Connect with us
Connect with us
How can you claim self-employed work experience for Canadian immigration? Yes, it’s possible but of course like everything else in immigration there are some exceptions and regulations to know.
Our first program is Express Entry which is the most efficient and cost-effective PR immigration path to Canada. It’s great for highly skilled applicants between the ages of 19 to 32 with at least two post-secondary degrees and high language scores, with a minimum of 1-2 years of work experience.
Working inside Canada on payroll for a company you do not own more than 50% of can count as work experience. As soon as you own more than 50% of the business or are self-employed working on a contract basis for somebody or a company (i.e. not on payroll) then you are considered an independent contractor and your work experience inside Canada DOES NOT count. The only self-employed work experience that can be claimed for Express Entry is overseas experience as a self-employed person. You can claim up to a maximum of 3 years of foreign work experience as a self-employed person outside Canada. Remember to make sure you log all your hours and can prove to the IRCC that you worked 1560 hours per year. This can be done through detailed invoicing, work logs, hour logs for your clients or projects.
Here are some hacks regarding claiming self-employed work experience under Express Entry:
*If you don’t own a business, but your parents or cousins do, then that does not count as self-employed. Let’s say your dad or mom or aunt owns a coffee shop and you are on the payroll as manager, that counts as Canadian work experience and is NOT self-employed.
*If you own a percentage of a business but less than 50%. This does NOT count as self-employed work experience, but you can claim it inside Canada as Canadian work experience. If you own 10-49%, it does not count as self-employed, and you can still be eligible for CEC Express Entry.
*Be aware: PNPs do not accept these hacks. The Provincial Nominee Programs have strict guidelines that you or your family members must declare if you own more than 10% of a business, and it could void your job offer and/or work experience. Be careful and don’t try these hacks with the PNP streams for skilled workers.
Remember, under business immigration whether Provincial Entrepreneur or Federal investor work permits, you don’t need to worry about your Canadian work experience. Those programs are designed in a different way and are not targeting skilled workers but rather business owners and entrepreneurs.
If you’re interested in applying for Express Entry as a self-employed, you are at the right place! Get a FREE assessment with our licensed immigration consultants and we will support you throughout the process, fill out our form by clicking here.
The next program we will discuss is all about self-employed work experience. It’s the Federal Self-Employed Program where only applicants in occupations related to art, sports, and culture would be eligible. It’s a very niche program that allows self-employed persons to apply for direct PR to Canada, all based on self-employed work experience. You can apply for this program from both outside and inside Canada. You have to be ‘world class’ and recognized in your industry to be able to have a successful application.
Please watch our self-employed program YouTube video for the details, click here.
Now let’s look at business owners in and outside Canada. Can you claim self-employed work experience as a business owner inside Canada? If you own a corporation inside Canada, own more than 50%, and are on payroll then Express Entry and Provincial Nominee Programs will NOT accept your self-employed work experience.
However, if you own your own company inside Canada, are on payroll, and have worked for a minimum of 12 months, you can claim your own job offer for 50 or 200 points, but you cannot claim the work experience part. It’s a double-edged sword, you can use it to enter the FSW (Federal Skilled Worker) pool of Express Entry and claim the job offer points from your own company, but you cannot enter the CEC (Canadian Experience Class) based on working for your own company.
For overseas experience, it can still count if you had your own business which could make you eligible for the FSW program under Express Entry (also known as the Federal Skilled Worker Stream).
If you’re interested in getting your Canada PR as a business owner, look no further! We are here to help you. Get a FREE assessment with us, click here.
There are 6 provinces in Canada that do have special programs for international students allowing them to start their own business after graduation and be nominated under the special Entrepreneurial Graduate stream for their PRs. The businesses do not need to be profitable, but rather just meet the minimum criteria set out by Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland, or Alberta. Currently Ontario, BC, PEI, and Quebec do not have these programs. Self-employed work experience is the major factor for this special stream offered by the provinces for international students.
If you are deciding to run your own business, buy a business, receive a job offer from a family-owned company or apply under the Federal Self Employed PR stream, and need support from a team who knows what they’re talking about, then you’ve found the right place at INGWE. We will guide and support you throughout the process. Our team in Canada speaks over +8 languages, and we are licensed to help applicants like yourself and your families. We have 1-million-dollar liability insurance which protects you and us from mistakes or fraud as well as a dedicated client trust account in Canada. We help applicants from over 47 different countries if you require assistance in terms of PR applications, Business Immigration, and skilled worker programs. Get a FREE assessment now! click here.
