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Own Small Business in Partnership - How Do I Show Experience

AM85

Member
Jan 14, 2017
10
5
Hi,

I completed my MBA in India in 2008. Got a job wherein I worked for 2.5 years before quitting to do something of my own. Coincidentally, another colleague of mine was also looking to do he same and we created a partnership firm. From April 2011, we started our work which made us vendors/suppliers (services, not product) to the very same company we used to work for. While we do have other clients, they are only about 15% of our overall business size. Now, both of us are applying for immigration to Canada. So my queries are..
- Technically, I have worked for over 8 years (though only 2.5 years in a job). Can I qualify for FSWP? The companies we work for will vouch that we as a firm did work for them for the last several years, but they will not be able to verify or quantify the work each one of us did individually. How do we prove our work there? Also, could they simply assume that two people applying very close to each other have the same job experience and business (it may look like fraud to them and they may reject our applications)
- Our financial records are pretty clear. Our balance sheets clearly show payment coming from our clients form almost 6 years. They show us drawing salaries and profits. Our personal tax returns also reflect the same. However, there is no unambiguous way to prove the number of hours put in, except that our partnership deed says we are both working partners with equal rights.
- My score is 467 (already done IELTS and WES) if I apply with experience of 3+ years. Should I instead only claim employment during my job period (April 2008-October 2010) and claim 25 points for experience, reducing my CRS to 442 with the hope that it'll come down to that in the next couple of months. This will ensure unambiguous score, but will they not question me on empty experience beyond 2010 and reject me basis that?

Please suggest the best way forward
 

Pippin

VIP Member
Mar 22, 2010
4,254
530
I am not an expert, but with the present trend I would bet on the points coming down to 442 over trying to convince a VO that you are performing your present duties in a self employed business. The worst thing would be to get an ITA and go to all the effort of submitting dox and then be refused. Added to which, 442 may be drawn while you are waiting for a decision on your 467 app. Just my thoughts. Good luck.
 

AM85

Member
Jan 14, 2017
10
5
I'm willing to take the risk of claiming only 442 points. I'll add my business experience in personal history and furnish documents similar to work history over there as well.

My concern is, can they still reject me on account of:
a) No work history since late 2010. Six years of no claim to employment in points!! (Even though I am showing my experience in another form in personal history)
b) Not putting my business experience in work experience and in personal experience instead (This I doubt they'll reject me for, since I'm not claiming any credit)