Caregiver Program

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The Caregiver Program: Fulfill Your Dream of Settling in Canada

Canada’s pressing need for caregivers has led the government to actively encourage foreign residents with caregiving skills to make Canada their permanent home. Caregiving offers a noble profession with abundant opportunities in child care, senior care, and home support roles across the country.

The Caregiver Program Overview: A Pathway to Permanent Residence

Our immigration service brings you an in-depth overview of the Caregiver program, a pilot immigration initiative offering permanent residence (PR) to home child care workers and home support workers. If you aspire to work as a caregiver in Canada, you may be eligible for PR or a work permit, bringing you closer to your dream of settling in Canada. Discover the program’s various categories, eligibility criteria, and the application process through this article.

Defining a Caregiver in Canada

A caregiver is someone who looks after children, seniors, people with disabilities, or those who are ill. The caregiving occupation includes two distinct National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes:

  • NOC 44100: Home Child Care Providers – Caring for children either in their own home or at an employer’s residence, such as babysitters or nannies.
  • NOC 44101: Home Support Workers – Providing personal care and companionship to seniors, individuals with disabilities, and convalescent clients at their employer’s home.

Please note that for immigration purposes, caregivers providing services in institutions like daycare centers, nursing homes, or similar establishments are excluded from the program. Only caregivers offering services in their or their employer’s homes are eligible for permanent residence under the Caregiver program.

Permanent Residence Programs for Caregivers

Recognizing the growing demand for caregivers, the Canadian government offers foreign caregivers the opportunity to work and settle permanently in Canada. Let’s explore the permanent residence (PR) programs available for caregivers to immigrate to Canada:

Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot

Introduced as five-year pilot programs in 2019, these initiatives allow caregivers to apply for PR. Both pilots consist of two eligibility categories: the Gaining Experience category and the Direct to Permanent Residence category. They share similar criteria and application processes, with the only difference being the NOC category of your work experience.

Each year, there’s an annual cap on the number of applications accepted for each category. Once the program caps are reached, no new applications will be accepted for that year. However, you can apply when applications open the following year. The caps for 2023 are as follows:

  • Home Child Care Provider Pilot: Gaining Experience category (1,650 applications – cap reached for 2023) & Direct to PR category (1,100 applications)
  • Home Support Worker Pilot: Gaining Experience category (1,650 applications) & Direct to PR category (1,100 applications)

Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP)

While the Live-in Caregiver Program is closed to new applicants, individuals with at least two years of relevant Canadian work experience can still apply for PR under this program. To be eligible, your first LCP work permit must be based on an LMIA submitted no later than 2014. If you meet the qualifying criteria, submit proof of your work experience to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for PR application processing.

Eligibility Criteria for Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot

To qualify for PR under these pilot programs, you must have either a job offer as a caregiver in Canada or at least two years of Canadian experience as a Home Child Care Provider (NOC 44100) or Home Support Worker (NOC 44101). Foreign caregiving experience is not considered for PR eligibility.

The Gaining Experience category and the Direct to Permanent Residence category have differing criteria. Here’s a summary of the qualifications for each:

Gaining Experience Category

  • You must have less than two years (0 to 24 months) of Canadian work experience as a caregiver, and the experience must be current or recent.
  • A valid, genuine, full-time job offer in a caregiving occupation (NOC 44100 or NOC 44101) is required.
  • Your qualifying experience should be either in home child care or home support (not a mix of the two).
  • The employer must be in Canada (except Quebec) and cannot be an embassy, high commission, or consulate.
  • You must fulfill all job duties and responsibilities.
  • An approved language test with at least a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB)/NCLC 5 score in all four skills is mandatory.
  • You must have completed a post-secondary credential of at least one year (or equivalent). For studies completed outside Canada, an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) is required to prove its validity and equivalence to a Canadian credential.
  • You must be admissible to Canada and clear necessary criminal and health checks.

When applying to the Gaining Experience category, submit both a work permit and a PR application. Your caregiver work permit application will be processed first, allowing you to gather the required Canadian experience for permanent residence. Once you acquire two years of Canadian caregiver experience, contact IRCC to process your PR application.

Direct to Permanent Residence Category

  • You can qualify for this category if you have at least 24 months of full-time caregiver experience in Canada within the last 36 months. Experience gained while studying full-time will not count.
  • Your qualifying experience should be in either home child care or home support (not a mix of the two).
  • You must fulfill all job duties and responsibilities.
  • An approved language test with at least a CLB/NCLC 5 score in all four skills is required.
  • You must have completed a post-secondary credential of at least one year (or equivalent) either in Canada or abroad.
  • You must be admissible to Canada and clear necessary criminal and health checks.

How to Apply for the Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot

Determine whether you plan to work as a home child care provider or home support worker to choose between the Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot. You cannot apply to both programs, as work experience in the relevant NOC category counts toward PR eligibility.

Both pilot programs offer a Gaining Experience category and a Direct to PR category. Review the eligibility criteria for both categories and determine the one for which you are more likely to qualify.

Application Process for Gaining Experience Category

  • Apply online from inside or outside Canada.
  • Secure a valid qualifying job offer.
  • Complete your work permit and PR application together. Even if you already have a valid Canadian work permit, apply for a work permit under the Caregiver pilot to gain the necessary experience.
  • Pay the application fees and submit the application.
  • Upon approval, receive a port of entry letter of introduction for a work permit.
  • Gather the required work experience as an occupation-restricted open work permit holder.
  • Submit proof of your work experience to IRCC within three years of getting your work permit.

Application Process for Direct to PR Category

  • Complete your PR application online.
  • Pay the processing fees and submit the application.
  • Apply for a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) if desired (optional).
  • Upon approval, receive a Confirmation of PR (CoPR) if applying from outside Canada or await IRCC contact if already in Canada.

Our dedicated team is here to assist you through the caregiver program application process. Together, we can make your dream of settling in Canada as a caregiver a reality. Contact us today to begin your journey.

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