Canada is now accepting applications to its two new caregiver immigration schemes.
The Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot replace the Caring for Children and Caring for People with High Medical Needs pilots and provide eligible caregivers with a pathway to permanent residence once they’ve acquired two years of Canadian work experience.
Under the new programs, caregivers will only receive a work permit if they have a job offer in Canada and meet standard criteria for economic immigration programs.
Once they gain the required two years of Canadian work experience, they can apply for permanent residency.
“Caregivers provide care to families in Canada that need it, and it’s time for Canada to care for them in return,” said Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen.
“We are providing them with both the opportunity to bring their family members here and access permanent residency to demonstrate our commitment,” he added.
Other benefits under the new pilots are open work permits and study permits for the caregivers’ immediate family, the elimination of the Labor Market Impact Assessment, and the issuance of caregiver-specific work permits rather than employer-specific.
Caregivers with work experience in National Occupational Classification (NOC) 4411 (excluding foster parents) are eligible for permanent residence through the Home Child Care Provider Pilot.
Caregivers with work experience in NOC 4412 (excluding housekeepers) are eligible for permanent residence through the Home Support Worker Pilot.
IRCC said the new pilots have a 12-month processing standard for work permit applications and a six-month processing standard for applications for permanent residence from those who meet the work experience requirement.
In addition to the new pilots, the government has also extended the Interim Pathway for Caregivers. The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced that it will reopen its Interim Pathway for Caregivers to new applications for three months starting July 8.
This pathway is for individuals who have acquired work experience in Canada since November 30, 2014, as a home childcare provider, home support worker or a combination of both through Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program.
