Self-Employed Canada Program
Business Immigration
Complete our Assessment Form
Self-Employed Canada Program
The 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 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:
1. Relevant Experience
2. Age
3. Education
4. Language Proficiency
5. Adaptability Factors
Relevant Experience
A self-employed person should have a minimum of 2 years of directly related self-employment experience in the past five years of submitting the application. The obtainable points can 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 Painters Visual Artists and Sculptors Occupations in motion pictures Crafts People Creative Designers | Coaches Athletes Referees and Sports Officials Instructors and Leaders in Sports, Fitness and Recreation |
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 Ph.D., 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
You must take a minimum of one of the approved language tests, i.e. IELTS, CELPIP-G for English and TEF Canada or TCF Canada for French, to judge your language ability. These tests will determine if your language proficiency level is:
- Basic,
- Moderate or,
- High
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 a minimum of 35 points by combining all these five factors mentioned above and meet the relevant occupation element. In that case, you may qualify under the Self-employed Immigration Canada.