New Immigration Programs in Canada for Nannies and Caregivers: a Path to Permanent Residence

Until June 2024, Canada had two pilot programs for caregivers: the Home Child Care Provider Pilot and the Home Support Worker Pilot. These programs allowed foreign workers to come to Canada for caregiving jobs with a path to permanent residency. The programs ran for 5 years and ended on June 17, 2024. No new applications are being accepted, but applications submitted before this date are still being processed.

Closure of Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker Pilot Programs

These pilot programs offered two main pathways to permanent residency in Canada:

• Gaining Experience: For those with less than a year of Canadian work experience. Participants received a work permit to gain the 1-year experience needed for permanent residency.
• Direct to Permanent Residence: For those who had already worked in Canada for a full year in caregiving within the last three years.

These programs were popular among foreign workers and Canadian families as they provided a clear path to permanent residency and offered open work permits, allowing caregivers to change employers if needed.

Results of the Completed Pilots

Since their launch in 2019, through the Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot:

• 5,700 caregivers and their family members became permanent residents by April 2024.
• As of 2024, over 15,000 caregivers are expected to gain permanent residency in Canada under the 2024-2026 Immigration Plan.

New Caregiver Programs

Although the Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker pilots have ended, the Canadian government has announced new, improved pilot programs for caregivers. These programs will launch later in 2024 and will include several important changes:

• Caregivers can obtain permanent residency immediately upon arrival in Canada, speeding up the immigration process.
• Candidates can work in private homes or organizations providing temporary or part-time care for people needing support.
• The new pilots will make finding a reliable employer easier and provide more direct access to permanent residency.

The Canadian government intends to make these new caregiver programs permanent. While they will start as pilot programs, the goal is for them to become a permanent immigration pathway in the future. Immigration Minister Marc Miller noted that Canada is working to make caregiver programs permanent to continue supporting families and workers in the long term.

Requirements for New Programs

To be eligible for the new programs, candidates must meet the following requirements:

• Minimum English or French language proficiency of CLB 4;
• A high school diploma equivalent to Canadian standards;
• Relevant and recent work experience;
• A full-time job offer in the caregiving sector.

These programs aim to meet the growing needs of Canadian families for childcare, elder care, and care for people with disabilities.

Stay tuned for updates on the criteria and application timelines for these new pilot programs.