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CanadaSelf-employed permanent residenceThe programme is closed

Self-Employed Persons Program in Canada

A route to permanent residence for people with notable experience in culture, the arts, recreation or sport who are ready to work independently after moving. The immigration service assesses education, experience, age, language and the ability to adapt, and decides on the points scored. Medical grounds, the absence of security concerns and the applicant's ability to support themselves and their family are checked separately. Intake of new applications is suspended, and the department continues to process those filed earlier.

Visa term
Approval gives indefinite permanent resident status; the PR card is issued for 5 years.
Work
A permanent resident works for themselves or as an employee in any province.
Residence
730 days in Canada in every 5 years.
Next
Yes — while intake was open it led to permanent resident status

Source: canada.ca — Self-Employed Persons Program

What experience qualifies for the programme

Eligibility comes from experience in one of two fields — culture or sport — and these types of experience can be combined with each other.

Cultural activities

  • At least two years of self-employment in the arts or culture within the last five years
  • Or two years of participation in cultural life at world level over the same period
  • A willingness and ability to work independently in Canada after moving

Sport

  • At least two years of self-employment in sport within the last five years
  • Or two years of participation in world-level sporting competition over the same period
  • A willingness and ability to work independently in Canada after moving

When this programme is not suitable

You want to start any business unconnected with culture, the arts, recreation or sport

Look at the Start-up Visa or the entrepreneur categories of the provincial programmes (PNPs) — they are not tied to creative or sporting activity

You need a route with predictable and not unduly long timescales

The official programme page shows a wait of more than ten years; for a faster move, Express Entry or the provincial nominee programmes are usually considered

There is no documented experience — only plans or intentions

At least two years of self-employment or world-level performance must first be built up and documented before applying to this programme

You intend to apply right now

Intake of applications is suspended until further notice — an application physically will not be accepted; the documents can be prepared in advance and the status followed on the official page

What it costs

Application processing — principal applicant1 895 CAD
Right of permanent residence (RPRF) — principal applicant600 CAD
Application processing — spouse or partnerWhere a spouse or partner is included in the application+990 CAD
Right of permanent residence (RPRF) — spouse or partnerWhere a spouse or partner is included in the application+600 CAD
Application processing — dependent child (for each)+270 CAD
Biometrics — one applicant+85 CAD
Biometrics — a family of two or more (maximum for all of them together)Applies where family members give biometrics at the same time170 CAD
Biometrics — a group of three or more performing artists (maximum for all of them together)For groups of performing artists filing together255 CAD
Total government feesThe sum of the mandatory rows in the table. “Application processing — spouse or partner” adds 990 CAD; “Right of permanent residence (RPRF) — spouse or partner” adds 600 CAD; “Application processing — dependent child (for each)” adds 270 CAD; “Biometrics — one applicant” adds 85 CAD. Charges with no official price list are in the list below.2,495–4 440 CAD

Paid separately

  • The medical examination — Paid separately to an authorised doctor; not part of the government fee
  • Police certificates — Obtained and paid for in the applicant's country of residence, separately from the application
  • The language test (IELTS, CELPIP, TEF and the like) — Taken with an accredited provider for a separate charge, where the applicant is claiming points for language

Documents to gather

The full package is filed through the IRCC account; below is the list from the official programme page.

  • A passport
  • Proof of at least two years of self-employment in culture, the arts or sport, or of participation at world level: contracts, performance programmes, publications, awards, reviews
  • The generic application form for Canada (IMM 0008), Schedule A on background, additional family information (IMM 5406), information on travel (IMM 5562)
  • The Schedule 6A form for self-employed applicants
  • The completed document checklist (IMM 5784)
  • The results of the medical examination
  • Police certificates for periods of residence abroad
  • Language test results, where the applicant is claiming points for language proficiency
  • Proof of funds to establish themselves and their family in Canada
  • The receipt for payment of the application processing fee

How the process runs

The order of filing and consideration of the application according to the official programme page.

  1. 1

    Gathering the documents and creating an account

    The applicant assembles the package: completes the digital forms and uploads the documents in PDF format through the IRCC account.

