How to move to Canada on a Self Employed Visa?

Can you get a self employed visa that would allow you to live and work in Canada? The simple answer is yes. But the process can get complicated.

Canada’s Self-Employed Persons Program: What is it?

In order for you to get business immigration to Canada under a self employed visa, you must show first that you have the needed artistic or athletic background that would prove you can sustain yourself as self employed in your field. You must also show that you have made a significant contribution to your field. Fulfilling these two requirements already increases your possibilities of getting your self employed visa to Canada approved.

Canada’s National Occupation Classification offers a list of the various career types that can get business immigration to Canada. These include, but are not limited to:

– Cultural Sporting/Athletic

– Dancer

– Painter

– Journalist

– Writer

– Designer

– Musician

– Athlete

– Sports coach

– Referee

Eligibility for Self-Employed Persons Program

Canada has generally outlined the types of relevant jobs under this program, but you can check online if your job or experience makes you capable of having a self employed visa.

With the help of an immigration expert, or RCIC, you get the best advice or tips about which program is ideal for you and/or your family. These professionals have knowledge about Canadian immigration policy and how to get a self employed visa there.

Among the best things about the self employed visa is that it does not ask for your net worth. However, it asks for you if you have sufficient money for your immigration purposes, including your capacity to take care of your dependents, which include your spouse and children if you plan on bringing them to Canada with you.

Another benefit of self employed immigration in Canada is that it only requires you to have 2 years of solid experience in the field that you have.

This, in this sense, makes it quite different from Canada’s Express Entry Program. In this program, while you still have to be qualified in the field you have chosen, you can sense there is much more room to explore when it comes to entrepreneurship. For instance, being a wedding planner in Canada still needs you to qualify in the program but at the end of the day, it is still up to you how you intend to expand this business and the number of years you intend to invest in the industry of wedding planning.

As mentioned, one of the best features of Canada’s Self-employed Program, which also differentiates it from other business programs, is that you don’t have a net worth requirement.

However, it’s important to understand that you must have sufficient funds when immigrating to Canada based on its usual visa procedure. That means you should also have enough funds that show you could support your dependents such as your spouse or children that you want to bring into the country. What does this mean? This means you have the financial freedom to launch a business using your own terms, helping the Canadian economy in your special way, without the need for a profit margin as well as a corporate mindset.

How to Get your Self-Employed Persons Program Visa

The self-employment program in Canada uses a specific set of criteria to determine the chances you have of being chosen for immigration. You have to accumulate certain points that would later total your profile score. These are called CRS points.

As you check more boxes, you would end up getting a higher score. What does this mean? A higher score means better chances of being selected from the list of candidates who are applying for business immigration to Canada.

What would be the factors? These include work experience, which asks you to have at least 2 years of substantial experience in your field.

Education is also a factor. You have to show that you have skills or a tertiary qualification in the field that you’re applying for. Your education level is important because you need to prove you are an expert or at least qualified in the field you chose to pursue.

When it comes to language skills, your application would get a boost when you say you are proficient in both French and English, the major languages that are spoken throughout the country.

Another consideration is age. In Canada, self employed immigration clients should be between 17 and 53 years old. They should also be proficient in Canada’s languages, which are English and French.

The financial assets of an applicant can also be evaluated in terms of his or her intent and capacity to establish economically in Canada. This is especially true when you are applying for business immigration to Canada.

Applicants should be able to show Canada they have enough funds to maintain their needs as well as those of their family members.

The last aspect you should consider is adaptability, which basically looks at the possibility you would be successful in Canada in terms of cultural immersion. This aspect is very important since Canada is considered a very diverse multicultural country, running a strong economy but at the same time, possessing a dynamic cultural history. It is important to consider how easy it will be for you in terms of assimilating into Canadian society.

Some Reminders

There are other friendly reminders that you may find useful in your immigration bid to Canada.

1. You should gather the documents you need in advance. These include documents that immigration authorities may not have even asked you at this point, such as your biometrics. Some documents, as you would be surprised to find out, can take not just weeks but even months to get them. If you choose to wait until such documents are formally asked, the process may take longer than usual.

   For instance, police background checks. In law enforcement agencies in some countries, background checks can easily be issued in just days or weeks, with hardly any difficulty or fuss. But there are others that are rather slow in completing these background checks.

   Depending on the country you are in or your personal situation, documents certifying your civil status or financial capability may take you some time to complete. Think of other documents, such as work reference letters. Do you think you would be able to get work reference letters from the companies you have worked for in time?

   You should think ahead and move forward quickly rather than wait around for the Canadian authorities to reach out to you. If you require document preparation services, you can contact our team at Great North Visa.

2. Be tedious and double-check everything you are about to submit to the Canadian authorities. This will help avoid unnecessary delays or even a visa rejection due to minor inconsistencies, missing documents, ineligible writing, or misunderstandings of the visa requirements. The Self Employed Visa might be a simpler business visa to apply for, but it requires no less effort.

   It is also extremely important to address concerns or follow-ups by the immigration authorities.

3. Follow the checklist given to you by the authorities. During the course of your application, Canadian immigration officials would give you a specific checklist that is based on the particular circumstances that you have, the immigration program you plan on applying for, among other things.

   Simply put, everyone applying has their own specific checklist. It is crucial that you follow the requirements carefully. Be as accurate and complete as possible in your immigration application. Provide all documents needed, or provide a clear and accurate explanation why you may not be able to give them certain documents.

4. Keep track of the expiry dates of all your documents, which you may need for your application. These may include, among others, passport, work permit, police background checks, bank statements, and medical assessments.

   If it is getting difficult for you to keep track of the expiry dates of all your documents, you might want to set up a system of alerts or reminders that could flag you if a document needs updating. This method can help you focus on your application and remain on top of it.

5. In the course of your application, will a new family member join you? Perhaps a newborn child or a spouse? If so, keeps this in mind when making arrangements and look into possible adjustments you may need to make in order to accommodate them.

   This applies to changes in your address, educational attainment, or civil status as well.

Help is on the Way

If you have questions about the Self Employed Visa, Business immigration to Canada in general, or you want to help to apply for the self employed visa, you can contact our team at Great North Visa where we can offer professional consultation and step by step guidance in applying for the visa you need.