Self Employment

Self Employment Benefits Program

The Ontario Self Employment Benefits Program provides unemployed people who are or have recently been eligible for Employment Insurance with income and entrepreneurial support while they develop and start their business.

Who Can Apply?

Job seekers that are unemployed can apply to participate if they meet one of the following conditions;

• they established a claim for Employment Insurance benefits or their Employment Insurance benefit period ended within the past three years
• they established a claim for Employment Insurance maternity or paternity benefits within the past five years, and are re-entering the labour force after having left it to care for newborn or newly adopted children.

For the purpose of determining whether an individual qualifies as a participant, the date
the completed application is received by Employment Ontario is the date when he or she is considered to have requested assistance.

Where can I get more information?

Visit our Community Employment Resource where our staff will be happy to review
the program with you and make the referral for you to the ;