Canada self-employed persons program

Canada has the Self-employed Persons Program which allows individuals to migrate to Canada permanently as a self-employed person. Individuals wishing to submit under this program must have:

• Adequate experience in cultural activities or athletics
• Ability to create a meaningful contribution to the cultural or athletic life of Canada

Eligibility requirements for the program

Candidates must have

To immigrate as a self-employed person, you should:

• To immigrate as a self-employed person, you should:
• Relevant experience
• Be ready and have the ability to be self-employed in Canada
• Fulfil the selection criteria
• Comply with the medical, security and other conditions
• Relevant experience
• You are considered to have relevant experience if you have:
• Taken part in cultural activities or athletics at a world-class level or
• Been a self-employed person in cultural activities or athletics

Relevant experience

for a self-employed person is defined as having a minimum of two years of experience. This experience should have been acquired through the period which is at least five years before the date of your form and ending on the day with the decision you made your form.

You will gain more points if you have 3, 4 or 5 years of experience. At a minimum, your experience must be:

For cultural activities:

• Two one-year stints as a self-employed worker in cultural activities
• Two one-year periods of world-class participation in cultural activities, or
• A one-year period given in (a) with a one-year period described in (b)
• For athletics:
• Two one-year periods of self-employment in athletics
• Two one-year periods of world-class athletics participation
• A one-year period described in (a) above combined with a one-year period described in (b) above.

Selection criteria

You have to meet the selection criteria for self-employed people, which means getting a minimum of 35 points out of a 100.

Here are the maximum points you can gain under each criterion:

• Education (Max 25 points)
• Experience (Max 35 points)
• Age (Max 10 points)
• Language ability (Max 24 points)
• Adaptability (Max 6 points)

You should also fulfil certain medical, security checks and other requirements

A medical examination and police certificates are required for you and your family members. You should prove that you will be able to support yourself and your family once you arrive in Canada.

Only occupations classified as Unit Group 5 (art, culture, recreation, and sport) by the National Occupation Classification (NOC) are eligible for this program.