Japa: All to Know About Canada’s New Permanent Residency Program

Canada has introduced a new caregiver program, which would grant foreign caregivers permanent residency upon their arrival.

Marc Miller, Canada’s Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Minister, disclosed this in a statement published on the Canadian government website.

In Miller’s words:

“The new pilot programs will provide home care workers with permanent residence (PR) on arrival in Canada,” he said.

According to him, the caregivers will also be allowed to work for organisations that provide temporary or part time care for people who are semi-independent or recovering from an injury or illness.

Miller added, “This new pathway means that caregivers can more easily find proper work with reliable employers and have clear, straightforward access to permanent resident status as soon as they arrive in Canada.“

Canada’s commitment

Canada’s Minister of Small Business, Honourable Rechie Valdez, also emphasised the government’s readiness to make life more comfortable for caregivers.

He said: “After hearing stories and feedback from caregivers across Canada, I am proud that we are taking concrete action to create policies to support the caregiver community.

“Generations of women and men have advocated for this important pathway and have cared for our families and loved ones here in Canada. Now is the time to return the care they deserve.”

The Criteria

Through these new pilot programs, candidates interested in working in Canada’s home care sector will be eligible to apply if they meet the following criteria:

• Attain a minimum of level 4 based on the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB)
• Hold the equivalent of a Canadian high school diploma
• Have recent and relevant work experience
• Receive an offer for a full-time home care job

Miller confirmed that the pilot is expected to be launched by the end of November 2024 or, at the latest, in early 2025.

Detailed information about the new pilot programs, including complete eligibility criteria and application processes, will be released before the official launch.

Quick Facts

• In June 2014, there was an inventory of over 60,000 persons for the Live-in Caregiver Program. Today, less than 1% of that Live-in Caregiver Program inventory remains.

• As part of the 2024–2026 Immigration Levels Plan, Canada will admit over 15,000 caregivers as permanent residents.

• As of April 30, 2024, nearly 5,700 caregivers and their family members have become permanent residents since the launch of the Home Child Care Provider Pilot and the Home Support Worker Pilot in 2019.