Canada · Business & founder
Self-Employed Persons Programme
Paused
Last verified July 2026
PAUSED to new applications from 1 January 2026, on the same ministerial instructions that closed the Start-up Visa (Canada Gazette, 20 December 2025). Applications filed on or after that date are returned without processing. IRCC has not published a restart date.
Included because it is still marketed. It is paused, indefinitely, and was never a serious UHNW route in any case.
The facts
- Total landed cost
- Historically modest — this was never a capital programme
- Physical presence
- Historic: intent and ability to be self-employed in cultural activities or athletics in Canada
- Family
- spouse or common-law partnerdependent children
- Permanent residency
- Direct PR (historic)
- Citizenship
- 3 years of physical presence out of 5
- Language test
- CLB 4 English or French for ages 18–54
- Dual citizenship
- Permitted
- Requirements
- historic: relevant experience in cultural activities or athletics, intent and ability to be self-employed in Canada
What can go wrong
- Paused since 1 January 2026 with no announced restart.
- Backlog processing times ran to several years before the pause.