Unlock Your Dream to Work and Live in Canada as a Caregiver

There are two immigration programs available exclusively for caregivers who wish to immigrate to Canada. These programs were introduced in 2019 to replace the Interim Pathway for Caregivers, which was discontinued. These two programmes are; the Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker programs.

Experimental Carer Immigration Schemes in Canada

Canada’s two pilot programs for caregivers, the Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker programs, are currently accepting applications. These programs aim to simplify the process of obtaining permanent residency for foreign caregivers and remove the requirement for them to relocate their families.

The Caring for Children and Caring for People with High Medical Needs pilot programs, which have received criticism for subjecting some workers to abusive workplaces and causing them to be separated from their families abroad, have expired. These programs were replaced by the Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker pilot programs, which began accepting applications in 2019. The current Liberal government, which was not in power when the earlier pilot programs were launched in 2014, has considered them to be “ineffective.”

Initially, there was a delay in the processing timelines for the two new caregiver pathways. However, in 2021, the government announced a new plan to process at least 6,000 caregiver applications by the end of the year. The government stated that it did not fully appreciate the impact of the changes made in 2014, as it did not receive direct feedback from caregivers and interested parties. Many caregivers who came to Canada to assist families were later informed that they were ineligible for permanent residency under the existing program.

At first, there was a delay in the processing of the two new caregiver pathways. However, in 2021, the government revealed a new strategy to process a minimum of 6,000 caregiver applications by year-end. The government acknowledged that it did not fully comprehend the consequences of the 2014 alterations because it did not receive direct input from caregivers and stakeholders. A considerable number of caregivers who came to Canada to assist families later discovered that they were not eligible for permanent residency under the current program.

Caregivers will gain from the following through the Home Child Care Provider Pilot and the Home Support Worker Pilot:

To encourage caregivers and their families to immigrate to Canada together, the government has introduced several initiatives, such as open work permits and/or study permits for the caregiver’s immediate family. The government has also made changes to the work permit system, shifting from employer-specific permits to occupation-specific permits. Furthermore, the government has implemented a clear path for caregivers to transition from temporary to permanent status, ensuring that once they have met the work experience requirement, they can become permanent residents quickly.

These new pilot programmes offer a simple, direct route to permanent residence for international carers and their families.

Former Canadian Minister of Immigration, Ahmed Hussen, who was one of three senior government officials responsible for unveiling the details of the new caregiver pilot programs in Scarborough, Winnipeg, and Edmonton, stated that Canada values its caregivers. During the announcement, Hussen said, “We have pledged to enhance the lives of caregivers and their families who come from all over the world to care for our loved ones. With these new pilot programs, we are fulfilling that commitment.”

How do Canada’s new caregiver programs work?

Canadian carers: further information on the changes

• Starting on June 18, 2019, the Caring for Children and Caring for People with High Medical Needs programs ceased accepting new applicants. However, applications submitted by caregivers before this date will continue to be processed until a decision is reached.
• Caregivers who were planning to apply to the expiring pilot programs can now apply through either the Home Support Worker Pilot or the Home Child Care Provider Pilot.
• The Interim Pathway for Caregivers closed to new applicants on October 8, 2019. This pathway was designed for caregivers who arrived in Canada as temporary foreign workers after 2014 but were unable to qualify for permanent residency under the existing program.
• The Home Support Worker and Home Child Care Provider pilot programs will each accept a maximum of 2,750 principal candidates per year, for a combined total of 5,500 principal applicants and their immediate families.
• The initial applications for the new pilot programs will be processed within the customary 12-month period. Once the caregiver provides evidence that they meet the work experience requirement, the final processing of the application will be completed within six months.
• The Home Child Care and Home Support Worker pilot programs will provide occupation-specific work permits to foreign caregivers, eliminating the need for employers to obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment.