Immigration Blog

Self Employed Immigration Canada

Self Employed Immigration Eligibility

The self-employed person program offered by Citizenship and Immigration Canada enables people who will become self-employed once they enter Canada. To be eligible for immigration under the self-employed category, individuals who wish to apply must meet some base requirements. These base requirements include:

  • Individual applicants must have relevant cultural experience in cultural activities and
  • Have the intent and be able to make a significant contribution to the cultural or athletic life in Canada, or;
  • Individual applicants must have relevant, applicable, an practical experience in farm management, and
  • Have the intent and be willing and be able to work and manage a farm in Canada.

To be eligible to immigrate under the self-employed category, you must:

  • Have relevant work experience and have the intent to be able to self-employed in Canada .your work experience must be consistent to the category under which you will self-employed yourself with.
  • Meet the selection criteria for self-employed people, and
  • Meet the entire medical, security, and other applicable conditions to your application criteria

Self Employed Immigration Experience

Your experience is considered relevant and valid if you have

  • Previously taken part in cultural activities, or athletic events at an international or world class level
  • Have been previously self-employed in a company, business, organisation, or service which entailed in providing services to the cultural activity sector or toward anything related to athletics, or
  • You have experience in managing, running, and establishing a farm for positive growth and sustainable crop production and harvest or suitable livestock raising.

Self Employed Selection Criteria

Your application will be assessed on a certain selection criteria that will process if your physical being, educational history, and career experience meet the minimum self-employed immigration criteria. The selection criteria assess you on the following different categories:

  • Your relevant, and work related job experience
  • You educational background and previous academic history
  • Your age
  • Your language abilities and proficiency in English or French. Proficiency in extra languages will be an asset
  • And your adaptability to different surroundings

You will be assessed on the above categories separate using a selection grid. A maximum of 100 points can be scored based off of what information you provide. A minimum 35 points are required if you want to immigrate to Canada as a self-employed business immigrant. The following table entails the weight, in points, of the above mentioned category. You may use this table to determine as a rough guidance as to how you will complete your application:

Selection Criteria Maximum Points Possible Your score 
Education 25
Experience 35
Age 10
Ability in English and/or French 24
Adaptability 6
Total 100

Currently, the passing mark is 35. However, it may change at any time, thus if you planning to immigrate to Canada under a business immigrant program, you should visit Citizenship and Immigration Canada to check the passing mark regularly.

Selection is based off of what documents and information you provide to the relevant authorities. The more information you provide to the applicable authorities and agencies and the more accurate it is, the quicker your application will be processed and the higher the chance for success. You must also be eligible to meet the definition requirements for the program you apply for. As part of the immigration process and to thoroughly process your application, you may be called in for an interview. During the course of the interview, a visa officer will ask you to explain any or all information that is doubtful, inconsistency between the different documents you provided, or inconsistent between the information you prided though your documents and the information you provide verbally, unclear, or presents any shortcomings that may ground for reasons to doubt the credibility of the information your provided. If the officer determines there to be an inexcusable or unreasonable amount of variation or difference between the different sources of information you provided, and based on the assessment of your qualifications and the visa or immigration officers assessments, the officers’ assessment regarding your application and all the document therein shall prevail

Medical and Security Requirements for Self Employed Immigration

You and your family members that are going to immigrate with you must have passed a suitable medical exam from an officially recognised and accredited medical practitioner and must have also obtained the relevant police certificated form the authorities of the city or state in which you lived.

Medical Exams for those wishing to immigrate to Canada

Your own doctor or your family doctor cannot perform the medical exam required for the validity of the immigration process. You must see a doctor that is officially recognised by Citizenship and Immigration Canada to perform such exams on potential immigrants. Such doctors are known as panel physicians. The panel physician will do a complete medical exam, including a vision test, blood test, applicable chest x-rays, and a test for diseases such tuberculosis. One the physician completes your exam, he/she will send the results to Citizenship and Immigration Canada for a proper evaluation.

The panel physician who performs the medical exam on you does not make the final decision regarding the processing of your medical report based off your exam. The right of final decision rests with Citizenship and Immigration Canada, CIC. If CIC notices a problem with your writing or has any complaint regarding it, you will be notified in writing.

When going to the medical exam, make sure to bring the following important documents along with you:

  • Proper identification documents that must have your name, photograph, and signature on them. These include, but are not limited to, a passport, driver’s license, or a national identity card
  • Any prescription eye glasses or contact lenses that you have to work on a regular basis to help you with your daily tasks and activities, and were prescribed to you by a doctor
  • Any previous medical report cards or test results that you were given before regarding all previous or existing medical conditions
  • The Medical Report form (IMM 1017E). If you do not go for an up-front medical exam, then the visa office relevant to your area of residence will send you this form

To your medical exam, you may have to bring the following, only if the doctor you select from the approved and accredited physician list does not work Citizenship and Immigration Canada, CIC, via the eMedical electronic system. You must check before hand with your doctor’s office when you book the appointment for you medical exam to see if the doctor’s office communicates with Citizenship and Immigration Canada via the eMedical electronic system.

Am I required to obtain a police certificate?

You may be required to obtain a police check or a criminal background check from the Courts, police authority or any other authority or department responsible for issuing such documents. You will be required to obtain a police or background check if you plan on immigrating to Canada. The following categories have to obtain a police or criminal background check in order to immigrate to Canada or for any other reason you may want to come to Canada for:

  • Live in care category
  • A tourist
  • A student

Or a temporary foreign worker (a foreign national who has been allowed to stay, live, and work in Canada as in accordance with their entry agreement)

When you apply for permanent residence in Canada, you will have to apply for and get a police certificate. Police certificate are used to determine if you have any criminal record or background for which you were convicted. These are used to see if you are not a risk to Canada.

Contact Akrami & Associates

Self-employed business immigration might be the most challenging of all immigration processes. We through suggest you to obtain and seek out the assistance of an authorised immigration law firm that has suitable and relevant experience in dealing with such matters. Contact us today at Akrami and Associates and book a consultation

With Akrami and Associates there is always a way!!

Shabnam Akrami

Shabnam Akrami is the Managing Partner and Founder of Akrami & Associates. p> Prior to receiving her Paralegal Diploma with Honours, she completed her Law Degree from the UK at the University of London as well as completed a Post Graduate Diploma. In addition, she has also graduated from York University where she received both her Bachelor in Criminology and Masters in Socio-Legal Studies. She is also a Member in good standing with Law Society of Upper Canada. Prior to opening her own firm, she gained extensive experience in corporate immigration law; specializing in work permits, temporary resident permits and rehabilitation cases. She has in depth and hands on experience in all Canadian Immigration and Citizenship matters. These matters include preparation and submission of applications for permanent residence, work permits, NAFTA applications, labour market opinions, temporary resident permits, sponsorships, and business investors. Shabnam is dedicated to all her clients and committed to the successful completion of all the immigration matters in her care. With Shabnam, there is always a way!

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