Permanent Residency for Caregivers to Canada

If you are an experienced caregiver with a job offer in Canada, then you can apply for permanent residency.

The Caregiver programs were created to encourage professional caregivers from around the world to immigrate to Canada for work. 

The old expired or soon expiring programs were replaced by a new caregiver pilot program launched June 18, 2019.

The new pilot programs have replaced the Caring for Children and Caring for People with High Medical Needs programs. The new pilots provide new freedoms to the caregivers. 

Caregivers will be allowed to change employers when necessary. Caregivers will also be eligible to add accompanying family members to their permanent residency applications. That means their spouses or common-law partners will be eligible to apply for open work permits.

What are the Different Caregiver Programs for Obtaining Permanent Residency?

Home Child-Care Provider Pilot: The Home Child-Care Provider Pilot opened for applicants on June 18, 2019, replacing the Caring for Children program. This is a 5-year pilot program that allows professional caregivers to immigrate to Canada with accompanying family members.

As a caregiver, you would require a valid job offer from a Canadian employer or work experience in Canada. 

You will be eligible for the program if you:

• Have education equivalent to the Canadian Secondary School level
• Have appropriate training
• Have appropriate experience with household management experience
• Have first aid training if required

Home Support Worker Pilot: The Home Support Worker Pilot replaced the Caring for People with High Medical Needs program. This is also a 5-year pilot program that allows professional caregivers to immigrate to Canada with accompanying family members.

This program allows professional caregivers with experience in caring for senior citizens, disabled people, and seriously ill people undergoing medical treatment. 

The caregivers are allowed to live at the employer’s residence. Therefore, home management experience is mandatory. Caregivers are hired by home care and support agencies, private households, or can be self-employed. 

As a caregiver, you must meet the following requirements to be eligible for this program:

• Have education equivalent to secondary school
• Home management experience
• Have a degree or diploma for in-home support
• Have experience in caring for elderly, disabled people and people undergoing treatment for serious illnesses
• Have first aid training, if required

Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP): This program is currently closed for applications. 

However, you could still apply for permanent residency through this program if you have 2 years experience and:

Were living in Canada with the LCP work permit

Gained the LCP work permit by clearing the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) before November 30, 2014

Caring for Children: The Caring for Children program was terminated on June 18, 2019. 

However, you could qualify if:

• You have at least 2 years of full-time Canadian work experience in the last 4 years and a valid work permit (noncontinuous work experience is valid)
• Meet the definition of a childcare provider as stated by the NOC 4411
• Demonstrate that you will be able to perform all the duties related to your position
• Have 1 year of post-secondary credentials or a foreign equivalent attested by an Education Credential Assessment (ECA) report
• Demonstrate language proficiency with a level 5 on the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) for English and French
• You must have experience of caring for children in your own home or the employer’s home

Applicants for this program are not required to reside in their employer’s home to be eligible. Foster parents can not apply for this program. 

Caring for People with High Medical Needs: This program was terminated on June 18, 2019. 

To qualify for this program, you must:

• Have at least 2 years of full-time Canadian work experience in the last 4 years for the following occupations:

• 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)
• 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 at least 1 year of post-secondary credential or a foreign equivalent attested by an ECA report
• Demonstrate required language proficiency for either English or French based on your occupation:

• NOC 3012: CLB 7 
• NOC 3233, 3413 and 4412: CLB 5

Interim Pathway for Caregivers: Interim Pathways for Caregivers is currently not accepting applications. 

However, you could be eligible for this program if:

• You have a work permit other than a work permit acquired through the Live-in Caregiver Program
• You do not intend to live in Quebec
• Have at least 1 year of full-time Canadian work experience as a caregiver
• Have education equivalent to Canadian Secondary School
• Have to be minimally proficient in English or French

What are the Requirements of the New Caregiver Pilot Programs?

You must meet the following requirements to be eligible for the new caregiver pilot programs:

• Have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer or work experience in Canada
• Achieve the minimum requirements on language tests
• Have 1 year of post-secondary education in Canada or a foreign equivalent
• Clear the admissibility requirements to enter Canada [Explanations on the different grounds for inadmissibility]

The applications for the Caregiver Program are processed based on the applicant’s qualifying work experience. There are 3 possible scenarios:

• You have no qualifying experience
• You have 24 months of qualifying experience
• You have qualifying experience of 24 months and more

Your experience as a foster parent, if any, is not considered as qualifying experience for the Caregiver Program.