- Canada has officially revealed the eligibility requirements for its new Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots, which will commence on March 31, 2025.
- The initiative intends to provide a faster road to permanent residence (PR) for home care workers while also meeting the country’s growing demand for caregivers.
Canada has officially revealed the eligibility requirements for its new Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots, which will commence on March 31, 2025.
The initiative intends to provide a faster road to permanent residence (PR) for home care workers while also meeting the country’s growing demand for caregivers.
This latest update follows the government’s earlier announcement in January 2025, when Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) revealed plans to replace the Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot with a new system designed to make it easier for qualified caregivers to obtain permanent residency and find work with a variety of employers.
Lowered Eligibility Requirements
To be considered for the new pilots, applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Language Requirements: At least a level 4 Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) in English or French.
- Education requires at least a Canadian high school diploma or an equivalent international certificate.
- job Experience: Either six months of recent, relevant job experience or completion of a home care training certification (at least six months).
- Job Offer: A full-time position in the home care sector (excluding Quebec).
One important change over past programs is that applicants will not need to complete a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), making it easier for employers to hire foreign caregivers.
Two-Stream Application Process
The program will have two unique streams:
- Workers in Canada: Applications open on March 31, 2025.
- Applicants from outside of Canada are expected to be able to apply later in 2025.
At first, only people who are already in Canada will be able to apply. The second stream, for applicants outside Canada, will be presented later, with more information to come.
greater flexibility for employment
Home care professionals will now have greater career possibilities, including the opportunity to work in locations other than private residences. Eligible employers include:
Home Health Care Service Providers
Pediatric home health care agencies.
Residential Personal Care Services
Organizations that directly hire caregivers for those who are semi-independent or recovering from illness or injury.
However, recruitment and placement agencies are not eligible to participate in this experiment.
A more straightforward path to permanent residency.
Unlike previous pilots, which required home care professionals to earn Canadian work experience first, the new pilots provide PR upon approval, allowing applicants and their families to reside in Canada immediately once their application is accepted.
The government has emphasized the importance of home care workers in supporting children, seniors, and persons with disabilities, while also enabling more Canadians to remain in the workforce.
By streamlining the PR process and reducing application barriers, the program is expected to boost the home care sector and strengthen Canada’s labour force.
With home care services in high demand, these changes reflect Canada’s commitment to attracting skilled caregivers and ensuring the long-term sustainability of its care industry.
More details, including full application guidelines, will be published closer to the launch date.
