The IRCC has recently released detailed information about the upcoming Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots (HCWP). The program includes two immigration pathways that do not require a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) and are designed to help foreign home care workers secure employment and apply for permanent residency (PR) once in Canada. These immigration pathways will officially begin on March 31, 2025.
Program Highlights
The home care worker immigration pilot program will primarily target applicants within Canada. Initially, the program will only accept applicants who are already in Canada, but later it will be open to applicants from abroad.
The newly released immigration pathways include the following key elements:
- Application Pathways: The new program includes two immigration pathways:
- Pathway for applicants working in Canada: This pathway will start accepting applications from March 31.
- Pathway for applicants not working in Canada: This pathway will open for applications later this year.
The IRCC advises that with the program’s start date approaching, prospective applicants should begin preparing for language tests and educational credential assessments (ECA) as soon as possible.
Eligibility Requirements
The IRCC has clarified the eligibility requirements for the home care worker immigration pilot program as follows:
- Work Experience: Applicants must have at least six months of relevant work experience or at least six months of home care training qualifications.
- Language Proficiency: English or French at CLB level 4 or higher.
- Job Offer: Applicants must have a job offer from a private household or an agency that directly employs full-time home care workers.
- Education Requirements: Applicants must have at least a high school diploma.
Additionally, applicants must intend to settle in a province of Canada outside of Quebec to meet the eligibility criteria.
Job Offer Requirements
The home care worker immigration pilot program requires applicants to hold a job offer from one of the following types of organizations:
- Home health care service providers;
- Home care support service providers;
- Direct care agencies;
- Personal care services in residential settings;
- Pediatric home health care service providers.
It is important to note that job offers from recruitment and placement agencies do not qualify. Furthermore, the job offer does not need to be supported by a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
Eligibility Expansion for Special Groups
The IRCC has also announced that foreign home care workers in Canada who have “lost their status” will also have the opportunity to apply for this immigration pathway. Due to public policy support, this group still has the chance to apply. The program also provides continued application opportunities for individuals who previously applied under the “Home Child Care Provider” and “Home Support Worker Pilot Program” (which closed in June 2024). If they previously applied under the “Gaining Experience” category and accumulated sufficient work experience, they can submit supporting documents to continue applying for permanent residency.
Conclusion
As the home care worker immigration pilot program progresses, the IRCC has provided more flexible application conditions for foreign home care workers who wish to settle in Canada. This not only helps address the domestic shortage of home care workers in Canada but also offers new opportunities for foreign caregivers who are eager to immigrate to Canada. For those interested in applying, the IRCC recommends regularly checking the official website for the latest application guidelines and process updates.
