FEDERAL SELF-EMPLOYED PROGRAM

PATHWAY TO PERMANENT RESIDENCE IN CANADA

Explore Self-Employed Program.

SELF-EMPLOYED PROGRAM OVERVIEW.

The Self-Employed Person Program is for individuals who have relevant experience in cultural activities, athletics, or farm management and are interested in becoming self-employed in Canada.

Successful applicants under this program will receive permanent resident status in Canada, allowing them to live and work anywhere in the country.

If you’re unsure of how to begin your immigration journey, our team offers a consultation service where we can evaluate your unique circumstances and recommend the most suitable immigration options for you. Our focus on personalized solutions ensures that every client receives the highest level of service and support throughout their immigration journey.

Profile Assessment

The Self-Employed Persons Program is an option for those looking to immigrate to Canada. To be eligible for the program, candidates must have the experience, intention and ability to make a "significant contribution" to Canada's cultural life or sports in Canada. You must:

have relevant experience

be willing and able to be self-employed in Canada

meet the program’s selection criteria

meet medical, security and other conditions
To be eligible for this program, applicants must meet certain selection criteria that are assessed by a visa officer. These criteria include:

Education

Experience

Age

English and/or French Ability

Adaptability
Applicants must be able to satisfy a visa officer that they have enough money to establish themselves and their dependents in Canada and finance the work on which their selection was based.
At Chitra & Associates, we provide services to help you with your application creation, immigration strategy, legal representation and even consultation services. Our team of experts will help you every step of the way to ensure that you have the best chance of success in your application. Contact us today to get started!

01

Relevant Exprience

For an individual who is self-employed, relevant experience is defined as a minimum of two years of experience. This experience must be accrued within a five-year window leading up to the application date and concluding on the day a decision is made regarding the application.

The application becomes more competitive with an increase in experience, specifically if you can demonstrate 3, 4 or 5 years of relevant experience.

The minimum experience requirement differs based on the field:

Cultural Activities:

A total of two one-year periods of self-employment in cultural activities.
A total of two one-year periods of participation at a world-class level in cultural activities.
Alternatively, a combination of one year of self-employment and one year of world-class participation in cultural activities.

Athletics:

A total of two one-year periods of self-employment in athletics.
A total of two one-year periods of participation at a world-class level in athletics.
Alternatively, a combination of one year of self-employment and one year of world-class participation in athletics.

02

Eligible Occupations under the Self-Employed Program.

The following are the eligible occupations under this program:

Professional Occupations in Art & Culture

5111 Librarians

5112 Conservators & Curators

Technical & Skilled Occupations in Art, Culture, Recreation and Sport

5211 Library and Archive Technicians and Assistants

5212 Technical Occupations Related to Museums and Art Galleries

03

Selection Factors

Each selector factor carries a maximum point value contributing to the final score, with a total possible score of 100 points. Thus, the current passing score is set at 35 points.

Education: Maximum of 25 Points

The higher the level of education you have, the more points you will receive.

Experience: Maximum of 35 Points

It is evaluated based on the number of years of relevant experience in your field or occupation.

Age: Maximum of 10 Points

The younger you are, the more points you will receive. This factor takes into account your age at the time of application.

English and/or French Ability: Maximum of 24 Points

Language proficiency is divided into two categories: English and French. Your proficiency in either language is assessed through standardized tests, such as the IELTS or CELPIP for English and the TEF or TCF for French.

Adaptability: Maximum of 6 Points

This assesses your ability to integrate into Canadian society based on factors such as previous work experience in Canada, family ties in Canada, and your spouse's language proficiency.