Caregiver Program Canada

To facilitate permanent residence in Canada for eligible foreign caregivers, Canada Caregiver Program has been created with a number of immigration pathways:

Here are the current pathways to Canadian permanent residence for foreign caregivers:

• Caregiver Permanent Residence Pathways:
  • Permanent residence through the Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP)
  • Caring for Children
  • Caring for People with High Medical Needs
  • Interim Pathway for Caregivers (applications accepted between March 4 and June 4, 2019)
  • Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker pilots (will launch later in 2019)
• Comparison of Canada Caregivers Permanent Residence Pathways
• Canada Caregivers: Questions and Answers

Live-in Canada Caregiver Program (LCP)

Requirements for caregiver in Canada:

Individuals who have at least two years of work experience in the program can apply for permanent residence through the program if they have at least two years of work experience in the Live-in Caregiver Program AND:

• Already working in Canada with an LCP work permit; OR
• Were approved for their first LCP work permit based on an employer’s positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) application submitted on or before November 30, 2014.

Caring for Children

To qualify for Canadian Immigration under the Caring for Children program, caregivers MUST:

• Have a minimum of 24 months (within the past four years) of full-time work experience (at least 30 hours per week) in Canada as a home childcare provider, with a valid work permit;
  • IMPORTANT: Applicants can have breaks in employment (for example, periods where you were not employed, sick leave, parental leave)
• Meet the description of a home childcare provider as defined by NOC 4411;
  • Applicants will need to show they performed the duties in the job description, including most of the main duties listed.
• Have completed a one-year Canadian post-secondary credential, or equivalent foreign credential proven with an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA); and
• Prove their minimum language ability of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 for one of Canada’s two official languages, English or French.

Applicants must have cared for children under the age of 18, in their own home or in their employer’s home. Caregivers do not need to have lived in their employer’s home to be considered eligible. Foster parents are not eligible to apply under this Canada Caregiver program.

Caring for People with High Medical Needs

To qualify for Canadian Immigration under the Caring for People with High Medical Needs program, caregivers must HAVE:

• A minimum of 24 months (within the past four years) of full-time work experience (at least 30 hours per week) in Canada as:
  • Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses (3012)
  • Licensed practical nurses (3233)
  • Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates (3413)
  • Home support workers and related occupations (4412)
    • Housekeepers are not eligible under this occupation classification.

• Demonstrate a license to practice in Canada if work experience in Canada was as a registered nurse or registered psychiatric nurse (NOC 3012) or as a licensed practical nurse (NOC 3233);
• Have completed a one-year Canadian post-secondary credential, or equivalent foreign credential proven with an ECA; and
• Prove minimum language ability for one of Canada’s two official languages, English or French.
  • NOC 3012 must demonstrate CLB 7
  • NOC 3233, 3413, OR 4412 must demonstrate CLB 5

IMPORTANT: Applicants can have breaks in employment (for example, periods where you were not employed, sick leave, parental leave).

Interim Pathway for Caregivers 

Scheduled to run between March 4, 2019, and June 4, 2019, the three-month Interim Pathway for Caregivers is for caregivers who:

• Are authorized to work in Canada on a work permit other than a Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP) work permit (at the time of applying);
• Intend to reside in a province or territory other than Quebec;
• Have acquired at least one year of full-time Canadian work experience in an eligible caregiver occupation, since November 30, 2014;
  • Eligible caregiver occupation includes: Home child care provider — National Occupational Classification (NOC) Group 4411; and/or Home support worker — NOC Group 4412
• Have a Canadian high school diploma or equivalent foreign credential proven with an ECA; and
• Have a minimum proficiency in English or French equivalent to a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 for all four language abilities (reading, writing, speaking and listening).

Candidates whose educational credential was obtained outside Canada and who cannot obtain an ECA before the Interim Pathway for Caregivers closes on June 4, 2019, are still eligible if they provide proof that they have applied to get an ECA. This proof includes written confirmation from an IRCC-approved agency that they have submitted a request for an ECA and/or receipt of payment.

There is no maximum number of applications that IRCC will accept through the Interim Pathway for Caregivers.

Caregiver Pilot Programs

Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker Pilots

These two new pilots, which are set to launch later in 2019, will replace the currently active Caring for Children and Caring for People with High Medical Needs pilots. These pilots will expire in November 2019.

These two new Canada Caregiver programs will accept a maximum of 2,750 principal applicants each, for a total of 5,500 principal applicants, per year.

Pilots will provide:

• Occupation-specific work permits for caregivers, providing the ability to change jobs quickly if necessary.
• Open work permits for spouses/common-law partners and study permits for dependent children, to allow the caregiver’s family to accompany them to Canada.