Economic Immigration
Self-Employed Processing Time
About 8,000 people waiting · IRCC data as of July 7, 2026
The federal Self-Employed Persons program is for people with relevant experience in cultural activities or athletics who can be self-employed in Canada and contribute to its cultural or athletic life.
This stream has one of the smallest annual admission targets of any federal program, and IRCC paused new intake in 2024 to work through the backlog — which is why its published processing time is among the longest on this tracker.
Processing Time History
| Date | Processing Time (months) |
|---|---|
| October 9, 2025 | 120 |
| November 6, 2025 | 120 |
| December 9, 2025 | 120 |
| January 14, 2026 | 120 |
| February 12, 2026 | 120 |
| March 9, 2026 | 120 |
| April 7, 2026 | 120 |
| May 12, 2026 | 120 |
| June 8, 2026 | 120 |
| July 7, 2026 | 120 |
People Ahead by Application Month
IRCC also publishes how many applications submitted in each month are still ahead of you in the Self-Employed queue.
| Month | People Ahead |
|---|---|
| 2024/07 | 8000 |
| 2024/08 | 8000 |
| 2024/09 | 8000 |
| 2024/10 | 8000 |
| 2024/11 | 8000 |
| 2024/12 | 8000 |
| 2025/01 | 8000 |
| 2025/02 | 8000 |
| 2025/03 | 8000 |
| 2025/04 | 8000 |
| 2025/05 | 8000 |
| 2025/06 | 8000 |
| 2025/07 | 8000 |
| 2025/08 | 8000 |
| 2025/09 | 8000 |
| 2025/10 | 8000 |
| 2025/11 | 8000 |
| 2025/12 | 8000 |
| 2026/01 | 8000 |
| 2026/02 | 8000 |
| 2026/03 | 8000 |
| 2026/04 | 8000 |
| 2026/05 | 8000 |
| 2026/06 | 8000 |
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Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Self-Employed take right now?
As of July 7, 2026, IRCC reports a processing time of more than 10 years for Self-Employed applications, with about 8,000 people waiting.
Is the Self-Employed Persons program still open?
IRCC paused intake of new federal Self-Employed applications in April 2024 until at least the end of 2026 to reduce the backlog. Applications already in the queue continue to be processed, which is what the time on this page measures.
Who counts as self-employed for this program?
You need at least two years of relevant experience — either self-employment in cultural activities or athletics, or participation at a world-class level — and the intention and ability to be self-employed in Canada in that field.