Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots

Canada is opening new pathways for individuals to immigrate and become permanent residents  by working as home care providers. These upcoming pathway pilots are called "Home Care  Worker Immigration Pilots" (HCWIP), and they focus on two areas: child care and home support.  Each of these pilots has two application options: one for people already working in Canada and  another for those applying from outside the country. Initially, only applications from those  already working in Canada will be accepted, and applications from overseas will be opened at a  later date which has not been announced by the IRCC so far. In this post, we will address the  basic eligibility and other relevant requirements for both streams.  

The stream for the workers in Canada will open on March 31, 2025. This stream requires you to  be residing in Canada (although you can apply while you’re physically abroad) and have a valid  work permit to be eligible. In addition to these basic criteria, you should also demonstrate that  you meet the minimum linguistic requirement, which is Level 4 in English or French, and prove  that you have completed the equivalent of a Canadian high school diploma or higher. Finally, the  specific job experience or training you need to qualify for the program will depend on whether  you're applying for the child care or home support pilot, and these requirements are defined by  Canada's National Occupational Classifications (NOCs). In either situation, it can either be 6  months of full-time relevant work experience in the past 3 years or the completion of relevant  training credential in the past 2 years.  

Once you fulfill these requirements, the final step before application involves getting a job offer  which you are ready to accept. It’s important to note that recruitment or placement agencies, or  your family members such as spouses, parents or children, cannot give you a job offer. The offers  can be from private households or a business (or non-profit organization) that has a direct  employer-employee relationship, including organizations that directly hire full-time workers to  provide short-term or occasional home care for those who are semi-independent or recovering  from an injury. In either sphere of work, the job setting cannot be an institutional one, such a  daycare or nursing home as well. Once all of the materials are ready, applications can be made through the PR Portal. 

The stream for those who are not in Canada has largely the same criteria, with the additional  requirement of proof of funds. These financial requirements are updated annually by the IRCC,  and at the time of this post, it’s $18,288 for a family of two (e.g., applicant and their spouse) and  $22,483 for a family of three (e.g., applicant, spouse and a child). More information on the specific  minimum amount of money required and other acceptable forms of proof can be found  Government of Canada’s website as well.  

As mentioned at the very beginning, these pilots are direct pathways to permanent residency,  and accepted candidates will be able to start working in Canada with the rights and privileges of  a permanent resident without prior Canadian work experience requirement. This makes it one of  the most accessible pathways to permanent residency currently available. It’s also worth noting  that the pilots will only accept applications from candidates who are willing to live and work  outside of Quebec.  

However, it’s important to prepare well and act quickly, as both types of workers’ streams for  those already in Canada have caps. At this time, 2,350 online applications will be accepted for the  HCWIP Child Care stream, and another 2,350 for the Home Support stream. There will also be a  few hundred additional spots reserved for applications submitted via alternate format and for the out-of-status workers in Canada, but it’s likely that majority of the applications will be for the  2,350 spots in each stream. If the caps are reached, these will be reset on March 31, 2026. At this  time, there’s no information on when the stream for applicants outside of Canada will open, nor  what the caps for that stream will be.  

If you have any questions about the HCWIP or would like to inquire about preparing an application,  please feel free to contact us at mail@atasoylaw.ca!

Disclaimer:

The information provided in this blog post is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this post does not create a solicitor-client relationship. Refugee and immigration law is complex and fact-specific; outcomes can vary depending on individual circumstances. For legal assistance regarding business immigration programs, please contact our office directly.