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Self-Employment is an employment program of Human Resources and Social Development Canada that provides financial assistance to eligible individuals to help them create jobs for themselves by starting a business.

Program objective

Self-Employment assists unemployed eligible individuals create jobs for themselves by starting a business.

Who delivers Self-Employment?

Human Resources and Social Development Canada has Labour Market Development Agreements with all provinces and territories that define how its employment programs known as Employment Benefits and Support Measures are to be delivered by each province or territory.
Service Canada delivers Self-Employment and other Employment Benefits and Support Measures in Newfoundland and Labrador , Nova Scotia , Prince-Edward-Island , British Columbia and the Yukon.
In New Brunswick , Québec , Ontario , Manitoba , Saskatchewan , Alberta , the Northwest Territories and Nunavut , provincial and territorial governments deliver similar employment programs. By clicking on the name of the province or territory, you can obtain information about its employment programs.

Individuals

Am I eligible for participation in Self-Employment?

To be eligible for participation in Self-Employment, you must be an unemployed individual ("insured participant") as defined by Section 58 of the Employment Insurance Act. This means that you are an individual for whom:
a) an unemployment benefit period has been established or has ended within the 36 months (3 years) prior to the date of requesting assistance; or

b) a benefit period that included a maternity or parental claim has been established within the 60 months (5 years) prior to the date of requesting assistance, after which you remained out of the labour market in order to care for a newborn or newly adopted child and are now seeking to re-enter the labour force.
Other criteria may apply.

What else do I need to know?

The date your completed application is received by Service Canada is the date when you are considered to have requested assistance. This date is used to determine whether you qualify as an "insured participant" within the timeframes outlined above.
If you are currently receiving Employment Insurance, you may continue to receive your regular Employment Insurance benefits until the end of your benefit period, after which you may be eligible to receive a living allowance to the end of your Self-Employment agreement.
If you are not in receipt of Employment Insurance benefits, you may be eligible to receive financial assistance for living expenses.
Temporary financial assistance may be provided in exceptional circumstances to cover all or part of the following costs related to participation (e.g., dependant care, disability needs, tuition costs, transportation and accommodation).
The maximum duration of an agreement with a participant is 52 weeks.

Organizations

Businesses, organizations, municipalities, band/tribal councils, public health and educational institutions; and, provincial/territorial governments* are eligible to receive funding as community coordinators.

*Special conditions apply.

How do I apply?

Individuals

Complete the application form Self-Employment Employment Benefit Participant Application (EMP5260) and submit it to the nearest Service Canada Centre.
As part of the application process, it is necessary for you to receive an employment assessment and develop a Return to Work Action Plan with a case manager. The case manager's decision is required before Service Canada can assess your application. Please contact your Service Canada Centre for information on where you can receive this service.

Self Employment/Community Coordinators

Self-Employment Coordinators and Community Coordinators seeking funding under Self-Employment should complete the form Employment Programs Application for Funding (EMP5209) and submit it to their local Service Canada Centre.
All projects valued at or above $500,000 per annum are awarded through a call for proposal process. For more information about the process in your province or territory consult the Call for Proposals for Employment Programs page on the Service Canada web site.