  2. 2

    Paying the fees and filing the application online

    The processing fee and the biometrics fee are paid through the account, and the receipts and supporting documents attached.

  3. 3

    Giving biometrics

    up to 30 days from the date of the request letter

    An appointment must be booked at a visa centre and fingerprints and a photograph given.

  4. 4

    The completeness check on the application

    IRCC checks that all the fields are completed, the form is signed and payment is confirmed; incomplete applications are returned without consideration.

  5. 5

    The points assessment and, where necessary, an interview

    The officer assesses education, experience, age, language and adaptability; where there are discrepancies in the information, an interview may be arranged.

  6. 6

    The medical examination and security check

    The results of the medical examination and the police certificates are requested.

  7. 7

    The decision and the issue of the confirmation of permanent residence

    Where the application is approved, IRCC issues the permanent resident visa and the confirmation of permanent residence (COPR), which must be shown on entry.

  8. 8

    Entry into Canada and receipt of the permanent resident card

    After arrival the status is confirmed at the border, and IRCC then sends the first permanent resident card to the address given.

Who you can bring with you

A spouse or partner and dependent children may be included in a single application with the principal applicant.

A spouse or partner
Files together with the principal applicant, pays a separate processing fee and, on approval, the right of permanent residence fee; their education may earn the principal applicant points for adaptability.
Dependent children
Children under 22 with no spouse or partner of their own count as dependants, as do older children where financial dependence on the parents arose before that threshold because of a physical or mental condition; a separate fee applies for each child.

Renewal and the grace period

Permanent resident status is indefinite and is not lost when the card expires. The card itself is normally issued for five years, and in some cases for only one; it has to be renewed if less than nine months remain before it expires or if the period has already passed — the application for a new card is made through the account with a separate form and payment.

How it differs from the routes next to it

The comparison is built from the official terms of the routes themselves — the source links sit on their own pages.

Self-Employed Persons ProgramAsylum and refugee statusRefugees referred by the UN
Visa termApproval gives indefinite permanent resident status; the PR card is issued for 5 yearsNot a status that is renewed; if the claim is accepted the person becomes a protected personArrivals come straight in as permanent residents (PR)
MoneyProcessing costs CAD 1,895 for the principal applicant plus CAD 600 for the right of permanent residenceNo income or savings requirementGAR: government support for about 1 year; PSR: sponsors for about 12 months
WorkA permanent resident works for themselves or as an employee in any provinceThe 2026 reforms speed up the issue of a work permitAs a PR — the right to work immediately, with no permit
Residence730 days in Canada in every 5 yearsThe claim is made from inside Canada or at a port of entryThe PR obligation: 730 days in every 5 years

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to citizenship

Citizenship is applied for after 1,095 days of presence within 5 years.

Frequently asked questions about Self-Employed Persons Program

Is the programme accepting new applications at the moment?
No. Intake of new applications has been closed since 30 April 2024, and at the end of December 2025 IRCC extended the pause until further notice — meanwhile the department is preparing a new targeted pilot programme for entrepreneurs and has promised details during 2026. Applications already filed continue to be processed.
How many points have to be scored for approval?
The pass mark is currently 35 out of a possible 100 across five factors: education, experience, age, language and adaptability. The official page expressly warns that this threshold may change, so it is worth re-checking before filing.
How long is the wait for a decision at the moment?
The official programme page states a wait of more than ten years — the actual timescales depend on how complete the package is, how quickly the information can be verified and how promptly the applicant answers the department's requests.
Can a spouse and children be included in the application?
Yes. A spouse or partner files together with the principal applicant, and dependants are children under 22 with no spouse or partner of their own, or older children where their dependence on their parents began before that age because of a physical or mental condition. A separate fee applies for each family member.
Is it necessary to live in Canada permanently in order not to lose the status?
No, but at least 730 days of physical presence in Canada must be accumulated in every five years — the days do not have to be consecutive, and in some cases part of the time spent abroad also counts.
Where is it possible to live and work once the status is granted?
Permanent resident status gives the right to live, work as an employee or for oneself and study in any province of Canada without geographical restriction, and to use most of the social benefits available to citizens.

Other ways to move to Canada

Every route in one list — migration programmes: Canada.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.