Self-employed individuals
The Self-Employed Persons Program seeks to bring people who will become self-employed in Canada. They must have either:
Relevant experience in cultural activities or athletics, and intend and be able to make a significant contribution to the cultural or athletic life of Canada, or
Experience in farm management, and intend and be able to buy and manage a farm in Canada.
Determine your eligibility
Have relevant experience, and intend and be able to be self-employed in Canada
Your experience is relevant if you have:
Taken part in cultural activities or athletics at a world-class level,
Been self-employed in cultural activities or athletics, or
Experience in managing a farm.
Definitions of terms used for self-employed applicants:
Self-employed person means a foreign national who:
Has relevant experience,
Intends and is able to be self-employed in Canada, and
Can contribute to Canada’s economy in one of the required areas.
Relevant experience for a self-employed person means at least two years of experience.
It must be during the period starting five years before the day you apply and ending on the day we make a decision on your application. The experience must be:
For cultural activities:
Two one-year periods of experience in self-employment in cultural activities, or
Two one-year periods of experience in participation at a world class level in cultural activities, or
A combination of a one-year period of experience described in A above, and a one-year period of experience described in B above.
For athletics:
Two one-year periods of experience in self-employment in athletics, or
Two one-year periods of experience in participation at a world class level in athletics, or
A combination of a one-year period of experience described in 1 above, and a one-year period of experience described in 2 above, and
For buying and managing a farm, two one-year periods of experience managing a farm.
Specified economic activities for a self-employed person, means:
Cultural activities
Athletics, or
Buying and managing a farm.
Activities for a self-employed person selected by a province are decided by the laws of the province.
Selection criteria
We will assess you on selection criteria that include your:
Experience,
Education,
Age,
Language abilities, and
Adaptability.
Medical, security and other requirements
You and your family members must have a medical exam and get police certificates.
You must also show that you have enough money to support yourself and your family after you get to Canada.
Meet the selection criteria for self-employed people
The ability to communicate and work in English, French, or both will help your business succeed in Canada.
You must take a language test from an agency approved by CIC and include the results with your application for your application to be processed.
You must meet the minimum level of the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 in either English or French in all of these four areas:
Speaking
Reading
Listening
Writing
If you do not meet the minimum language skills, your application will be refused.