SELF EMPLOYED VISA IMMIGRATION TO CANADA

The Self-Employed 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 managing a farm, and
  • intend and be able to buy and manage a farm in Canada.

FIND OUT IF YOU’RE ELIGIBLE – SELF-EMPLOYED

To be eligible as a self-employed person, you must:

• have relevant experience
• intend and be able to be self-employed in Canada
• meet the selection criteria for self-employed people and
• meet medical, security and other conditions.

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

Your experience is relevant if you have:

• taken part in cultural activities or athletics at a world-class level or
• been self-employed in cultural activities or athletics or
• experience managing a farm

SELECTION CRITERIA

We will assess you on selection criteria that include your:

• experience
• education
• age
• language abilities
• 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.

DEFINITIONS

A 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:
  1. two one-year periods being self-employed in cultural activities, or
  2. two one-year periods participating at a world-class level in cultural activities, or
  3. a combination of a one-year period described in A above, and a one-year period described in B above.
• for athletics:
  1. two one-year periods being self-employed in athletics, or
  2. two one-year periods participating at a world class level in athletics, or
  3. a combination of a one-year period described in a above, and a one-year period described in b above, and
• for buying and managing a farm, two one-year periods managing a farm.

QUEBEC

The province of Quebec runs its own business immigration program. If you want to live in Quebec, visit Quebec’s immigration website.

IS THERE A NET WORTH REQUIREMENT FOR THE SELF-EMPLOYED PROGRAM?

There is no regulated minimum net worth requirement. However, you will have to satisfy a visa officer that you have enough money to:

• settle in Canada with your dependants and
• finance the work on which your selection was based.

For example, if you are a farmer, you will have to prove that you have enough money to buy and run a farm in Canada.

Find out more about the funds you need.