Immigrate as a self-employed person
The Self-employed Persons Program allows people to immigrate to Canada permanently as a self-employed person.
If you’re interested in this program, you must:
– have relevant experience in cultural activities or athletics and
– be willing and able to make a significant contribution to the cultural or athletic life of Canada.
Eligibility
To be eligible as a self-employed person, you must:
-have relevant experience, and intend and be able to be self-employed in Canada,
-meet the selection criteria for self-employed people, and
-meet medical, security and other conditions.
Relevant experience
Your experience is relevant if you have:
-taken part in cultural activities or athletics at a world-class level,
-been self-employed in cultural activities or athletics, or
-experience in managing a farm.
Selection criteria
We will assess you on selection criteria that include your:
-experience,
-education,
-age,
-language abilities, and
-adaptability.
Medical, security and other requirements
You and your family members must have a medical exam and get police certificates.
You must also show that you have enough money to support yourself and your family after you get to Canada.
Definitions
Self-employed person means a foreign national who:
-has relevant experience,
-intends and is able to be self-employed in Canada, and
-can contribute to Canada’s economy in one of the required areas.
Relevant experience for a self-employed person means at least two years of experience.
It must be during the period starting five years before the day you apply and ending on the day we make a decision on your application. The experience must be:
For cultural activities:
-two one-year periods of experience in self-employment in cultural activities, or
-two one-year periods of experience in participation at a world class level in cultural activities, or
-a combination of a one-year period of experience described in A above, and a one-year period of experience described in B above.
For athletics:
-two one-year periods of experience in self-employment in athletics, or
-two one-year periods of experience in participation at a world class level in athletics, or
-a combination of a one-year period of experience described in 1 above, and a one-year period of experience described in 2 above, and
For buying and managing a farm, two one-year periods of experience managing a farm.
Specified economic activities for a self-employed person, means:
-cultural activities,
-athletics, or
-buying and managing a farm.
Activities for a self-employed person selected by a province are decided by the laws of the province.
