concept Form. The MPNP will require both forms to be submitted along with the Code of Conduct for Immigration Representatives to be able to screen a prospective applicant's eligibility and potential for successful long-term contribution to rural Manitoba's economic growth. 

The completion and submission of the above-mentioned forms is not an application to the program. It is only candidates who obtain an LAA that can move the next step of applying to the MPNP. 

The following is an outline of what the Farm Business Plan should contain:

1- Farm Business Operation 

• Describe the proposed farm business or farm operation and include:
• Farm operation business structure –proprietorship, limited company, etc.
• Which segment of the agriculture production sector will the proposed farm business operate in? Will the farm operation be focused on crop production, livestock production, mixed farming, apiary, dairy, organic production, poultry, etc.
• The scale of the farming operation
• Applicants should identify if they intend to purchase an existing farm operation currently in operation.

2- Personal Details

• Education background 
  • Does applicants' education relate to the proposed farm business operation?
• Farming Experience and Adaptability 
  • Does the applicant have farm business experience in the proposed business operation?
• Language skills 
  • Language proficiency in English or French

3- Critical Factors

• Identify government regulations that will be applicable to the proposed Farm business operation such as environmental regulations, manure management regulations, etc.
• Are there special crop/livestock insurance requirements?
• Outline any overall anticipated challenges in addition to those identified above.

4- Market Analysis

• Marketing 
  • What farm marketing efforts will be required to sell the farm production?
  • What marketing channel will be used to sell or market the farm production?

5- Resource Requirements

• Location and distribution 
  • What rural area in Manitoba is the applicant proposing for his or her farming operation?
  • Is the planned farm located close to farm suppliers, farm markets, trucking routes?
• Farm machinery and equipment 
  • What type of farm equipment will be required? Is there any special equipment?
• Suppliers 
  • Identify farm suppliers that will supply the crop or livestock inputs and services.
• Professional Advisors 
  • Do you plan to utilize farm marketing advisors or livestock specialists?
• Human Resource Requirements
• Applicants must outline their intended role and clearly demonstrate that they will have an active and ongoing day-to-day role in the management of the farm business.

6- Financial Feasibility and Farm Projections

• Capital requirements 
  • How much capital investment will be required to purchase the farmland and begin farm production? Will there be any leased farmland?
  • How much working capital is required to get the farm business started?
• Credit requirements 
  • Will financing be required? How much?
  • Source of financing? (Financial institutions? Applicant’s Personal Equity?)
• Breakdown of investment 
  • List the total amount of investment.
  • List how the investment will be broken down in terms of investment in tangible assets
  • List personal funds to be invested as well as the amount to be financed (borrowed).
• Production Estimate 
  • Provide production estimates on the intended primary production including input costs, revenue expectations for sold products, balance sheet, and income statement.

Individuals must submit a complete Farm Investor Pathway application 120 days following the receipt of a LAA. An applicant must provide all the required documentation and non-refundable application fee. The MPNP may require an applicant to provide a Third-Party Verification Report of the net worth and financial information provided in the EOI. As an applicant, it is important to review the Instructions and Document Checklist to ensure that the application is complete.

The assessment of a Farm Investor Pathway application may include an interview with a MPNP representative to discuss the Farm Business Plan. A letter of approval will contain a Deposit Agreement (contract) that details the requirements of the MPNP. The applicant is required to sign and date the Deposit Agreement and provide the MPNP with a $75,000 CAD deposit.

This deposit is refundable to the applicant once the requirements of the agreement are met. An MPNP representative may issue an applicant a Procedural Fairness letter, which will require the applicant to respond to the representative's concerns within 30 days of receiving the letter. 

When the MPNP receives an applicant's Deposit Agreement, a nomination certificate will be issued and the farm investor will be able to submit a Canadian permanent residence application to IRCC. 

The MPNP will consistently track the performance of the farm business in accordance with the terms and conditions signed in the Deposit Agreement. 

The farm investor applicant will be required to provide the MPNP with progress reports that capture how the business has been established and that the investment requirements are met.

The farm investor may consult with a Manitoba Business Immigration Officer for information on farm operation and resources that may help in setting up the farm business. Once the MPNP verifies the farm business investment, the CAD $75,000 deposit will be returned to the applicant.