On January 1, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will reset the cap and begin accepting applications for two caregiver pilot programs: the Home Childcare Provider Pilot and the Home Support Worker Pilot: Direct to Permanent Residence category.

These programs are specifically for applicants with caregiving work experience. Both pilot programs were launched in 2019 and are set to end on June 17, 2024. They have proven popular with the approximately 1,100 caregivers and their family members who become permanent residents in 2022.

IRCC advises interested eligible candidates to apply as soon as possible. The 2023 limit for online applicants in the Home Child Care Provider Pilot (1,000) was reached on April 14, 2023, however, there are still vacancies for the Home Support Worker Pilot in 2023, according to the website.

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Work experience requirement will be halved in 2023

In February 2023, IRCC announced that the work experience requirement for caregivers would be reduced by half, from 24 months to 12 months of full-time work. This change was expected to affect 90% of applicants for caregiver immigration programs.

The department defines full-time work as 30 hours of paid work each week, and the work experience must have been obtained within the 36 months before the candidate submits their application. Work experience gained as a student is not eligible.

Other work experience requirements for candidates include work experience falling under National Occupational Classification (NOC) code 4411 or 4412. IRCC notes that the work experience must be in one of these jobs and cannot be a mix of both jobs.

Furthermore, the candidate’s work must match the NOC job description and they must perform most of the main duties.

Other requirements for candidates will remain the same in 2023. For example, they must be able to demonstrate that

• Language test results showed a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) of 5;
• One year of Canadian post-secondary education or foreign equivalent education; and
• Pass the acceptance checks (health, criminality and security).

Temporary Resident Carer

Caregivers who are not eligible for permanent residence under these programs can apply to extend their work permit through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).

To do this, their employer must first obtain a positive or neutral Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). The LMIA is an application that the employer submits to Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) to prove that they are unable to find a Canadian or permanent resident who has sufficient skills to fill the sought-after position.

If the ESDC believes that hiring a foreign national through TFWP will have a positive impact on Canada’s economy or no impact at all, the employer can hire them. Employees in TFWP are on a closed work permit, which means they are not allowed to work for any other employer in Canada.

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