1. What are the requirements for qualifying as a self-employed person?
To qualify as a self-employed person, you must have two years of relevant experience and show that you intend to become self-employed in Canada.
You must also obtain a minimum of 35 points in a selection grid designed to determine whether you will be able to become economically established in Canada.
2. What is the procedure for becoming a self-employed person?
You must meet the definition of a self-employed person, pass a medical examination, criminal and security checks, and agree to operate a business in Canada. You can find more information under How to apply in the Related Links section at the bottom of this page.
3. What is meant by “relevant experience”?
You can find more information on self-employed persons, including definitions of the various terms that apply to the Program, in the Related Links section at the bottom of this page.
4. Does the relevant experience have to be recent?
The relevant experience must be in the period that begins five years before you sign your application and ends when a decision is made on your application.
5. What is meant by “cultural activities”?
“Cultural activities” include occupations generally considered to be part of Canada’s artistic and cultural field. Examples include authors and writers, creative and performing artists, musicians, painters, sculptors and other visual artists, technical support and occupations in motion pictures, creative designers and craftspeople. You can find a full list of qualifying activities in the Related Links section at the bottom of this page.
6. What are specified economic activities?
You must plan to be self-employed in Canada in cultural or athletic activities, or purchase and manage a farm.
7. What is meant by a “significant contribution”?
There is no formal definition of what constitutes a significant contribution. This gives visa officers the ability to use their judgment and allow them to recognize that a contribution to athletics or the arts, even at less than a national standard, may still be of significant benefit at the local level. For example, a music teacher with reasonable qualifications will be in a better position to make a significant contribution in a small town than in a large city.
Please note that you must contribute to economic activities in Canada. While this does not preclude some activities outside of Canada, your experience must include a significant contribution within Canada.
8. Are there any reporting requirements once I arrive in Canada?
No. Unlike the Entrepreneur Program, you do not have to meet any conditions after becoming a permanent resident of Canada. However, there are requirements to retain your status as a permanent resident. You can find more information about being a permanent resident under About permanent resident status in the Related Links section at the bottom of this page.
9. Is there a net worth requirement?
There is no regulated minimum net worth requirement. However, you will have to satisfy a visa officer that you have sufficient funds to settle in Canada with your dependants, and to finance the economic activities on which your selection was based. For example, if you are a farmer, you will have to prove that you have sufficient funds to purchase and operate a farm in Canada.
You can find information on the funds that you require in the Related Links section at the bottom of this page.