According to the new data by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), in 2020, Canada admitted 305 newcomers who were granted permanent residence through the Self-Employed Persons Program (SEPP).
This figure does not include the data for December 2020 which is yet to be released. SEPP is aimed solely at talented foreign artists and athletes.
Along with the Start-Up Visa, these are the only two active federal business programs and the only two business programs leading directly to the PR status.
Most of the provincial entrepreneur streams switched business work permit issuance prior to obtaining PR. To be eligible for SEPP, international sportsmen and artists must demonstrate at least two years of work experience in their field. The processing time for SEPP is now 23 months. Most self-employed immigrants settled in just two provinces – in British Columbia and Ontario – 130 immigrants each. In 2019, Canada admitted 870 immigrants so we can clearly see the impact of the COVID-19 on this program.
#business_immigration, #self_employed, #SEPP
