Canada eases eligibility requirements for caregivers

On February 10, representatives of Immigration Minister Sean Fraser announced that the amount of work experience in Canada required for a caregiver to qualify for permanent residence is being reduced from 24 months to 12 months.

Also, some spaces for the existing caregiver pilots have been set aside for those who already have work experience in Canada from a previous work permit. Meaning, caregivers who have eligible work experience from a previous work permit can apply for permanent residence.

The change is going into effect on April 30, 2023. It will be retroactive for people who have already applied, meaning you do not have to wait till the end of April to benefit.

The new eligibility criteria applies to applicants from both the Home Child Care Provider (HCCP) pilot and the Home Support Worker (HSW) pilot. It includes people who have already applied, and those who intend to apply for the remainder of the pilots.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) expects the eased requirement will benefit around 90% of applications currently in processing.

The pilots are currently slated to conclude in June 2024, at which time they could be discontinued or be made into a permanent program.

“Work is underway on the future of caregiver programming to plan for what comes next after the pilots conclude in June 2024,” an IRCC media release says.

IRCC also says caregivers and their families will benefit from a faster path to Canadian permanent residence. By reducing the amount of work experience required in Canada, IRCC intends to improve processing and applications.

Since the pilots launched in 2019, nearly 1,600 caregivers and their family members have become permanent residents—1,100 caregivers and their family members got PR in 2022 alone.

“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,” reads a quote attributed to Immigration Minister Sean Fraser. “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.”

Immigration accounts for roughly 75 percent of Canada’s population growth. Most immigrants to Canada come through the economic category. By 2036, immigrants could represent up to 30 percent of Canada’s population, compared with 20.7 percent in 2011.

Fifty years ago, there were seven workers for every retiree in Canada. That number is now closer to three, and if Canada stays on its current trajectory, in the next 10 to 15 years, that ratio could drop to two.

In 2023, Canada is expecting to admit 465,000 new permanent residents, mostly through economic immigration programs.

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