The Minister for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship (IRCC), Mr. Sean Fraser, has just announced that the amount of work experience in Canada required for a CAREGIVER to qualify for Permanent Residence (PR) is being reduced from 24 months to 12 months. In addition, some spaces under the existing caregiver pathways have been reserved for Caregivers who already have work experience in Canada from a previous Work Permit, so that they are able to apply for PR.

The Minister said the following regarding this development – “Caregivers are an important option for families in Canada and have played an instrumental role in the lives of many growing children, aging parents, and those who need additional specialized care. By reducing the work experience required in Canada to one year, more caregivers and their families will become eligible to transition to permanent residence sooner, meaning that they can settle down and start the next chapter of their lives here in Canada.”

The change will be effective w.e.f. 30 April 2023, and will be retrospective for caregivers who have already applied (in other words, even those who have applied before this date will be able to take advantage of this faster route to PR).

As a result, caregivers and their families will benefit from a faster path to permanent residence and successful settlement in Canada. By reducing the amount of work experience required in Canada, IRCC also intends to improve the processing time of applications. This update is expected to benefit around 90% of current applications.

The shift in criteria is intended to apply to applicants from both the Home Child Care Provider (HCCP) Pilot and the Home Support Worker (HSW) Pilot, including those whose applications have already been received by IRCC and prospective applicants for the remainder of the 5‑year Pilots.

Since the launch of the pilots in 2019, nearly 1,600 caregivers and their family members have become permanent residents. In 2022 alone, nearly 1,100 caregivers and their family members became permanent residents through the two pilots. 

Immigration accounts for almost all of Canada’s labor force growth. Roughly 75% of Canada’s population growth comes from immigration, mostly in the economic category. By 2036, immigrants will represent up to 30% of Canada’s population, compared with 20.7% in 2011.

Contact us if you would like to apply for a job & Work Permit as a Caregiver to Canada.