FederalSelf-EmployedPersonsProgram–Paused

Advising UAE residents on Canadian immigration from our Dubai office.

This programme is paused

The Federal Self-Employed Persons Program is not accepting applications. IRCC stopped intake on 30 April 2024 to clear its backlog, and on 19 December 2025 extended that pause "until further notice". The status banner on canada.ca reads Paused.

The programme has not been formally cancelled, but with no intake and no reopening date, it cannot be applied for.

What happened, and when

Date	What changed
30 April 2024	IRCC stopped accepting new applications, to clear the existing backlog.
19 December 2025	The pause was extended "until further notice" in IRCC's entrepreneur measures notice.
2026 onwards	The 2026-2028 Levels Plan sets the Federal Business category at 500 admissions a year. No reopening date has been published.

What it was, for reference

The programme offered permanent residence to people with relevant experience in cultural or athletic activities who intended to be self-employed in Canada and contribute to its cultural or athletic life. It required no monetary investment. Eligibility rested on professional achievement, recognition, and the intention and ability to be self-employed, plus enough funds to support the applicant and their family after landing.

If you already have an application in

IRCC continues to process files accepted before 30 April 2024. The pause does not cancel an existing application. Contact us if you need help with a submitted file.

Routes into Canada that are still open

Canada has not closed down — the money-based federal routes closed, while the skills and provincial routes grew. For 2026 the federal government raised Provincial Nominee Program admissions to 91,500 (up from 55,000 in 2025) and held total permanent residence at 380,000.

Provincial business streams still accepting applications:

• British Columbia — Entrepreneur Immigration, Base stream — from CAD $200,000
• British Columbia — Entrepreneur Immigration, Regional stream — from CAD $100,000
• Prince Edward Island — Work Permit Stream — from CAD $150,000
• Newfoundland & Labrador — International Entrepreneur — from CAD $200,000
• Nova Scotia — Entrepreneur stream — from CAD $100,000
• Northwest Territories — Business Stream — from CAD $100,000
• New Brunswick — Business Immigration Stream — from CAD $150,000
• Manitoba — Business Investor Stream, Entrepreneur Pathway
• Alberta — Self-Employed Farmer Stream — net worth and farm equity of CAD $500,000; very limited 2026 allocation
• Yukon — Business Nominee Program — from CAD $300,000

Skilled and employment routes:

• Express Entry — four new occupation categories were added for 2026
• Provincial Nominee Program
• Global Talent Stream — two-week work permit processing

Speak to a XIPHIAS adviser about which of these fits your profile.

Talk to a Canada immigration consultant in Dubai

XIPHIAS Immigration has advised families on Canadian permanent residency since 2009, and our Dubai team works with UAE residents applying from the Emirates. We were named Best Immigration Consultant by The Times of India in 2022.

If you want a straight answer on whether this route suits your profile, our immigration consultants in Dubai will give you one — including when the answer is no.

• Book a consultation
• Canada immigration consultants in Dubai
• Canada PR from Dubai

Sources

Every figure and date on this page comes from an official government source:

• IRCC — Self-employed persons: how to immigrate (status: Paused)
• IRCC — Immigration measures for entrepreneurs (notice, 19 December 2025)
• IRCC — Supplementary Information for the 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan

Checked 29 September 2026.