Caregivers

Permanent residence for caregivers

Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot

As of June 18, 2019, you may be able to apply for permanent residence through the Home Child Care Provider Pilot or Home Support Worker Pilot if you:

• meet the eligibility requirements, and
• have a job offer to work in one of these occupations

Through these pilots, you’ll get an open work permit to come to Canada and work temporarily. This work permit:

• is occupation-restricted (so you have to work in that specific occupation)
• doesn’t need a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)
• lets you get the work experience you need to be eligible for permanent residence

If you recently worked as a home child care provider or support worker, your experience may count towards your eligibility for permanent residence.

Interim Pathway for Caregivers

You can apply for the Interim Pathway for Caregivers if you:

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

Live-in Caregiver Program

The Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP) is closed to new applicants.

You can only apply for permanent residence through the Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP) if you have at least 2 years of work experience in the program and:

• you’re already working in Canada with an LCP work permit, or
• you were approved for your first LCP work permit based on a Labour Market Impact Assessment submitted to Employment and Social Development Canada on or before November 30, 2014

If you have work experience in Canada as a caregiver but don’t qualify for either of the options above, you may be eligible to immigrate to Canada through a different program.

Temporary work for caregivers

If you don’t meet the requirements for permanent residence as a caregiver, you may be able to work temporarily.

Apply to extend your work permit

If you’re currently working in Canada as a caregiver, you may be eligible to extend your work permit through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).

Your employer will need to get a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) first.

Apply for a new work permit

In most cases, you can apply for a work permit to work in Canada temporarily as a caregiver through the TFWP if:

• you’re in Canada and eligible to apply for a work permit from inside Canada
• you’re outside Canada and your employer applied for an LMIA before June 18, 2019, or
• you’ll be working in Quebec

Your employer will need to get a positive LMIA first.

Find out how to apply for a work permit.

Closed programs

Caring for Children Program

The Caring for Children Program ended on June 18, 2019. If you submitted a complete application before June 18, we’ll continue to process it.

If you’re a caregiver who has been caring for children in Canada, you may be eligible for the Home Child Care Provider Pilot.

Caring for People with High Medical Needs Program

Caring for People with High Medical Needs Program ended on June 18, 2019. If you submitted a complete application before June 18, we’ll continue to process it.

If you’re a caregiver who has been working in Canada as a home support worker, you may be eligible for the Home Support Worker Pilot.