Siouxie

This may be of use when filling out the forms
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration...-criteria.html

ThisisRobbo

If you decide to go the self-employed route I think the fee is unfortunately something you just have to live with, and like you say, be as sure as you can before submitting your application. For what it's worth we didn't pay the residency fee up front, as although this is refunded if unsuccesful, we wanted to minimise the outgoings due to the money needed for our degree certificate replacements, WES, IELTS, Police certificates, Photographs, Biometrics etc.

I can't help you with specific questions, as if I'm being honest, I can't remember! We're both registered as sole traders so there wasn't any grey areas. All I can say is that I definitely used the link shared above and googled a lot of stuff I wasn't sure on.

We definitely included tax return information to support some of our answers. We didn't need to ask the accountant, we just grabbed the info from previous returns.

I have no idea on business debt and whether it'll effect your application. Sorry.

I guess this depends on the nature of your work. Your idea sounds like a plan, maybe include timesheets from the last five years? Our thinking was, the more informatio/evidence the better

​​​​​​ Apart from the photographs (authorised by the photographer) and the degrees (through WES), anything else was signed off by a civil servant friend (if I recall correctly!)
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I'm sorry I can't be much help on specifics. I wouldn't want to lead you down the wrong path so thoroughly reommend the link above as the best starting point.

We were confident that we were a good fit for this programme before applying, but we know there's still a chance that it's going to be a no. That's the risk we had to take as our EE point score was never going to be enough.

Again, sorry I can't be much help on the specifics, all I can recommend is being as thorough as possible in your answers and treating it like you just have one shot.

Good luck!

Siouxie

As for Notaries > https://www.thenotariessociety.org.uk/

tajdeol

Hello Forum Gang

I hope you are all keeping safe and well.

I have finally got my act together and got the documents and proofs for a Self Employed application as we were discussing a couple of months back. Thanks to you all for your help thus far...

A couple of questions for you:

- Just to triple check my own status, as I understand it here (https://www.gov.uk/working-for-yourself#content), I am considered as someone who "works for myself" in the UK - I currently have my own Limited Company, through which I work, and I also work through a payroll/umbrella company. As I understand it, I work for multiple companies selling a service so I will be considered as a "Self Employed" person by Canada. Does that sound correct to you guys?

- My occupation as a Freelance Video Editor (working in TV) falls under the NOC Code 5131 (film editors) and this is part of the "Cultural Activities" as required for this program - does that sound correct?

- As I previously suggested, to prove my experience as a self employed person, I am going to provide the following. Please let me know if you think this sounds correct?
Signed Reference Letters from each of my clients (including job title, rate of pay, hours and dates of work and a brief description of duties)
Remittance Slips / Timesheets from these clients for work invoiced
Tax Info (from each of the 5 years being claimed)

- Having looked at the Document Checklist of what needs to be sent over, I have a number of Educational Certificates, WES ESA Certificates, IELTS Certificates, Passports, Birth Certificates etc. Now in the checklist it says whether to send the originals or copies. In the guide it doesn't strictly say that every document that you send a copy for needs to be certified / notarized. Or have I got that wrong? There is a section where it says copies need to be notarized but that seems to relate to documents that need translating. It's definitely not clear to me. As far as I can tell it doesn't seem to say anywhere that EVERY photocopied document I am sending them needs notarizing. Before I go and find a notary and spend what looks like is going to be HUNDREDS of pounds to get it all done, I wanted to check - Do I need to get EVERY SINGLE document for which they are requesting copies rather than originals Notarized or are there specific ones that I need to do?

Any help would be massively appreciated guys.

Thanks.

ThisisRobbo

Hey,

Proof of your experience seems to make sense.

In terms of using a notary, it's been over a year since we submitted our application, and I don't remember using one (apart from the photographer signing the photos). I certainly don't remember paying for one, anyway (having been aware of the escalating costs as we pulled the application together!).

PLease don't take my word for it though. I'd keep looking for a definitive answer until you're confident yourself.

For what it's worth, we haven't heard a peep since passing our medicals and paying the right of permanent residency fee in November. Really frustrating!

ThisisRobbo

Hey all,

Just thought I'd quickly update this thread as I've found it can be helpful when looking for insight. Since passing our medicals at the beginning of November we haven't received any updates. However, last week we did receive the 'client experience' email which suggests that a decision has been made - we just don't know what that decision is 🤷‍♂️.

Keeping our fingers crossed but with the 'third wave' taking hold, who knows how much longer we'll have to wait.

ThisisRobbo

Update: PPR letter received!

Siouxie

Good news indeed!

ThisisRobbo

Update: COPR received! I guess we now just have to sit and wait...

Siouxie

Brilliant news!! Congrats!
Check the date you have to use the COPR by - do you have a while before it expires? Hopefully you won't have to wait too long before you can fly over..
Use the time wisely, read up on 'things to do before you come' - what to bring etc., etc., https://britishexpats.com/wiki/Categ...gistics-Canada visit all the places you really like (once you are allowed to) and enjoy blighty while you are still there.

ThisisRobbo

Thanks! Our COPR expires end of October, so we'll see how we get on. In the meantime, I'll get reading...