Employment, family and home-country ties
Self-employment or business ownership is asserted but not proven
Not a statutory bar. It affects whether the officer is satisfied, and better evidence can change that.
What this means
The applicant describes themselves as self-employed or a business owner, but the file does not establish that the business is active, financially real or dependent on the applicant’s return.
Why it matters to the officer
Business ownership can be a meaningful economic tie, but a registration certificate alone may prove only that an entity exists, not that it is operating.
What the officer compares
Registration, tax/GST records, business bank account, invoices, contracts, premises, staff, turnover, licences and the applicant’s actual role.
How to strengthen a new application
Use a compact business-evidence set showing operation and continuity. Explain who handles the business during travel and what responsibilities require the applicant’s return.
Common mistakes
Submitting dozens of invoices with no explanation; dormant company; personal bank activity presented as business turnover; unverifiable business address.
- Submitting dozens of invoices with no explanation
- dormant company
- personal bank activity presented as business turnover
- unverifiable business address
Illustrative exampleA proprietor with regular invoices, tax filings and staff can demonstrate a stronger economic tie than a newly registered entity with no operations.
Before you apply again
IRCC now sends the officer’s decision note with most temporary-resident refusals since 29 July 2025, so check what came with your refusal first. The decision note or GCMS notes guide explains the difference, and the decoder explains the codes in them.
Scope noteIRCC does not publish an official ranked list of refusal reasons. This is a research-based classification of the legal grounds and evidence weaknesses that recur in real refusals. A weak itinerary or a new job is not itself a statutory ground — it affects whether the officer is satisfied under IRPR 179(b). This page is general information, not legal advice.
Where this comes from
Drawn from the Government of Canada’s published law and guidance. Check us against these pages:
Questions about this refusal
Not sure this is why you were refused?
Check first whether IRCC sent you the officer’s decision note with the refusal. For the fuller record, we can request your GCMS notes for you, or you can request them yourself, free, subject to what IRCC withholds.
Have us request them for youDo it yourself or let us do it?
