Interim Pathway for Caregivers

Foreign caregivers who came to Canada after November 30, 2014 and did not qualify for Canadian permanent residence may now have another opportunity to do so through a new interim pathway that comes into effect March 4, 2019 and will remain open until June 4, 2019.
The three-month Interim Pathway for Caregivers is for individuals who have acquired work experience in Canada since November 30, 2014, as a home childcare provider, home support worker or a combination of both through Canada's Temporary Foreign Worker Program.
Work experience must match the initial description and list of main duties for Canada's National Occupational Classification (NOC) Group 4411 or 4412.
The Interim Pathway for Caregivers will be open to those who intend to reside outside of Quebec and who have:
• authorization to work in Canada on a work permit other than a Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP) work permit (at the time of applying); or
• applied for a renewal of a work permit other than a Live-in Caregiver Program work permit; or
• applied and is eligible for restoration of status, and held a work permit other than a Live-in Caregiver Program work permit as their most recent work permit; and
• language skills of at least a CLB/NCLC 5 in English or French; and
• 12 months of full-time work experience in Canada since November 30, 2014, in a relevant occupation; and
• a minimum of a Canadian high school diploma or non-Canadian educational diploma, certificate or credential that's equal to a Canadian high school diploma.
• Foreign credentials will require an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) — issued within five years before the date of application by an approved organization — that indicates that the foreign diploma, certificate or credential is equivalent to a completed Canadian secondary school diploma.

Note: Candidates whose educational credential was obtained outside Canada and who cannot obtain an ECA before the Interim Pathway for Caregivers closes on June 4, 2019, are still eligible if they provide proof that they have applied to get an ECA. Proof includes written confirmation from agency that they have submitted a request for an ECA and/or receipt of payment.

There is no limit on the number of applications that IRCC will accept through the Interim Pathway for Caregivers.

Caregivers whose current or most recent work permit is through the Live-in Caregiver Program will not be eligible for consideration through the interim pathway.

Note: Caring for Children or Caring for People with High Medical Needs will be replaced by two new five-year immigration pilots that will provide caregivers and their family members with a new pathway to Canadian permanent residence. The Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker pilots will come into effect later this year.

Applicants to the new pilots will be assessed against the criteria for Canadian permanent residence before they begin working in Canada.
Caregivers approved through the pilots would then have to gain two years of work experience in Canada before accessing which is a "direct pathway" to permanent residence.This work experience would be acquired with an occupation-specific work permit for caregivers rather than an employer-specific work permit, meaning caregivers can switch employers if need be.The new pilots will also allow family members to accompany caregivers to Canada. A caregiver's spouse or common-law partner would be entitled to an open work permit and dependent children would be granted a study permit in Canada.

IRCC will accept a maximum of 2,750 principal applicants each year under the Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker pilots. Spouses and dependent children will not count against the 2,750 principal applicants limit for each pilot.

The eligibility criteria and application process for the new pilots will be announced "well before" the expiration of the two current caregiver pilots on November 29, 2019