Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot – Gaining experience category: How to apply

The pilot caps reset on January 1, 2023

As of January 1, 2023, you can apply under the 2023 caps for the Home Child Care Provider Pilot and the Home Support Worker Pilot.

There are changes to the 2023 application process Updated May 19, 2023

We made changes to these pilots on April 30, 2023. As part of these changes, you now need only 12 months of qualifying work experience instead of 24 months.

Some pages on our site haven’t been updated yet. We’ll update them with the details of these changes as soon as possible.

Read all the changes to these pilots before you apply. Make sure you follow our updated instructions.

The Home Support Worker Pilot

In 2023, we’ll accept up to the following number of applications in each category of the Home Support Worker Pilot:

  • Gaining experience category: 1,650 applications Closed as of November 28, 2023
  • Direct to permanent residence category: 1,100 applications

The Home Child Care Provider Pilot

Gaining experience category

All caps have been reached for the Gaining experience category

This means the Gaining experience category is closed to new applications for 2023.

  • You won’t be able to start or submit an application for this category in our portal, and any paper applications will be returned.
  • Online applications that you haven’t submitted will expire after about 30 days.

Applications for this category will reopen in 2024. You can also explore other immigration programs.

Direct to permanent residence category

The online application cap has been reached for the Direct to permanent residence category
  • You won’t be able to start or submit an application for this category in our portal.
  • Online applications that you haven’t submitted will expire after about 30 days.

Online applications for this category will reopen in 2024. You can also explore other immigration programs.

The alternate format cap for this category remains open to new applications.

2023 caps

In 2023, we’ll accept up to the following number of applications in each category of the Home Child Care Provider Pilot:

  • Gaining experience category: 1,650 applications, including
    • 1,500 online applications Closed as of January 1, 2023
    • 150 alternate format applications Closed as of February 1, 2023
  • Direct to permanent residence category: 1,100 applications, including
    • 1,000 online applications Closed as of April 19, 2023
    • 100 alternate format applications

How to apply online

Tell us where you’re applying from to find out how to apply.

Follow these steps to apply through the Home Child Care Provider Pilot or Home Support Worker Pilot.

Step 1: Get a valid job offer

You need a genuine and valid job offer before you apply. The person who wants to hire you needs to give you the completed Offer of Employment IMM 5983 (PDF, 2.33 KB) for you to sign and include in your application.

Both you and the person who wants to hire you must sign this form by hand. You’ll upload this form to your online application.

Step 2: Complete your application

Sign in or create a Permanent residence online application portal account (opens in a new tab) .

If you’re applying from outside Canada

Use the instruction guide for applicants outside Canada under the Gaining experience category (opens in a new tab)  to get the forms you need and to help you fill out the forms correctly.

Applying from inside Canada

If you’re eligible to apply from inside Canada, use the instruction guide for applicants inside Canada under the Gaining experience category (opens in a new tab)  to get the forms you need and to help you fill out the forms correctly.

You can’t use the instruction guide for applicants inside Canada if:

  • you’re a visitor in Canada and
  • you’re not eligible to apply for a work permit after entry.

If you aren’t eligible to apply from inside Canada, choose “No” above to get the right instructions for your situation.

You’re in Canada, but need to apply as though you’re outside Canada

Since you’re physically in Canada and you can’t apply for a work permit from inside Canada, you need to follow the process for applicants outside Canada.

Use the instruction guide for applicants outside Canada under the Gaining experience category (opens in a new tab)  to get the forms you need and to help you fill out the forms correctly.

If you’re applying from outside Canada

Use the instruction guide for applicants outside Canada under the Gaining experience category(opens in a new tab)  to get the forms you need and to help you fill out the forms correctly.

Applying from inside Canada

If you’re eligible to apply from inside Canada, use the instruction guide for applicants inside Canada under the Gaining experience category to get the forms you need and to help you fill out the forms correctly.

You can’t use the instruction guide for applicants inside Canada if:

  • you’re a visitor in Canada and
  • you’re not eligible to apply for a work permit after entry.

If you aren’t eligible to apply from inside Canada, use the instruction guide for applicants outside Canada under the Gaining experience category(opens in a new tab) .

