Due to a demanding career, family-owned business or a complicated set of circumstances, some Canadians may require extra assistance to take care of their children, senior parents, or grandparents.
Immigrating to Canada as a caregiver has become an increasingly popular pathway for foreign nationals with experience in this field.
Caregivers, on average, earn $30,600 per year or $15.69 per hour in Canada. Most entry-level positions start at $23,400 per year while professional caregivers can make up to $43,407 per year.
Canadian citizens and permanent residents need to meet requirements to hire foreign caregivers.
Currently, there are 3 options for foreign nationals who wish to work in Canada as a caregiver.
What are the 3 Ways to Work in Canada as a Caregiver?
1. Home Child-Care Provider Pilot Program:
The new Home Child-Care Provider Pilot was launched on June 18, 2019, to replace the Caring for Children program. The previous programs were criticized for not providing enough employee protection from abusive workplaces.
The new pilot programs provide caregivers with occupation-specific work permits rather than employer-specific ones. This allows employees to transition to a different employer if desired.
The new pilots also allow caregivers to bring immediate family members to Canada. The accompanying family members will be eligible to apply for a study or work permit in Canada.
Applicants must meet the minimum work experience requirements to transition to permanent residency through these programs.
To be eligible for the Home Child-Care Provider Pilot Program, you need to:
- Have previous Canadian work experience or a Canadian employer to give you a legitimate job offer
- Have Canadian work experience or a job offer from a Canadian employer
- Have education that is on par with the Canadian Secondary School level
- Have appropriate job-related training
- Have sufficient experience with household management
- Have first aid training
