Self-employed experience by client?

[colcol]

Hi all. A question popped in my head while setting up the files y should upload for my eAPR.

Context:
I'm an illustrator, most of my work history has been self-employed. I also had a time working at a college (employed, part time).

I'm not sure how I should list my self employed experience in the work history area of the application.
From May 2016 to Sep 2017 I worked mostly for one client at a time as independent contractor, with some degree of overlapping:

06/2016 - 09/2016 ILLUSTRATOR - CLIENT 1 40hours/week
09/2016 - 01/2017 ILLUSTRATOR - CLIENT 2 24hours/week
01/2017 - 06/2017 ILLUSTRATOR - CLIENT 3 30hours/week
05/2017 - 09/2017 ILLUSTRATOR - CLIENT 4 30hours/week

Question 1: Could this count as Continuous experience? As I said, all these jobs overlapped (client 1 ended on september 24, while I client 2 started on september 10, and so on)

Question 2. There seem to be two options for uploading this experience:

option 1 Put each period as separate "employers" in the work experience, the employer being the client, and ticking the "self employed" box. As supporting documents I have reference letter, invoices, wire transfer receipts (some clients were from abroad) and bank statements.

option 2 Make one big period form 06/2016 to 09/2017 in the work experience, put FREELANCE ILLUSTRATION in the employer field, ticking the self-employed box and in the supporting document make a big document with chronologically organized documents showing: reference letter client 1 -> proofs of payment client 1 -> reference letter client 2 -> proofs of payment client 2 ... and so on. at the end I would include my chamber of commerce registration (which covers the whole period) and the affidavit of translation.

I did option 1 for the express entry, but I'm not sure if It's the right way. Also I had 13 months of experience in 2010 but I'm having trouble getting those supports, so if this freelance period counts as continuous experience, I could simply not claim experience for those 13 months, moving them to personal history.

Thanks in advance for any input

 

[dotslash227]

You will need to show your portfolio, reference letters from clients along with their credentials and proof of payments you received from your clients as proof of self-employment.

 

[dotslash227]

1. You should start with building yourself a website, where you can upload all of your background, social media links and portfolio to establish yourself as a self-employed freelance illustrator.

2. Ask your clients for a reference letter where they tell them about themselves and their business, for what services they hired you, for how long they worked with you, how much they paid you along with a positive review of your services/work.

3. Gather bank statements, receipts, bills generated by you that proves that you received payments from your clients for the services you performed for them.

 

[colcol]

Thank you. however, that does not address the questions. I have no issue proving the experience. My questions are:

Question 1: Could this count as Continuous experience? As I said, all these jobs overlapped (client 1 ended on september 24, while I client 2 started on september 10, and so on)

Question 2. Should fill my work experience as several periods of work with the client's name as employer? Or should fill one long period with "freelance illustration" as the employer and add all supports in one file?

 

[dotslash227]

Thank you. however, that does not address the questions. I have no issue proving the experience. My questions are:

Question 1: Could this count as Continuous experience? As I said, all these jobs overlapped (client 1 ended on september 24, while I client 2 started on september 10, and so on)

Question 2. Should fill my work experience as several periods of work with the client's name as employer? Or should fill one long period with "freelance illustration" as the employer and add all supports in one file?

1. Yes. You were a freelance self-employed illustrator for that period of time, who had clients and was working on something or the other or were searching for projects when you had no clients. Working on two projects simultaneously is normal and legal for freelancers and self employed.

2. You should fill in as 1 year as self employed person working on freelance contractual basis for your clients. Your employer in that period would be "Self Employed" and description of your job would be "Illustrator".

 

[colcol]

Thank you so much. That clears things up!

 

[colcol]

I'm now curious of something. What does CIC consider contracts of services as? Employed or self employed? I currently have a 12months contract. I have a monthly "salary", but no benefits (also, no pay slips). I work from home. Should I upload this as employed or self employed?