Last Updated on February 6, 2020

2019-10-29 – A second application window under Canada’s Interim Pathway For Caregivers has now closed.

The three-month window under the Canada caregiver immigration pathway expired on October 8, 2019. It offered candidates who did not qualify under existing programs a chance to qualify for permanent residence.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada introduced the pathway to mitigate some of the confusion caused when changes were made to the caregiver system in 2014 under the previous Conservative government.

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Canada’s Two New Caregiver Immigration Pilots Now Open For Applications

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The Interim Pathway for Caregivers was launched as part of an overhaul of the Canada caregiver immigration offering, alongside the Home Child Care Provider Pilot and the Home Support Worker Pilot.

The Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker pilots remain open and both offer a direct pathway to permanent residence. They also allow applicants to bring family members with them to Canada.

Each new pilot has a maximum of 2,750 principal applicants, for a total of 5,500 principal applicants per year, plus their immediate family.

New Canada caregiver immigration candidates should consider the Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker pilots.

The Live-In Caregiver Program closed to new applications in 2014, but candidates who came to Canada through the program can still apply for permanent residence.

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Interim Pathway for Caregivers: Eligibility Criteria and Conditions

Candidates must meet the following criteria:

1. Be authorized to work in Canada on a work permit other than a Live-in Caregiver Program work permit.
2. Intend to reside in a province or territory other than Quebec.
3. Has obtained:
   1. a completed Canadian educational credential of at least a secondary school diploma; or,
   2. a foreign diploma, certificate or credential, along with an equivalency assessment — issued within five years before the date of application— that indicates that the foreign diploma, certificate or credential is equivalent to a completed Canadian secondary school diploma.
4. Has attained a level of proficiency of at least benchmark 5 in either official language for each of the four language skill areas, as set out in the Canadian Language Benchmarks or the Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens.
5. Since November 30, 2014, has acquired one year of authorized full-time Canadian work experience on a Temporary Foreign Worker Program work permit in any combination of the following eligible occupations:
   1. Home childcare provider as per the terms of NOC 44112, other than any experience as a foster parent.
   2. Home support worker or related occupation, but not a housekeeper, under NOC 4412.

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Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker Pilots

Requirements:

• Job offer
• CLB 5 language level
• 1 year of Canadian post-secondary education or foreign equivalent
• Admissibility

Applying From Outside Canada

STEP 1. GET A WORK PERMIT

Submit applications for permanent residence and work or study permit(s) for yourself and your family.

Get an occupation-specific work permit to obtain the work experience you need for permanent residence.

Get work or study permits for your spouse or common-law partner and children to come with you.

STEP 2. PERMANENT RESIDENCE FINALIZED

Once two years of work experience is completed, submit proof to IRCC to get permanent residence.

Applying From Within Canada

Candidates who already have work experience as an in-home caregiver in Canada can choose one of two options:

• Use the 2-step process outlined above, then complete two years of experience to get permanent residence.
• Keep working in Canada with current work permit and apply for permanent residence once 2 years of work experience are complete, provided general requirements are met.