Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is creating two new Canadian permanent residence programs — the Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker Pilots— which will help to obtain permanent residence for foreign caregivers and eligible family members.

These programmes are set to launch later in 2019 and along with these Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced a three-month Interim Pathway for Caregivers that will be open to applications between March 4 and June 4, 2019. 

These new five-year pilots are designed to provide caregivers with greater flexibility to change jobs quickly and easily and creates the possibility for accompanying family members to receive open work permits or study permits in Canada.

IRCC mentioned that  the eligibility criteria and application process for the new pilots will be announced “well before” the expiration of Canada’s two current caregiver pilots on November 29, 2019,

Interim Pathway for Caregivers Eligibility

The Interim Pathway for Caregivers will open temporarily for caregivers who have acquired work experience in Canada since November 30, 2014, as a home childcare provider, home support worker or a combination of both being temporary work permit.

IRCC says there is no limit on the number of applications that it will accept through the Interim Pathway for Caregivers. 

This temporary pathway will be open to those who intend to reside outside of Quebec and who:

Are authorized to work in Canada on a work permit other than a Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP) work permit (at the time of applying);

Those who have acquired at least one year of full-time Canadian work experience in an eligible caregiver occupation, other than housekeeper, since November 30, 2014.

Who have a Canadian high school diploma, or equivalent foreign credential proven with an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA).

Foreign credentials will require an ECA that must be issued within five years before the date of application by an approved organization designated that the foreign diploma, certificate or credential is equivalent to a completed Canadian secondary school diploma.

 Must have a minimum proficiency in English or French equivalent to a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 for all four bands ( writing, speaking, reading and listening).

IRCC mentioned  that candidates whose educational credential was obtained outside of Canada and who cannot obtain an ECA before the Interim Pathway for Caregivers closes on June 4, 2019, will still be eligible if they provide proof that they have applied to get an ECA.  This proof will include written confirmation from agency that they have submitted a request for an ECA and/or receipt of payment.