The Self-Employed Persons Program requires candidates to have the experience, intention, and ability to make a “significant contribution” to Canada’s cultural life or sports scene.Interested candidates must satisfy both the eligibility requirements and achieve a passing mark under the program’s selection criteria to be eligible for immigration as self-employed individuals.
There is no officially regulated minimum net worth prerequisite for the Self-Employed Persons Program. However, applicants must demonstrate sufficient funds to settle in Canada, support their dependents, and finance the work upon which their selection is based.
Using a point-based grading system to assess the eligibility of business immigration applicants, the Federal Self-Employed Persons Program also requires applicants to possess two years of relevant work experience within their field as proof that they can be gainfully self-employed in any Canadian province except Quebec.
To be considered eligible for assessment, a foreign national must first meet the Government of Canada’s criteria defining a self-employed person.All those applying to the Federal Self-Employed Program must intend to settle in any Canadian province or territory with the exception of Quebec, who has its own self-employed immigration program.
A self-employed person is characterized as someone possessing relevant self-employed experience in a cultural or athletic activity.
At least two years of relevant work experience in the applicant’s professional industry are required within the five years that precede their business immigration application. Professional athletes and individuals in the arts and culture industry must either provide proof of:
Applicants will undergo evaluation based on a point system to more effectively assess their eligibility for a Self-Employed Visa.
|
Selection Criteria |
Maximum Points |
|
Education |
25 |
|
Experience |
35 |
|
Age |
10 |
|
Ability in English and/or French |
24 |
|
Adaptability |
6 |
|
Total |
100 |
|
Education |
Points |
|
Master’s Degree or Ph.D. and at least 17 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study. |
25 points |
|
Two or more university degrees at the bachelor’s level and at least 15 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study. |
22 points |
|
Three-year diploma, trade certificate or apprenticeship and at least 15 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study. |
22 points |
|
University degree of two years or more at the bachelor’s level and at least 14 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study. |
20 points |
|
Two-year diploma, trade certificate or apprenticeship and at least 14 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study. |
20 points |
|
One-year university degree at the bachelor’s level and at least 13 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study. |
15 points |
|
One-year diploma, trade certificate or apprenticeship and at least 13 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study. |
15 points |
|
One-year diploma, trade certificate or apprenticeship and at least 12 years of full-time or full-time equivalent study. |
12 points |
|
Completed high school. |
5 points |
|
Maximum |
25 |
| Experience | Points |
| Two years of relevant experience | 20 |
| Three years of relevant experience | 25 |
| Four years of relevant experience | 30 |
| Five years of relevant experience | 35 |
| Maximum | 35 |
| Age | Points |
| 16 or under | 0 |
| 17 | 2 |
| 18 | 4 |
| 19 | 6 |
| 20 | 8 |
| 21–49 | 10 |
| 50 | 8 |
| 51 | 6 |
| 52 | 4 |
| 53 | 2 |
| 54+ | 0 |
| Maximum | 10 |
| Language Proficiency | Points | |||
| First Official Language | Speaking | Listening | Reading | Writing |
| High proficiency | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Moderate proficiency | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Basic proficiency | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| No proficiency | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Please Note: You can score a maximum of only two points in total for basic-level proficiency.
| Second Official Language | Speaking | Listening | Reading | Writing |
| High proficiency | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Moderate proficiency | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Basic proficiency | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| No proficiency | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Maximum | 24 |
| Adaptability | Points |
| Spouse’s or common-law partner’s level of education | |
| Secondary school (high school) diploma or less | 0 |
| A one-year diploma, trade certificate, apprenticeship, or university degree and at least 12 years of full-time or full-time equivalent studies | 3 |
| A two or three-year diploma, trade certificate, apprenticeship, or university degree and at least 14 years of full-time or full-time equivalent studies | 4 |
| A master’s degree or PhD and at least 17 years of full-time or full-time equivalent studies | 5 |
| You, or your accompanying spouse or common-law partner have completed a minimum of one year of full-time work in Canada on a valid work permit. | 5 |
|
You, or your accompanying spouse or common-law partner have completed a program of full-time study of at least two years’ duration at a post-secondary institution in Canada. You must have done this after you were 17 years old and with a valid study permit.
There is no need to have obtained a degree or diploma for these two years of study to earn these points. |
5 |
| You, or your accompanying spouse or common-law partner, have a relative (parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, child of a parent, sibling, child of a grandparent, aunt or uncle, or grandchild of a parent, niece or nephew) who is residing in Canada and is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. | 5 |
| Maximum | 6 |
