Visa Options for Foreign Caregivers in Canada

Overview of the 2021 programs for caregivers:

1. Home Child Care Provider Pilot: Home child care providers care for children on an ongoing or short-term basis. They care for the well-being and physical and social development of children, assist parents with child care, and may assist with household duties. This program is created for applicants who are interested in jobs such as:
   • Babysitter;
   • Nanny;
   • Child care live-in caregiver;
   • Parent’s helper;
   • Others jobs covered by NOC (National Occupation Classification) code 4411.
2. Home Support Workers Pilot: Home support workers provide personal care and companionship for seniors, persons with disabilities and convalescent clients. Typically, care is provided within the client's residence, in which the home support worker may also reside. The program is developed for applicants who are interested in occupations such as:
   • Family caregiver;
   • Doula;
   • Live-in caregiver;
   • Attendant for persons with disabilities; and
   • Others that are determined by NOC code 4412.

How much does permanent residence under HCCPP and HSWP cost?

If an applicant includes his or her spouse or common-law partner in the application, the applicant must pay double these fees.

CAN $150 must be paid for each dependent child included in the application. You will also need to pay the biometric fee for any child included in the application who is aged 14 to 19; however, biometric fees are capped at CAN $170 per family.

Please note that if you do not have two years of qualifying Canadian work experience you must also pay a separate work permit fee and get another receipt.

The work permit fee for caregivers is CAN $255.

Remember to have both your receipts printed to add them to the final application as proof of payment!

Are caregivers still in demand in Canada?

Yes, caregivers are in great demand in Canada. For instance, the quota for the 2021 HCCPP program was filled in in merely 4 months.

What is the minimum language requirement for caregivers?

An applicant must possess good language skills in English or French and score at least 5 on the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) test or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadien (NCLC) respectively for all language skills:

• Reading;
• Writing;
• Listening;
• Speaking.

The Canadian government also recognizes results of IELTS, CELPIP, TEF Canada, and TCF Canada tests that were completed within two years before the application. There are special equivalence charts for the above tests.

What are the educational requirements for caregivers?

An applicant must have a completed post-secondary education credential of at least 1 year in Canada, or, lacking that, must get an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) to show that their completed education level is equal to a completed Canadian post-secondary education credential of at least 1 year.

What does ‘qualifying Canadian work experience’ mean?

It is full-time work experience in the fields covered by NOC 4411 or NOC 4412 respectively for the Home Child-Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot. Full-time work means at least 30 hours of paid work per week. Canadian work experience does not need to be continuous to qualify. A reasonable period of vacation time (up to a 2-week period within a year) will be counted towards meeting the work experience requirement.

Note that all applicants must have had temporary resident status during the period of work experience acquired in Canada. Only authorized work will be counted towards the work experience requirement.

What type of job offer is eligible for the caregiver immigration programs?

An applicant who has less than two years’ work experience must obtain a job offer that is:

• For full-time employment as a home child-care provider or home support worker position, respectively;
• For a position outside the province of Quebec; and
• Likely to remain valid when the applicant is approved to move to Canada.

What does ‘the ability to perform caregiver work’ mean?

An applicant is considered to be a person able to perform caregiver work if he or she provides:

• Proof of relevant previous employment (either paid or unpaid), which can have taken place outside Canada;
• Copies of relevant education credentials or training certificates recognized in Canada.

Can family members be brought to Canada under the caregivers immigration programs?

Yes, the applicant’s family members are eligible to come with him or her to Canada. If they want to work or study while in Canada, an applicant can include their work or study permit applications with his or her principal application.

How much are caregivers paid in Canada?

According to ca.indeed.com, the Canadian job bank web-site, the average caregivers’ hourly pay ranges from approximately CAN $12.45 per hour for In Home Caregiver to CAN$18.61 per hour for Personal Care Assistant. Average caregivers’ wages range from approximately $32,404 per year for an In Home Caregiver to $42,427 per year for a Group Manager. Of course, the individual salary may be outside this range due to the special circumstances of a particular caregiver.

Can you apply for a caregiver position without experience?

An applicant can apply for the pilot immigration programs for caregivers even if he or she does not have qualifying Canadian work experience. However, an applicant must have a valid job offer for a caregiver occupation in Canada.

Applicants in such cases will be issued an occupation-restricted open work permit for three years, which will allow them to get the necessary two years of work experience in Canada. During this period, a person's application for permanent residence will be delayed but it will not be returned or rejected.

What is an Occupation-restricted Open Work Permit (OOWP)?

This is a kind of work permit that allows an applicant to work for any employer, but only in the occupation specified on the work permit. When applying for HCCPP or HSWP, the person holding an OOWP is restricted to accepting a caregiver occupation. The OOWP is issued after the applicant receives a positive pre-assessment of their permanent residence application. The OOWP is issued, either at the port of entry or in Canada, for a period of three years, regardless of whether or not the applicant has already accumulated some Canadian work experience as a caregiver. As a result, if a caregiver is unhappy with his or her employer, they can find a new caregiver job with a different employer, without any fear that the change may impact their immigration status.

Accompanying spouses and dependent persons at the age of majority are eligible for an open work permit (with the same validity as the caregiver principal applicant).

What is a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP)?

This is a kind of work permit issued to bridge the gap between the expiry of an applicant's current work permit and the final decision on his or her application for permanent residence under HCCPP or HSWP. To be eligible for a BOWP, a person must:

• Be the Principal Applicant of the permanent resident application under the HCCPP or HSWP;
• Have a valid work permit;
• Be currently in Canada and intend to live in a province or territory other than Quebec.