Self-Employed Immigration
Self-Employed Immigration
Canada is a country that relies strongly on immigrants to contribute to its cultural and social fabric. If you believe you can add to Canada’s cultural activities and athletics, then the self-employed immigration program might be for you! However, being self-employed does not automatically make you eligible to apply under this program.
In addition to having the skills and ability to be self-employed, you must also meet the requirement of having a minimum of 2 years of relevant work experience. Your two years of experience must also be within the five years before you apply for a permanent resident visa. The application fee is $2,075 CAD with a 22 months processing time.
Your eligibility will also be determined based on your work experience in one of the three activities:
- Cultural and world-class level cultural activities
- Athletic activities
- Purchase and management of a farm
What counts as cultural and musical activities?
Occupations such as artists, photographers, journalists, coaches, designers, etc. are all cultural or musical activities. Now, what is the different between cultural activities and those considered world-class level? People who are considered world-class level have a good international reputation such as famous actors, professional athletes, and singers.
Not only do you have to build a business to support yourself and any accompanying family members, you will also have to prove you will have a positive contribution to Canada’s economy. This will have to be supported with financial documents and/or assets.
Self-Employed Immigration
Similar to the express entry immigration for skilled workers, the self-employed immigration program also has a minimum requirement for CRS (comprehension ranking system) points. Presently, the minimum requirement for applicants is 35 points out of 100 points. However, unlike EE, your CRS points for the self-employed program will be calculated based on 5 categories.
- Age
- Education
- Language
- Business experience
- Adaptability
If you would like to calculate your current points to check your eligibility, please use the online tool here:
For category 4, business experience, the more experience you have will reflect the amount of points you receive. For example, for someone who has 2 years of experience, he will only receive 20 points. For someone who has 5 years of experience, he will receive 35 points! This means that if you have a total of 5 years of relevant experience in one of the three activities mentioned above, you already meet the minimum requirement of CRS points without the other categories. For more details on relevant experience, please go here:
Now that we have determined your eligibility, let’s move on to the application process. Just like other applications to IRCC, we will go through three steps:
- Get the application package.
The most important part about the application process it to make sure you provide the most up-to-date information with completed forms and supporting documents. If you submit an incomplete application, it will not be processed! Also, if you provide false information (even by mistake), your application will be refused, and you may even be deemed inadmissible to Canada. It sounds very intimidating, that’s why please refer to the instruction guide, and checklist provided by IRCC
- Pay your application fee.
After you have completed the necessary forms, you will also need to pay your application fee. In addition to the application fee for self-employed immigration, you may also have to pay additional fees for biometrics, medical exam, and/or police certificate. To pay your fees online, please go here: Remember to save your receipt. You must keep a copy for your own record and include another copy with your application. Otherwise your application will be incomplete.
- Submit your application.
Once again, before you submit your application, make sure everything is correct and true!!
It will be too late once you submit your application. Depending on the type of service you decide to use to send your application, the address will be different. Please make sure you print the address clearly. You can choose to send it by regular mail or a courier service. Please check the address and detailed instructions here:
What if I move when my application is still being processed?
Don’t worry! We understand that 22 months is a long time and many things can happen during that time such as change of address, marital status, etc. IRCC has an easy webform you can use to update your information .
If you are successful and receive an approval, they will send you a permanent resident visa. This visa will have your entry visa and confirmation of permanent residence (COPR). Please do not lose these documents and remember to use it before the expiry date!
Upon arriving in Canada, you will have to meet an officer from Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and show him your documents (passport, COPR, proof of financial support). A good tip is to keep your documents in your carry-on for easy access. To find out more about how to inform the officer of your money, please go here:
All in all, the application process is three simple steps. The more difficult part is to meet the initial requirements to apply. However, if you understand the requirements and set a goal for each category for yourself, you can make it come true! To understand the self-employment immigration program in detail with advice, reach out to one of our licensed immigration consultants. We are waiting to assist you.
Sincerely,
SmartImmigrant
