Self-Employed Canada Program

e Self-employed Immigration Canada is a pathway to permanent residence in Canada for self-employed professionals in other countries. Self-employed persons should have relevant experience and be willing to make a “Significant Contribution” to Canada’s athletic or cultural industries.

To qualify under the Self-employed Visa Canada program, you must score at least 35 points out of 100 based on the five factors mentioned and explained below.

The five main factors which determine the eligibility for this program are

Relevant Experience

A self-employed person should have at least 2 years of directly related self-employment experience in the past five years of submitting the application. The obtainable points range from 20 to 35 under this category, starting from 2 to 5 years of experience.

The cultural and athletic occupations which qualify under the Canada Self-Employed program are mentioned below:

Cultural Occupations	Athletic Occupations
Writers
Authors
Musicians	Coaches
Painters	Athletes
Visual Artists and Sculptors	Referees and Sports Officials
Occupations in motion pictures	Instructors and Leaders in Sports, Fitness and Recreation
Crafts People	Creative Designers

Age

A maximum of 10 points is available in this category, which can be scored by applicants of 21 to 49 years of age. Ages ’16 or under’ and ’54 or above’ score 0 points in this category.

Education

Points obtainable under this category can range from 5 to 25. Ranging from high school education to a PhD, the table below mentions the attainable points.

Level of Education	Points
Masters/Ph.D. + a minimum of 17 Years of full-time education	25
2 or more University degrees (Bachelor’s Level) with a minimum of 15 Years of full-time education	22
3 years of Trade Certification or Diploma or Apprenticeship with a minimum of 15 Years of full-time education	22
2 years or more of a University degree (Bachelor’s Level) with a minimum of 14 Years of full-time education	20
1 year of Trade Certification or Diploma or Apprenticeship with a minimum of 14 Years of full-time education	20
1-year University degree (Bachelor’s Level) with a minimum of 13 Years of full-time education	15
1 year of Trade Certification or Diploma or Apprenticeship with a minimum of 13 Years of full-time education	15
1 year of Trade Certification or Diploma or Apprenticeship with a minimum of 12 Years of full-time education	12
High School	5

Language Proficiency

To judge your language ability, you must take at least one of the approved language tests, i.e. IELTS, CELPIP-G for English and TEF Canada or TCF Canada for French. These tests will determine if your language proficiency level is:

A maximum of 24 points is available under this category, judged on your ability to listen, speak, read and write your chosen test language.

Adaptability

A highest of 6 points can be earned through this program, even if some elements are combined. The aspects with earnable attributes under this program are given below:

Element	Points
Spouse’s/Common Law Partner’s Level of Education	3 To 5
Previous Canadian Work Experience	5
Previous Canadian Education	5
Close Relatives in Canada who are either Citizens or Permanent Residents	5

Suppose you can score at least 35 points by combining all these five factors mentioned above and meet the relevant occupation element. In that case, you may qualify under Self-employed Immigration Canada.

Application Fees

For the Self-Employed Persons Program

$1,625 for the Business Immigration Application Fee, plus $515 for the RPRF (Right of Permanent Residence Fee).

For a spouse/partner,

$850 for the application fees and $515 for the RPRF. Furthermore, an additional $230 fee is applicable for each dependent child.

The application fees ($1,625 for the principal applicant and $850 for the spouse/partner) are not refundable after your application has started processing. You can get your RPRF ($515) back if you decide to withdraw your application, do not travel to Canada, or if your application was rejected.

Biometrics

Per Person

$85.00

Per Family (2 or more people)

Maximum fee for a family of two or more people applying at the same time and place – $170.00

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, you can get PR in Canada as a freelancer with a self-employed visa. This program is for business people, artists, actors, freelancers, performers, and tech individuals who seek permanent residency in Canada.

Your application for the Self-employed person program takes approximately 24 months to process.