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Self-Employed

What exactly is the Canada Self-Employed Persons Program?

The Canadian Self-Employed Persons Program is designed for individuals with relevant experience in cultural activities, athletics, or farm management. Applicants must also have the desire and ability to start a business that will, at the very least, provide them with employment. Applicants must also contribute significantly to cultural or athletic activities, or purchase and manage a farm in Canada. CIC offers the Canada Self-Employed Persons Program to new immigrants (Citizenship and Immigration Canada). This programme, which offers a variety of occupational streams, is intended to bring new immigrants to Canada who intend to work for themselves.

Social Immigration Services help you become a strong candidate by assisting you with the right guidance and efficiently filling your application for Permanent Residency through Express Entry.

The Canada Self-Employed Persons Program is making an important contribution.
The application guidelines and immigration criteria for the Canada self-employed persons programme will make an important contribution in their specific field of endeavour.
As a result, the term "significant contribution" is not formally defined by CIC (Citizenship and Immigration Canada).
However, immigration officers will use their discretion to evaluate the merits of each immigrant application.
A significant contribution to athletics or culture, for example, may be considered significant even if it falls short of a nationally recognised standard.

Prerequisites for applying to Canada's Start-up Visa Program

The Start-up Visa Program in Canada is a one-of-a-kind immigration programme designed specifically for self-employed individuals. It is intended for entrepreneurs who want to immigrate to Canada and start a business that employs Canadians. To participate in the programme, an applicant must meet the following requirements: a Letter of Support from a designated funder; ownership verification for a qualifying business; required levels of Language Benchmark in English or French; and adequate funds to live in Canada before realising any income.

Criteria for selection under the Canada Self-Employed Persons Program

A self-employed person is a foreign national who has appropriate experience in a field of endeavour and plans to be self-employed once in Canada. Applicants must be able to contribute significantly to the Canadian economy.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada evaluates applicants based on criteria such as previous experience in a chosen field, established educational accreditation, age and physical adaptability, language skills (in English or French), medical examinations/security checks, and financial resources once landed.

Specific occupations for self-employed Canadians programme applicants

In addition to specific admissibility requirements, Citizenship and Immigration Canada has classified occupations that would qualify for application under the Canada Self-Employed Persons Program, which include: librarians, curators, archivists, technical supports, writers, translators, journalists, authors, editors, choreographers, producers, directors, associated musical conductors, score arrangers, composers, musicians, singers, dancers, actors, comedians, painters, visual artists, and visual artists.

Eligibility: Employment, funds, and points

For this visa, applicants must meet the following requirements:

Demonstrate at least two years of self-employment in cultural activities or athletics, as well as world-class participation in cultural activities or athletics, or farm management experience.
Have enough money to support their family when they arrive.
Have the desire and ability to start a business that will generate self-employment.
Make a significant contribution to Canada's cultural or athletic life, or buy and manage a farm in Canada.
Earn enough points in the selection factors to pass the exam. Points are awarded for the following selection factors:

Education
Knowledge of the official languages of Canada (English and French)
Work experience
Age
Adaptability

Eligibility: Language skills

Applicants must have reasonable proficiency in English, or French, or both languages. To prove these applicants must provide test results from:

Self-Employed Program in Quebec only

The Quebec Self-Employed Program is geared towards applicants who will generate their own employment by practicing an occupation for which they possess previous experience.

Eligibility: Employment and funds

In order to apply under this program, applicants must:

Have at least two years of experience in the occupation they intend to pursue in Quebec (which is not limited to athletics, cultural activities, or farm management like the Canadian program)
Have a minimum net worth of $100,000 CDN of legally acquired funds (The applicant’s spouse’s funds count towards this total)
Have the intention and ability to create their own employment by pursuing their occupation in Quebec.