Canada has announced two new pilot programs for caregivers that will allow them to receive permanent residence upon arrival in Canada.

The new Home Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot will replace the previous caregiver pilot programs that are expiring in June 2024.

The key details of the new pilots are:

• Caregivers will be granted permanent resident status right when they arrive in Canada under these pilots. This is a major change, as previous programs required caregivers to work temporarily before applying for permanent residence.
• To qualify, caregivers must have a minimum language level of Canadian Language Benchmark 4, a Canadian high school equivalent education, relevant work experience, and a job offer for full-time home care work.
• Caregivers will be allowed to work providing home care services through organizations, not just directly for families. This expands the eligible occupations beyond child care and senior care to include care for semi-independent people or those recovering from illness/injury.

These new caregiver pilot programs aim to improve Canada’s immigration pathway for caregivers and better support Canadian families needing home care services. The government states they intend to eventually transition the pilots into a permanent caregiver immigration program.

Immigration Minister Marc Miller highlighted the “invaluable contributions” of caregivers and the need for “policies to support the caregiver community.” Over 15,000 caregiver permanent residents will be admitted to Canada over the next three years through these initiatives.

With permanent residence from arrival and more flexible caregiver occupations, these new pilots could provide an excellent opportunity for caregivers abroad to immigrate to Canada. The full eligibility criteria and application process details are expected to be announced soon before the pilots officially launch.