Immigrate to Canada as a self-employed artist, athlete or other eligible freelance occupation under Self-Employed Visa Canada, also known as the Self-Employed Persons Program (SEPP). A Direct PR pathway to Canada under Business Immigration.
The Self-Employed Persons Program (SEPP) is a unique immigration program offered by Canada for self-employed individuals in specific fields. It is popularly known as Self-Employed Visa Canada. It caters to individuals with experience in athletics and cultural activities who can contribute to these fields in Canada.
People who qualify under this program can apply for permanent resident status if they meet the minimum eligibility requirements. The Self-Employed Visa Canada may be preferable for individuals who may not qualify under the Federal Skilled Worker Program.
This guide will examine the eligibility criteria and application process for the Canada Self-Employed Persons Program.
Self-Employed Visa Canada, officially known as the Self-Employed Persons Program, is available to individuals who are self-employed, or in the arts and culture industries, and who can prove that they have enough experience and potential to apply for the Self-Employed Visa in Canada.
A successful self-employed applicant is required to provide evidence supporting their claims of experience within their industry as well as evidence supporting their claim that they have been successfully self-employed.
Self-employed candidates who wish to apply for a Canada Self-Employed Visa must meet eligibility requirements in the following areas:
Applicants must work in one of the occupations listed below to apply for the Self-Employed Visa Canada. You can learn more about each occupation’s definition and duties by looking up the National Occupation Code (NOC) TEER Category corresponding to the position on the Government of Canada website.
| TEER Category | NOC Code | Occupation | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 50010 | Library, archive, museum and art gallery managers | |||
| 5 | 50011 | Managers - publishing, motion pictures, broadcasting and performing arts | |||
| 5 | 50012 | Recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors | |||
| 5 | 51100 | Librarians | |||
| 5 | 51101 | Conservators and curators | |||
| 5 | 51102 | Archivists | |||
| 5 | 51110 | Editors | |||
| 5 | 51111 | Authors and writers (except technical) | |||
| 5 | 51112 | Technical writers | |||
| 5 | 51113 | Journalists | |||
| 5 | 51114 | Translators, terminologists and interpreters | |||
| 5 | 51120 | Producers, directors, choreographers and related occupations | |||
| 5 | 51121 | Conductors, composers and arrangers | |||
| 5 | 51122 | Musicians and singers | |||
| 5 | 52100 | Library and public archive technicians | |||
| 5 | 52110 | Film and video camera operators | |||
| 5 | 52111 | Graphic arts technicians | |||
| 5 | 52112 | Broadcast technicians | |||
| 5 | 52113 | Audio and video recording technicians | |||
| 5 | 52114 | Announcers and other broadcasters | |||
| 5 | 52119 | Other technical and coordinating occupations in motion pictures, broadcasting and the performing | arts | ||
| 5 | 52120 | Graphic designers and illustrators | |||
| 5 | 52121 | Interior designers and interior decorators | |||
| 5 | 53100 | Registrars, restorers, interpreters and other occupations related to museum and art galleries | |||
| 5 | 53110 | Photographers | |||
| 5 | 53111 | Motion pictures, broadcasting, photography and performing arts assistants and operators | |||
| 5 | 53120 | Dancers | |||
| 5 | 53121 | Actors, comedians and circus performers | |||
| 5 | 53122 | Painters, sculptors and other visual artists | |||
| 5 | 53123 | Theatre, fashion, exhibit and other creative designers | |||
| 5 | 53124 | Artisans and craftspersons | |||
| 5 | 53125 | Patternmakers - textile, leather and fur products | |||
| 5 | 53200 | Athletes | |||
| 5 | 53201 | Coaches | |||
| 5 | 53202 | Sports officials and referees | |||
| 5 | 54100 | Program leaders and instructors in recreation, sport and fitness | |||
| 5 | 55109 | Other performers |
Prospective Self-Employed Canada program applicants are required to possess the relevant experience to qualify for this program. The program defines “relevant experience” as the experience gained while the candidate was working in the athletics or cultural activities fields at a world-class level. Applicants should also note that they must have gained experience in the last five years.
Applicants with cultural activities experience must meet the requirements listed below:
Applicants are also required to possess relevant experience as qualified self-employed persons. They must also intend to work as self-employed professionals in the arts or athletics fields after arriving in Canada.
