Self-Employed People

The Self-Employed Program seeks to bring people who will become self-employed in Canada. They must have either:

• relevant experience in cultural activities or athletics, and
  • intend and be able to make a significant contribution to the cultural or athletic life of Canada, or
• experience in managing a farm, and
  • intend and be able to buy and manage a farm in Canada.

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

• have relevant experience
• intend and be able to be self-employed in Canada
• meet the selection criteria for self-employed people and
• meet medical, security and other conditions.

Relevant experience

Your experience is relevant if you have:

• taken part in cultural activities or athletics at a world-class level or
• been self-employed in cultural activities or athletics or
• experience managing a farm

See definitions of terms used for self-employed applicants for more information.

Selection criteria

We will assess you on selection criteria that include your:

• experience
• education
• age
• language abilities
• adaptability

Medical, security and other requirements

You and your family members must have a medical exam and get police certificates.

You must also show that you have enough money to support yourself and your family after you get to Canada.

Definitions

Self-employed person means a foreign national who:

• has relevant experience
• intends and is able to be self-employed in Canada and
• can contribute to Canada’s economy in one of the required areas.

Relevant experience for a self-employed person means at least two years of experience.

It must be during the period starting five years before the day you apply and ending on the day we make a decision on your application. The experience must be:

• for cultural activities:
  1. two one-year periods being self-employed in cultural activities, or
  2. two one-year periods participating at a world-class level in cultural activities, or
  3. a combination of a one-year period described in (1) above, and a one-year period described in (2) above.
• for athletics:
  1. two one-year periods being self-employed in athletics, or
  2. two one-year periods participating at a world class level in athletics, or
  3. a combination of a one-year period described in (1) above, and a one-year period described in (2) above.
• for buying and managing a farm, two one-year periods managing a farm.