Individuals must meet the following eligibility criteria established by AHRE before being accepting into the Self Employment Program:

• Be 18 years of age or older
  
  
• Be a permanent resident (landed or Canadian citizen) and legally entitled to work in Canada.
  
  
• Be unemployed (not working or only working sporadically). IMPORTANT NOTE: DO NOT quit your job before talking to us. Quitting a job without prior consultation will adversely affect your eligibility for this and other government-funded programs.
  
  
• Be ready, willing and able to start the business.
  
  
• Have a viable business idea for starting a new business or taking over an existing business that will operate in Alberta, where the applicant has not had prior ownership.
  
  
• Have sufficient cash or capital, or access to cash or capital, to start the business.
  
  
• Demonstrate a need for entrepreneurial training in order to set up and operate a business.
  
  
• Have operational control of the business (51% or greater).

• If receiving EI benefits, they must be Regular benefits (i.e., not Medical, Maternity or Paternity).
  

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