Canada’s Immigration Minister, Marc Miller, has announced a new permanent residency-on-arrival program for caregivers.
With the expiry date for Canada’s current Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot approaching, Miller confirmed that the new pilot is expected to launch by the end of fall 2024, or early 2025 at the latest.
This initiative is an upgrade to the existing caregiver pilot programs, allowing caregivers to continue coming to Canada while efforts are made to make these programs permanent.
These new permanent residency-on-arrival initiatives mark a significant step forward in Canada’s efforts to meet the evolving home care needs of its diverse population, by granting home care professionals permanent residency (PR) upon arrival in Canada.
As the existing pilot programs are set to expire on June 17, the new programs will provide home care workers with permanent resident status upon arrival, eliminating the need for a certain amount of work experience in the country.
They will also be permitted to work for “organizations that provide temporary or part-time care for people who are semi-independent or recovering from an injury or illness.”
Previous caregiver programs
This criteria represents a change from the previous pilot programs, which required a CLB of 5 and a year of Canadian post-secondary education (or its foreign equivalent).
The former programs also included a work experience requirement of at least six months.
To be eligible for the new caregiver program, applicants must:
- Achieve a minimum of level 4 on the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB)
- Hold the equivalent of a Canadian high school diploma
- Have recent and relevant work experience
- Receive an offer for a full-time home care job.
Demand for caregivers in Canada
In an IRCC news release, Immigration Minister Marc Miller said, “Caregivers play a critical role in supporting Canadian families, and our programs need to reflect their invaluable contributions. As we work to implement a permanent caregivers program, these two new pilots will not only improve support for caregivers but also provide families with the quality care they deserve.”
According to the 2024-2026 Immigration Levels Plan, Canada expects to welcome more than 15,000 new permanent residents through caregiver programs.
As of April 30, 2024, approximately 5,700 caregivers and their family members have become permanent residents since the launch of the Home Child Care Provider Pilot and the Home Support Worker Pilot in 2019.
The demand for caregivers in Canada is rising as the population ages. Over the next six years, it is expected that more than nine million Canadians will retire, increasing the need for additional care in homes or institutions.
Additionally, a recent report by the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence highlights the urgent needs of caregivers in Canada.
Among them, it notes that “Many caregivers are 65+ and may also need care. Nearly one in five caregivers are over the age of 65. Senior caregivers are least likely to access any services or supports to help with their responsibilities.”
Finally, families in Canada require a childcare provider as more women, who traditionally take on more of the caretaking duties for young children, seek to enter the workforce.
IRCC has not clarified the work experience requirement for the new pilot programs and will announce more details closer to the full launch.