Applicants for the Self-Employed PR Canada program must check their scores under the selection criteria listed below. They must get a minimum score of 35 points to qualify under the program. The selection criteria are broken down into five key areas. These are:
Self-employed applicants can receive a maximum of 25 points for their education. The points given for each education level are shown below:
| Completed Education | Points Awarded |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree, or a Ph.D. plus 17 years or more full-time study | 25 |
| Two or more bachelor level university degrees plus 15 years or more of full-time study | 22 |
| Three-year diploma, apprenticeship, or trade certificate plus 15 years or more of full-time study | 22 |
| University bachelor’s degree for a program lasting two years or more plus 14 years or more of full-time study | 20 |
| Two-year diploma, apprenticeship, or trade certificate plus 14 years or more of full-time study | 20 |
| University bachelor’s degree for a program lasting one year plus 13 years or more of full-time study | 15 |
| One-year diploma, apprenticeship, or trade certificate plus 13 years or more of full-time study | 15 |
| One-year diploma, apprenticeship, or trade certificate plus 13 years or more of full-time study | 12 |
| High school | 5 |
Candidates that have attained qualifying work experience in the five years preceding their application can score up to 35 points depending on their experience amount. The points given for various experience levels are shown below:
| Years of Relevant Experience | Points Awarded |
|---|---|
| Two years | 20 |
| Three | 25 |
| Four | 30 |
| Five | 35 |
The Self-Employed Person Canada program also awards up to 10 points based on the applicant’s age. The number of points awarded for different ages is as follows:
| Age | Points Awarded |
|---|---|
| 16 or younger | 0 |
| 17 | 2 |
| 18 | 4 |
| 19 | 6 |
| 20 | 8 |
| 21 to 49 | 10 |
| 50 | 8 |
| 51 | 6 |
| 52 | 4 |
| 53 | 2 |
| 54 or above | 0 |
Candidates may be eligible to receive up to 24 points for their proficiency in the English or French languages. These points are awarded based on the applicant’s performance in recognized language exams. Each language exam assesses applicants in the following areas:
| Language Proficiency | Speaking | Listening | Reading | Writing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Moderate | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Basic | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| No proficiency | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Candidates can receive up to 6 points in the adaptability criteria if they fit into the various categories below:
| Adaptability Category | Points Awarded |
|---|---|
Common-law partner or spouse with a post-secondary education:
| 3 to 5 |
| Applicant or applicant’s partner has one year or more of full-time Canadian work experience while on a work permit. | 5 |
| Applicant or applicant’s partner has finished studying at a full-time program lasting two years or more at a Canadian post-secondary institution. This must be completed above the age of 17 and with a valid study permit. A degree or diploma is not completely necessary to earn these points. | 5 |
| Applicant or applicant’s partner has relatives residing in Canada. This includes parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren, siblings, aunts or uncles, nieces or nephews. | 5 |
Candidates must demonstrate their willingness to become self-employed professionals after becoming Canadian permanent residents. They can show this willingness by creating and submitting a proper business plan with their application.
The business plan must mention:
Self-employed candidates can apply for the Self-Employed Person Canada program by following the steps outlined below:
Applicants can start by obtaining the relevant application package. They must then fill out the form and select the “validate” button after completion.
Candidates must then gather each document listed in the document checklist from the application package. This includes:
Next, applicants must pay their application fees. This includes:
Candidates must pay their fees online at the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website.
Once applicants have completed each of the steps mentioned above, they can mail their applications to the following address:
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
Self-employed Class
Centralized Intake Office
P.O. Box 7200
Sydney, NS
B1P 0E9
Canada
Self-employed applicants will be asked to submit their fingerprints and photos while their application is processed. They must complete this submission within 30 days of receiving the initial request.
Successful applicants will be issued a Confirmation of Permanent Residence and an entry visa that allows them to come to Canada.
Self-employed individuals who intend to immigrate to Canada through the Self-Employed Persons program should get in touch with us. Our exceptional team of Regulated Immigration Consultants is familiar with the eligibility requirements and application process for this program.
Together, we can optimize your application and business plan to boost your chances of succeeding under this program. Please contact Elaar Immigration and take the next step towards your new life in Canada.
Get Canadian permanent residence as a self-employed, experienced artist or athlete through Self-Employed Visa Canada.
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