Must Graduate Entrepreneur create jobs?

Not as an EOI minimum. One, two, or at least three qualifying jobs earn 5, 10, or 15 points.

What are the Foreign Graduate job points?

The same 5, 10, and 15-point bands apply, and job creation is not mandatory.

How many jobs must a Rural new business create?

At least one qualifying full-time job. Business succession does not require a new job.

Can a relative's job count?

No. The published job rule excludes relatives and requires a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

How long must a job be maintained?

The grids state at least six months, subject to the exact terms of the signed agreement.

Can the business hire temporary residents?

AAIP does not restrict general hiring, but an agreement commitment must be proven with the qualifying citizen or permanent-resident jobs it specifies.

AAIP Entrepreneur Job Creation Requirements

Graduate and Foreign Graduate do not make job creation a mandatory EOI item, but one, two, or at least three qualifying jobs earn 5, 10, or 15 points. A Rural new business must create at least one qualifying full-time job; one through at least five jobs earn 4, 8, 12, 16, or 20 points. Rural business succession does not require job creation, although claimed jobs can earn points.

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Graduate Entrepreneur: optional EOI points

For Graduate Entrepreneur, job creation is not a mandatory requirement. The current grid awards 1 job = 5 points, 2 jobs = 10 points, and 3 jobs or more = 15 points. Employment is one economic-benefit factor and cannot replace language, ownership, operation, or another eligibility rule.

Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur: the same optional bands

For Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur, job creation is not a mandatory requirement. The current bands are 1 job = 5 points, 2 jobs = 10 points, and 3 jobs or more = 15 points. These points do not replace the separate pass-or-fail criteria or guarantee selection.

Rural Entrepreneur: a mandatory new-business minimum

For Rural Entrepreneur, a new business must create at least one full-time job, and this minimum is mandatory. The grid awards 1 job = 4 points, 2 jobs = 8 points, 3 jobs = 12 points, 4 jobs = 16 points, and 5 jobs or more = 20 points. For business succession, job creation is not required, but candidates may be awarded points for jobs they create.

Who counts and for how long

The published grids count jobs for Canadian citizens or permanent residents, not including relatives, for a period of at least six months. Only the Rural new-business minimum is expressly described as one full-time job on the eligibility page. Do not substitute an unofficial hours-per-week test for the live rule or agreement.

Hiring permission is different from a qualifying commitment

AAIP does not set restrictions on hiring temporary residents, Canadian citizens, or permanent residents. However, job creation criteria recorded in a Business Performance Agreement must be met through qualifying jobs for Canadian citizens or permanent residents. Permission to hire someone does not by itself make that job count toward the program commitment.

An optional EOI claim can become an agreement duty

The Business Performance Agreement is based on the Business Application and business plan. If job creation becomes a signed agreement term, the candidate must meet or satisfy it to be considered for nomination, even when the original Graduate or Foreign Graduate EOI grid treated job creation as optional.

Established business and evidence consistency

An applicant approved under established business criteria is not required to sign a Business Performance Agreement, but that does not create a new job exemption: the live eligibility page and points grid still control. Keep the EOI, Business Proposal Summary where used, business plan, Business Application, Business Performance Agreement and progress reports consistent about job numbers and worker eligibility. Job creation, ownership, investment and net worth are separate concepts. This site does not collect a business plan, payroll, worker or employment data and will not accept an upload.

Language, stream and decision boundaries

In speaking/listening/reading/writing order: Graduate NCLC 7 = 10/458/453/10; Foreign Graduate NCLC 5 = 6/369/375/6; Rural NCLC 4 = 4/331/342/4. Results must be less than two years old at EOI. Farm Stream follows a separate paper application and is outside this guide. AAIP controls provincial assessment and nomination; IRCC controls federal status, including a work permit and permanent residence. This is not legal advice, immigration advice, accounting advice, tax advice, employment advice or financial advice.

Frequently asked questions

Must Graduate Entrepreneur create jobs?: Not as an EOI minimum. One, two, or at least three qualifying jobs earn 5, 10, or 15 points.
What are the Foreign Graduate job points?: The same 5, 10, and 15-point bands apply, and job creation is not mandatory.
How many jobs must a Rural new business create?: At least one qualifying full-time job. Business succession does not require a new job.
Can a relative's job count?: No. The published job rule excludes relatives and requires a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
How long must a job be maintained?: The grids state at least six months, subject to the exact terms of the signed agreement.
Can the business hire temporary residents?: AAIP does not restrict general hiring, but an agreement commitment must be proven with the qualifying citizen or permanent-resident jobs it specifies.

Official source

2026-08-22.

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