Federal Self-Employed

Self-employed internationals, professional athletes, and individuals in the arts and culture industries who can demonstrate the potential to be gainfully self-employed in Canada are eligible for a business immigration visa, provided they meet the Federal Self-Employed Persons Programme selection criteria.

In contrast to other types of business immigration, where applicants must invest a portion of their own money into a company or government, or obtain funding from a private organisation, eligible applicants are only required to provide proof of their industry experience as well as evidence supporting their claims of being successfully self-employed.

Federal Self-Employed Program Requirements

Within the five years preceding their business immigration application, the applicant must have at least two years of relevant work experience in their professional industry. Professional athletes and those working in the arts and culture must either present proof of:

• Two years of being self-employed within their industry, or
• Two years of participating at a world-class level within their domain, or
• A combination of one year of each of the above.    

With the exception of Quebec, who has its own self-employed immigration programme, all applicants to the Federal Self-Employed Programme must intend to settle in any Canadian province or territory.

Criteria for Federal Self-Employed Programme Selection

Applicants will be rated on a point system in addition to satisfying the experience requirements to determine their eligibility for a Self-Employed Visa.

For a total score of 100 points, applicants are given points for their education (25), experience (35), age (10), language proficiency (24), and adaptability (6). Candidates who pass will have a minimum passing score of 35, which is subject to change. Candidates will be chosen based on their performance in each area, the documentation they submit with their application, and whether or not they fit the requirements for self-employment in Canada.

If you have the mentioned conditions or you have decided to immigrate but you don’t know which method is right for you, you can complete the Parsis initial evaluation form so that after your conditions have been reviewed and confirmed by the Parsis team of lawyers, one of our experts will contact you as soon as possible .
You can also communicate with Parsis through the communication methods listed on the site.