Canada announces launch date for new permanent residence pathways for home care workers
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced that new immigration pilots for home care workers will open on March 31, 2025. These new pilots are referred to collectively by IRCC as Canada’s “Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots”.
These pilot programs will replace the previous permanent residence (PR) pathways for caregivers, which have expired.
Previous Home Care Programs
The closure of the Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot also marked a temporary pause in specialized immigration pilots for caregivers.
Previous immigration pathways for caregivers included:
- The Live-in Caregiver Program (closed in 2014);
- The Caring for Children Pilot (closed 2019);
- The Caring for People with High Medical Needs Pilot (closed 2019);
- The Interim Pathway For Caregivers Program (closed 2019); and
- The Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot (closed 2024).
Home care workers who are eligible will be able to receive permanent residence upon arrival through these new pathways.
The new pilot programs will provide home care workers with permanent residence (PR) on arrival in Canada. They will also be allowed to work for organizations that provide temporary or parttime care for people who are semi-independent or recovering from an injury or illness. This new pathway means that caregivers can more easily find proper work with reliable employers and have clear, straightforward access to permanent resident status as soon as they arrive in Canada.
Eligibility to apply depends on the following criteria:
- attain a minimum of level 4 based on the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB)
- hold the equivalent of a Canadian high school diploma
- have recent and relevant work experience
- receive an offer for a full-time home care job
Quick facts
- In June 2014, there was an inventory of over 60,000 persons for the Live-in Caregiver Program. Today, less than 1% of that Live-in Caregiver Program inventory remains.
- As part of the 2024–2026 Immigration Levels Plan, Canada will admit over 15,000 caregivers as permanent residents.
- As of April 30, 2024, nearly 5,700 caregivers and their family members have become permanent residents since the launch of the Home Child Care Provider Pilot and the Home Support Worker Pilot in 2019.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact us via email at info@poonahimmigrationlaw.com for further information.
