Home Care Provider Pilots

On 18 June 2019, Canada’s government replaced the Live-in Caregiver Program with two home caregiver pilots - the Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker Pilot. The purpose was to accelerate the immigration process of foreign caregivers to communities and families in Canada that need them the most.

Discover all you need to know about how you can become a caregiver in Canada by applying for Home Care Provider Pilots!

Home Child Care Provider Pilot

The Home Child Care Provider Pilot provides pathways for foreign childcare workers in the sector to obtain permanent residency (PR) in Canada. In particular, it aims to attract and retain Home Childcare Providers to assist parents in looking after their children and help with household duties. They can provide care either in their homes or their employer’s homes.

Eligible Childcare Provider Occupations

Occupations eligible for the Home Child Care Provider Pilot are classified under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) code 44100 and are outlined as follows:

Applicants must have experience in one of these occupations to be eligible for the program.

Employment Requirements for Childcare Providers in Canada

To be eligible for a job as a Childcare Provider in Canada, you must:

• Complete secondary school,
• Complete a training program in child care provision,
• Have Child care or household management work experience, and
• Have Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training and a First aid certification.

Home Support Worker Pilot

The Home Support Worker Pilot provides foreign workers in the home support work sector pathways to Canadian PR. This program’s goal is to bring foreign home support workers and caregivers who can assist Canadian families who require caregiving services.

Home support workers and caregivers are also responsible for providing personal care and companionship for seniors, convalescent clients, and persons with disabilities. Support agencies can employ home support workers and homecare, private households, and even self-employed.

Employment Requirements for Home Support Workers in Canada

Some of the employment requirements for home support workers in Canada include:

• Having some secondary school education,
• Work experience in Home management,
• Some education in-home support programs,
• First aid certification, and
• Complete a training program in elderly care, care of persons with disabilities, and convalescent care.

Eligible Home Support Worker Occupations

The occupations eligible for the Home Support Worker Pilot are classified under NOC 44101 and include:

What do I Need to be Eligible to Apply for the Home Care Provider Pilots?

To be eligible for the Home Care Provider Pilots, there are several requirements that you must meet. These requirements include:

Education

To apply for the Home Care Provider Pilots, you must fulfill either of the following education requirements:

• Completed at least one year of Canadian post-secondary education at a designated learning institution (DLI),
• An equivalent educational qualification accredited by an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report that was issued to immigrate to Canada by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Let's look at education requirements based on Canadian and foreign credentials.

Canadian Credentials

Canadian credentials are recognized as either a post-secondary certificate, diploma, or credential granted after completing your studies in a Canadian institution recognized by the provincial education department responsible for administering educational institutions.

Foreign Credentials

If you’re an applicant with a foreign credential, you must apply for and receive an ECA report that demonstrates that:

• Your educational credential equals one year of a completed Canadian post-secondary qualification.
• Your educational credential is less than five years old from the date you received it, and
• Your educational credential was granted on or after the date the ECA was officially designated by the IRCC.

Find out more about the Educational Credential Assessment (ECA).

Language Proficiency

The language proficiency you must meet to apply for the Homecare Provider Pilots is Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 5 for speaking and listening and CLB 4 for reading and writing.

You can demonstrate this by taking approved English language tests such as the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or the Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP).

Qualifying Work Experience

There are two categories through which you can demonstrate that you have the necessary work experience to qualify for the Homecare Provider Pilot (HCPP). The two categories accommodate applicants who have not yet gained the necessary work experience to apply upfront for permanent residence and applicants who possess the minimum work experience required to apply directly for permanent residence.

Please Note

As of the 30th of April 2023, the minimum qualifying work experience needed to apply to the HCPP has been reduced from 24 to 12 months.

For Applicants Who Need Work Experience

If you’re eligible for the HCPP but do not yet have the 12 months of qualifying Canadian work experience when submitting your application for permanent residence, you will receive occupation restricted open work permit (OROWP). An OROWP will enable you to work for any employer in Canada but only for the occupation listed on your work permit.

Please Note

The OROWP allows you to work in Canada as a Homecare child provider or Home support worker temporarily for 36 months. Therefore, you should submit proof of at least 12 months of authorized full-time work experience within 36 months of receiving an OROWP.

