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This federal program is for people with a strong record in cultural activities or athletics who can support themselves through self-employment and contribute to Canada's cultural or sporting life. Candidates are scored on experience, education, language, age, and adaptability. Intake into this program is currently paused.
Experienced artists, performers, and athletes (and similar self-employed cultural figures) who can sustain themselves in Canada.
Our licensed advisors assess your eligibility, build a strategy to strengthen your application, and manage the process end to end, so you submit a complete, competitive application with confidence.
The Self-Employed Persons Program (Federal) is designed for individuals with a strong background in cultural activities or athletics who can support themselves through self-employment and contribute to Canada's cultural
No. Intake has been paused and new applications are not being accepted; the pause that began in 2024 has been extended, with no new applications accepted as of 2026.
The program had a small annual quota and a backlog that grew to tens of thousands of cases, pushing processing times to several years, so IRCC stopped new intake to clear it.
Yes. When the program was open it led to permanent residence, so a principal applicant could include a spouse or partner and dependent children.
Wait for the planned entrepreneur pilot and, in the meantime, consider other economic streams such as Express Entry categories or provincial entrepreneur programs that fit your profile.
Applicants generally needed at least two years of relevant experience in cultural activities or athletics within the five years before applying.
It was aimed at people with relevant experience in cultural activities or athletics who intended and were able to be self-employed in Canada in those fields.
The Self-Employed Persons Program (Federal) is designed for individuals with a strong background in cultural activities or athletics who can support themselves through self-employment and contribute to Canada's cultural
