Determine your eligibility – Self-employed

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

• have relevant experience, the intention and the ability to become self-employed in Canada;
• meet the selection criteria for self-employed persons; and
• meet medical, security and other requirements.

Relevant experience

Relevant experience is defined as:

• participation in cultural activities or athletics at a world-class level;
• self-employment in cultural activities or athletics; or
• farm management experience.

Consult the list of qualifying activities for self-employed persons and definitions for self-employed persons for more information.

Selection criteria

You will be assessed 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 obtain police certificates.

You must also show that you have enough money to support yourself and your dependants after you arrive in Canada.

Definitions

In order to qualify, you must first meet the definition of a self-employed person.

Self-employed person means a foreign national who has relevant experience and has the intention and ability to be self-employed in Canada and to make a significant contribution to specified economic activities in Canada.

Relevant experience in respect of:

1. a self-employed person, means a minimum of two years of experience, during the period beginning five years before the date of application for a permanent resident visa and ending on the day a decision is made on the application. The experience must consist of:
   1. in respect of cultural activities:
      1. two one-year periods of experience in self-employment in cultural activities; or
      2. two one-year periods of experience in participation at a world class level in cultural activities; or
      3. a combination of a one-year period of experience described in A above, and a one-year period of experience described in B above.
   2. in respect of athletics:
      1. two one-year periods of experience in self-employment in athletics; or
      2. two one-year periods of experience in participation at a world class level in athletics; or
      3. 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
   3. in respect of the purchase and management of a farm, two one-year periods of experience in the management of a farm.

Specified economic activities, in respect of:

1. a self-employed person, means cultural activities, athletics or the purchase and management of a farm; and
2. a self-employed person selected by a province, has the meaning provided by the laws of the province.

Quebec

Under the Canada-Quebec Accord, the province of Quebec operates its own business immigration program. If you want to settle in the province of Quebec, contact the nearest Quebec immigration office, or visit the website of the Quebec immigration department.