Fill out the forms

You’ll fill out some forms online, in the portal itself. Others you’ll fill out separately and either sign them electronically, or print and sign them by hand. You must answer all questions carefully, completely and truthfully. There are serious consequences if you misrepresent yourself or leave important information out of your application.

You must fill out these digital forms online

You’ll answer the questions directly in your web browser (for yourself, and any family members 18 or older). We will not accept the PDF versions.

You can look at the PDF versions of these forms to find out what information you’ll need to start collecting before you apply online.

  • Generic Application Form for Canada (IMM 0008)
  • Schedule A – Background/Declaration (IMM 5669)
  • Additional Family Information (IMM 5406)
  • Supplementary Information - Your travels (IMM 5562)

PDF forms you can fill out electronically

PDF forms that must be printed, signed, and uploaded to your application

Submitting work and study permit forms online

  • upload your work permit form under Upload required supporting documentation
  • choose Other as the document type

Follow the same steps if you need to submit work or study permit forms for your family as well.

Using an immigration representative

If you want to appoint someone to do business with us on your behalf, you must

An immigration representative (an immigration consultant or lawyer) can give you advice and help you with your application for a fee. But they can’t

  • open a portal account on your behalf
  • electronically sign the application for you
  • sign into the portal using your username and password

A representative can fill out forms and communicate with us on your behalf through their own account. They can also

  • help you prepare the documents you need to upload
  • answer questions about the forms

After you read the declaration, you must be the one who types your name. This is the legal requirement for your application to be considered “signed,” according to Canada’s immigration law.

If you want to allow us to release information from your application to someone other than yourself who will not act as your representative you must

Photo specifications

You need one photo for each person on your application.

Show the photo specifications to your photographer to make sure your photos meet our requirements.

Follow the instructions in the online application to scan and upload both sides of your photo.

Technical issues

If you need to upload a number of images, find out how to combine them into 1 document.

If you’re having technical issues applying, contact us using the web form

  • under type of application/enquiry, choose technical difficulties from the drop-down menu
  • in the text box, specify the program you’re applying under
  • upload screenshots from your account that show us
    • the page where you’re having problems
    • the error message(s) you get

Step 3: Pay your application fees

In most cases, your fees include:

Study and work permit fees for your family members

If your family members are applying for visitor visas, study permits or work permits with your application, you need to pay fees for those too.

When you finish, you must save each receipt and upload all of your receipts with your online application.

You have to pay your fees online.

Biometrics

You and your family members may need to give your fingerprints and photograph (biometric information) at a biometric collection service point.

In most cases, you must pay a biometrics fee when you submit your application. Otherwise you may experience delays. The biometrics fee covers the cost of collecting fingerprints and a digital photo.

After you pay the biometrics fee with a complete application, we’ll send you a letter to tell how and where to give your biometrics. You must show this letter when you give your biometrics. Get this done as soon as you get the letter from us.

You must give your biometrics in person. You should book an appointment.

Find out if you need to give biometrics.

Temporary changes to biometrics

Book your biometric appointment as soon as you can to avoid processing delays.

If you can’t book an appointment by the deadline on your biometric instruction letter, there may be measures in place to help you.

Third-party fees

You have to pay third parties if you need a:

The instruction guide can help you understand which fees apply to you and how to pay them.

Step 4: Submit your online application

Before you submit your application, make sure you:

If your application is incomplete, we’ll reject it. You’ll have to fix any errors and then re-submit it. If you don’t request a refund, or use your fees for another immigration program, you may be able to use the same receipt when you resubmit your application. Before you use the same receipt, make sure the fees are both complete and have not changed since you last applied.

If you have valid visitor status in Canada that’s about to expire

If you want to stay in Canada while waiting for your work permit, you must also extend your stay in Canada before it expires to maintain your status. Your application for a work permit with your Home Child Care Provider Pilot or Home Support Worker Pilot application won’t automatically extend your status in Canada. You must apply to extend your stay separately.

If you have a work permit that’s about to expire

If you apply before your current work permit expires, you can keep working until we make a decision on your application. In this situation, you’re maintaining your temporary resident status. You must stay in Canada and continue to meet the conditions of your current work permit. You may want to renew your work permit separately from your PR application if you can.

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