Qualified caregivers and family members who seek to take care of their relatives have a pathway to come to Canada and become permanent residents.
As of June 2024, there have been changes to the pilot that affect the work experience requirements for the pilot. These changes are described below.
Qualifying work experience
To be able to come to Canada as a caregiver, you must have work experience according to the National Occupation Classification (NOC) descriptions for:
- NOC 44100: Home child care provider
- The definition of this role includes:
- Caring for children in an employer’s home or your own home.
- No daycares or other institutions qualify for this.
- There is no requirement to live in your employer’s home to qualify.
- The definition of this role includes:
- NOC 44101: Home support worker
- Care for someone who needs support from a home support worker in the private home of your employer.
- There is no requirement to live in your employer’s home to qualify.
How much work experience do I need to qualify?
As per the changes implemented by IRCC in June 2024,
- You need 6 months, instead of 12 months, of work experience to qualify.
There are two available categories for individuals interested in coming to Canada as a caregiver. Both of these categories require work experience in the NOC categories listed above.
| Gaining Experience category | Direct to permanent residence category |
| For applicants who have not worked full-time in Canada as a caregiver or those who have fewer than 12 months of experience. | If, in the last 36 months, you have worked full-time in Canada as a caregiver for 12 months, this category is for you. |
| Qualify if: – 6 months of work experience. – The work experience is either from inside or outside Canada. – Gained in the 36 months before you submitted your application and provided work experience proof | Qualify if: – At least 6 months of work experience. – Work experience gained in the last 36 months. – You cannot have a mix of both NOC 44100 or 44101. Your work experience must be in one category of the above. |
| You must also: – Have a genuine and valid job offer. – Have the ability to do the job, judged by IRCC based on previous experience. – Meet language requirements. – Meet education requirements. – Intend to live outside Quebec as a permanent resident. – If you have a live-in arrangement at your employer’s home, you must – Decide the specifics of the bedroom that you will reside in and other specifics such as whether you are charged for room and board. | You must also: – Have the required work experience. – Meet the language requirements. – Meet the education requirements. – Intend to live outside Quebec as a permanent resident. |
| Language requirements: – Take a language test recognised by IRCC and meet the score expectations in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. – Meet Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) at CLB 5 or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadien (NCLC) at NCLC 5. | Language requirements: – Take a language test recognised by IRCC and meet the score expectations in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. – Meet Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) at CLB 5 or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadien (NCLC) at NCLC 5. |
| Education requirements: – Complete at least 1 year of postsecondary education in Canada. – If you have been educated outside Canada, you must meet two requirements: – You must have a completed educational credential; – You must have an Educational Credential Assessment | Education requirements: – Complete at least 1 year of postsecondary education in Canada. – If you have been educated outside Canada, you must meet two requirements: – You must have a completed educational credential; – You must have an Educational Credential Assessment |
Looking to apply for the pilot program? Unsure about which requirements you meet? Book a consultation with the experts at Sawubona Canada for more guidance with the process.
