Pathways for caregivers

This section provides instructions on processing both permanent residence and temporary residence applications for caregivers.

Permanent residence pathways

• Home Child-Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot
• Interim Pathway for Caregivers
• Caring for Children Pilot and Caring for People with High Medical Needs Pilot
• Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP)

Temporary residence pathways

• Work permit applications received under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP)
• Bridging open work permits for caregivers

Home Child-Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot

Launched on June 18, 2019, the Home Child-Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot are 2 economic pilot programs targeted to foreign national caregivers who

• have a job offer or Canadian work experience in an eligible caregiver occupation
• meet minimum education and language proficiency requirements.

Caregivers who meet all the requirements but do not have 24 months of Canadian work experience are issued an occupation-restricted open work permit.

Interim Pathway for Caregivers

Caregivers can apply for permanent residence through the Interim Pathway for Caregivers if they

• have at least 1 year of work experience as a home child-care provider or a home support worker
• meet minimum language and education requirements

Caregivers who have received a positive eligibility assessment decision on their permanent residence application are eligible for an open work permit under Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) exemption code A70.

Caring for Children Pilot and Caring for People with High Medical Needs Pilot

Those eligible to apply are foreign nationals who

• have the ability to become economically established in Canada
• intend to reside in a province other than Quebec
• meet all of the following pass or fail criteria:
  • 2 years of full-time Canadian work experience in an eligible occupation within the past 4 years
  • the minimum language proficiency threshold set for that occupation
  • the minimum education requirement
  • the relevant employment requirements listed in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) description of an eligible occupation, including licensing requirements if applicable

Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP)

Caregivers can apply for permanent residence through the Live-in Caregiver Program only if they have at least 2 years of work experience in the program and have been either of the following:

• already working in Canada with an LCP work permit
• approved for their first LCP work permit, based on an LMIA submitted to Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) on or before November 30, 2014

Live-in caregivers whose permanent residence application has been submitted may be eligible for an open work permit under LMIA exemption code A71.

Work permit applications received under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP)

Caregivers can apply for an LMIA-required work permit under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) if they are not subject to the refusal to process that came into effect through Ministerial Instructions on June 18, 2019.

• Refusal to process
• Overview of changes for work permits issued to caregivers

Bridging open work permits for caregivers

Caregivers can apply for a bridging open work permit if they meet the eligibility requirements of their respective permanent residence category:

• Home Child-Care Provider Pilot or Home Support Worker Pilot
• Caring for children class or caring for people with high medical needs class