Hello,
When I was searching for information before applying, I didn't find many posts related to self-employment. I was recently nominated and I decided to post my experience here to help anyone in the same situation.
My work experience:
What I sent as proof:
All letters were written in English and correctly described the duties and hours worked. The letter for NOC 2173 didn't state my salary and I'm not sure if my manager knows how much I earn. My employees didn't say anything about pay, just the things they saw me working on. All letters had email and phone numbers, but as far as I know OINP didn't contact anyone.
*Digitally signed pdf, ensuring that the person that signed it had access to the email address displayed in the signature, validated by a third party company. The email used was a corporate one, from a multinational company.
**Invoices in my country are not just some piece of paper, they are fiscal invoices that only a registered company can create. It's serves as proof that taxes are being collected and they have codes that are verifiable in the government website. I'm not sure if the bothered to verify them, tho.
Other details that ~might~ have played a role:
My application was approved without ADR and without being referred to a "senior processing officer". I hope this post helps someone
When I was searching for information before applying, I didn't find many posts related to self-employment. I was recently nominated and I decided to post my experience here to help anyone in the same situation.
My work experience:
- 7 months with NOC 2173 - Not self-employed. My current job.
- 13 months with NOC 2175 - Self-employed. This was my primary occupation in the EE profile.
- ~6 years with NOC 2281 and 2171 - Self-employed with a registered company.
What I sent as proof:
- Reference letters from my employers for NOC 2173 and 2175, in company letterhead. One of them was digitally signed*.
- Reference letter from a propaganda agency that used to refer customers for me, in company letterhead, for NOC 2281.
- Reference letters from two clients that ordered services from me for over 3 years, without company letterhead, for NOC 2281 and 2171.
- Reference letters from two former employees that worked for me in person, without company letterhead.
- Several payment slips and a bank statement for each, showing the payment in my account. 3 of those for each job; the first payment, the last one, and one in the middle.
- Invoices** for NOC 2281 only.
- Incorporation documents of my own company, active since 2013.
- Personal tax returns showing payments coming from my company, for 2020 only.
- Screenshots of my company website, my profile in a popular marketplace for freelancers and the IP allocations of my company. (Yes, I have 2 IP ranges allocated to me. The WHOIS for those IPs shows my company info)
- Screenshots of the 2 websites I worked while on NOC 2175.
All letters were written in English and correctly described the duties and hours worked. The letter for NOC 2173 didn't state my salary and I'm not sure if my manager knows how much I earn. My employees didn't say anything about pay, just the things they saw me working on. All letters had email and phone numbers, but as far as I know OINP didn't contact anyone.
*Digitally signed pdf, ensuring that the person that signed it had access to the email address displayed in the signature, validated by a third party company. The email used was a corporate one, from a multinational company.
**Invoices in my country are not just some piece of paper, they are fiscal invoices that only a registered company can create. It's serves as proof that taxes are being collected and they have codes that are verifiable in the government website. I'm not sure if the bothered to verify them, tho.
Other details that ~might~ have played a role:
- I'm an open source software maintainer and I'm active on Github and Stackoverflow. Both profiles links are in my CV. (I sent them my real CV, btw)
- My Github account shows that I have access to the repositories of my current employer.
- I have a post grad degree (but not from a Canadian uni). My best IELTS result is L 9, R 9, S 8, W 7,5 (I tried 3x. The writing section is hard AF!).
- My tax return shows all my current assets and it's waaay more than their minimum requirements for proof of funds.
- I tried to apply for a job at the Ontario Digital Service in 2021, but other than that I have no ties to Ontario.
- I was never married and I have no dependents.
My application was approved without ADR and without being referred to a "senior processing officer". I hope this post helps someone