Immigration Program in Canada for Self-employed

What is a Self-employed Immigration Program? Is this Canadian Self-Employed Immigration Program for artists and athletes best for you? What one must know before applying for a Self-Employed Immigration Program? 

Let’s find out! 

Who is eligible for the Self-Employed Immigration Program? 

The Self-Employed Immigration Program is aimed at candidates who want to develop their business in Canada in the field of culture, arts and sports.

 Self-employed professionals working in the following fields: 

  • dance, ballet, choreography
  • painter, sculptor
  • musician, music teacher, conductor, composer
  • designer of clothes, shoes, and accessories (presence of own brand is obligatory), tailor of leather products, shoes
  • film actor, theatre actor, circus performer
  • journalist, documentarian, photographer, professional video blogger
  • athlete, coach
  • Others 

Main requirements for a Self-Employed Program Candidate 

  • at least 2 years (out of the last 5 years) of relevant self-employment experience in the specified field 
  • achievements at the international level (for.ex., participating in international exhibitions and events, competitions, as well as receiving orders from international brands) 
  • prove the intention to continue the same self-employment activity upon arrival in Canada 
  • speak English or French at the level of CLB 4/5 (IELTS 0-5.0) or higher 
  • complete high-school level education; education in the field of the specified profession will be an advantage 
  • The best age gap to apply is for applications between 18 and 57 years of age 
  • While the family relations may not matter, statements of inadmissibility to Canada, (such as criminal elements or health characteristics) must be provided, which can impact the applicant’s application case. 

Key Spending Costs Self-employed Candidate Should Consider 

— Preparation of documents (confirmation of the level of education according to Canadian standards through ECA \ WES, passing the IELTS General English language exam, translations of documents)

– Business plan

– The state duty for consideration of the application consists of two payments:

Application processing fees are $1625 CAD for main applicant + $850 CAD for spouse + $230 CAD for each child + $170 CAD biometric submission per family

The right of permanent residence is $515 CAD per adult

That is, for a family of 4, the total amount of mandatory payments will be $3960 CAD, excluding the cost of submitting the applicants’ biometric information. 

How much does Self-employed assistance cost?

The cost of support services by a licensed consultant and CEO of our agency is divided into four payment stages: 

Stage 1 – Prepare and conclude the working file plan with the file and a detailed list of documents that the applicant will provide in support of their candidacy ($ 2000 CAD).
Stage 2 – Complete a business plan, filling out immigration forms, compiling cover letters and a portfolio ($ 2500 CAD).
Stage 3 – Submit documents to the immigration department ($ 2500 CAD).
Stage 4 – Receive a receipt from the Immigration Department of a request for a medical examination, the final stage ($1000 CAD).

The total cost of full support case services is around $8000 CAD

What are the application consideration terms for the Self-employed program? 

This application should include 3 deadlines:

  • The term for preparing documents depends on the candidate as well as the timeframe process of collecting documents and the availability of the necessary documents. Additionally, it may be necessary to provide documental work experience, submit tax returns, and other necessary information for the applicant’s case. 
  • File preparation time: on average, application preparation with consideration of the availability of required submitting documents takes between 15 and 30 working days. 
  • Consideration of the application by the immigration department is expected after 24 months after the submission of the full application. 

If you consider that your application for immigration under the Self-employed program is taking longer than usual, we recommend that you consider other immigration programs provided by the Government of Canada. 

What are the financial requirements for a Self-employed candidate? 

How much money will you need to show to prove your financial stability? 

There is not a single answer to this question, it all depends on the applicant’s line of business and the potential scale of future small businesses. 

But, the reality is that no one expects impressive investments from self-employed candidates, as it is assumed that the candidates will bring as much money as they can to invest in the Canadian business market. Consider personal spending which varies based on one’s needs and may include: renting a studio or a shop, and buying working equipment. Alternatively one can also, if possible, bring the necessary materials with them. 

Our recommendation is to have the equivalent of $40,000 CAD or more in savings, bonds, real estate and other easily convertible assets. 

Not sure whether the Canadian Self-employed immigration program is for you? 

Schedule a consultation with our licensed immigration consultant Marina Garvey.

Send us your inquiry here: contact@marcuseducate.com