Maple News reports that Canada’s immigration department is retiring the Self-Employed Persons Program, a route to permanent residence long used by world-class athletes and entertainers, after officials said the program is no longer fit for purpose. An official audit from IRCC’s Audit and Evaluation Branch flags a chronic backlog, high refusal rates, and lengthy processing times as the core failings driving the rethink.
The evaluation points to unclear program objectives and overly broad eligibility criteria. Over the last decade, the SEPP averaged a 69% refusal rate, underscoring persistent inefficiencies within the program.
IRCC data show about 8,000 SEPP applications remain in the department’s inventory, with processing times exceeding 10 years for applicants who submitted after July 2022. The program’s intake was paused in April 2024 and the suspension was extended indefinitely in December 2025.
In the 2026 immigration levels plan, the government allocated 500 permanent-residence slots to the Federal Business category, which covers both the SEPP and the Start-Up Visa Program. The notional target for the following two years is also set at 500 per year.
The report, Evaluation of the Self-Employed Persons Program, published on July 28, 2026, concludes there remains a need for a self-employed pathway to permanent residence, noting it fills a gap in Canada’s immigration system left by traditional programs.