Ensure your minimum 12 months of work experience was obtained in the last 36 months from the day you submitted your proof of qualifying work experience.

For Applicants Who can Apply Directly For Permanent Residence

If you already have the minimum 12 months of qualifying Canadian work experience when submitting your application, you can apply directly for permanent residency in Canada using the Homecare Provider Pilots.

You must ensure that the work experience outlined in your application is both:

• Identifiable in the initial lead statement of your job’s NOC description and,
• Your job has a significant number of the main duties listed in its NOC description, including all duties deemed essential for the performance of your work.

Breaks in the qualifying work experience you submitted in your application for the HCCP are allowed provided you:

• Were not absent for any extended periods from Canada,
• Did not have any periods of unemployment,
• Were not sick for prolonged periods, and
• Did not take any parental leave.

Please Note

Full-time qualified work experience for home support workers and childcare providers in Canada is a minimum of 30 hours of paid work per week. If your work experience was acquired in Canada, ensure your work was authorized and gained under a temporary resident status.

Can I Apply If I Don’t Have the Required Work Experience?

Another way you can apply for the HCPP if you don’t have a minimum of 12 months of qualifying work experience is by obtaining a job offer.

Job Offer For HCPP

Without the required minimum work experience to apply, you can obtain a job offer to apply. You must ensure the job offer is:

• From a sole employer in Canada,
• For a vacancy outside of Quebec,
• For authorized full-time employment (minimum 30 hours of paid work per week),
• Non based on seasonal work,
• A home support worker occupation or home child care provider, and
• Is valid when you receive your initial OROWP.

Supporting Documentation For HCPP

The supporting documentation you must submit for your HCPP application includes but is not limited to

• Proof of work experience, for example:
  • Employment records
  • Employer reference letters
  • Pay stubs
  • Work contracts
• Copies of your education credentials or training (diplomas, certificates, higher certificates, etc.)
• A copy of your most recent Canada work permit (if you’ve been working in Canada)

How Can I Apply for Canadian PR Via The Home Care Provider Pilots?

The application process for Canadian permanent residency (PR) through the Home Care Provider Pilots generally follows the steps below:

Step 1: Check Your Eligibility

Checking your eligibility to apply includes three major aspects.

1. Check your admissibility to gain entry into Canada

   This involves an assessment of your age, education, medical and criminal records, and other personal qualifying information. Find out more about what makes you admissible to Canada.

2. Check if your job is listed on Canada’s NOC system.

   For home childcare providers and support workers, this is 44100 and 44101.

3. Check Your Work Experience

   You need at least 12 months of full-time work experience acquired within the 36 months before applying to one of the HCPP.

Step 2: Gather the Supporting Documents and Submit Your Application

Once you have verified your application eligibility, you must gather the relevant supporting documents and submit your application. Depending on whether or not you possess the necessary qualifying work experience, the processing time of your application will differ from other applicants..

Step 3: Job Offer

If you don’t have the work experience needed to apply for Canadian PR with the HCPP. You need a job offer from a single Canadian employer through which you can gain the necessary work experience to apply for PR.

Step 4: Gain Work Experience Using an OROWP

After your job offer has been verified, you’ll receive an OROWP that enables you to work in Canada for up to 36 months.

Step 5: Apply for Permanent Residency

After gaining the necessary work experience in Canada’s caregiving industry, you must apply for Canadian PR using the HCPP. Ensure to apply before the 36-month OROWP period expires.

Step 6: Wait for Processing of Your Application

After submitting your application, you will receive an acknowledgment of receipt. Initial applications target a 12-month application processing time. After finalizing your application by submitting proof of your caregiving work experience, a 6-month application processing time is targeted.

FAQs

What Can I Do if the Yearly Limit on Applications for the Caregiver Pilots has Been Reached Before I Apply?

If the yearly limit on applications for the Home Care Provider Pilots has been reached before you apply, you will have to wait until the next application cycle. The IRCC sets a yearly limit on the number of applications they will accept for these pilot programs.

Can I Use Work Experience From More Than One Employer to Apply to the Caregiver Pilots?

Yes, you can use work experience from more than one employer to apply to the Home Care Provider Pilots. As long as you have a total of at least 12 months of full-time work experience in the past three years in the eligible occupation, you are eligible to apply.