In this program, the applicant must prove he or she has had relevant experience in an occupation in any one or more of the above fields. The applicant must also prove that once a permanent resident, he or she will able to contribute and excel in his or her respective field in Canada. The phrase “relevant work experience” means that the applicant should be able to prove that he or she has had at least 2 years of experience as a self-employed person, OR, has participated at an international level in sports, art, culture, or recreation activity occupations recognised by Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). 

To see the list of occupations recognised by IRCC for this specific program, click here.

Eligibility Criteria

There are 5 selection factors, among which a total of 100 points are distributed. To be successful in the self-employed persons category, the applicant must score a minimum of 35 points out of the total 100. The selection grid has been exhibited below:

• Language (English/French)
• Age
• Work Experience
• Education
• Adaptability

Processing Timelines:

The current processing time announced by Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for the Federal Self-Employed persons program is 24 months.

Processing Fees:

The application processing fee for self-employed person category is C$1050. This is exclusive of the Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF) which is C$490 per adult in the application. Adding a dependent or child will cost C$150.

List of occupations recognised by IRCC with respect to the Self-Employed Persons Program:

below is the list of occupations recognised by Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for the Federal Self-Employed persons program. As farming related occupations are currently terminated the occupation list has been broadly classified into occupations in art and culture related sectors, and, occupations in recreation, sports and athletics related sectors.