Caregiver Program
april 1, 2025
Home Care Worker Immigration pilots - 2025
Home Care Worker Immigration Pilot (HCWIP) Applications
The Workers in Canada stream for the Home Care Worker Immigration Pilot (HCWIP) is now open, with a deadline for applications set for March 30, 2026. If you're considering applying, it's crucial to prepare your application properly before the intake cap is reached.
Available Streams and Quotas
The HCWIP is divided into two categories:
Child Care Stream
Workers in Canada: 2,350 online applications + 260 in an alternate format (2025 intake full)
Out-of-status and unauthorized workers: 125 online applications + 15 in an alternate format (2025 intake full)
Home Support Stream
Workers in Canada: 2,350 online applications + 260 in an alternate format (2025 intake full)
Out-of-status and unauthorized workers: 125 online applications + 15 in an alternate format (2025 intake full)
Applicants Not Currently Working in Canada
This stream is currently closed. The number of applications that will be accepted will be announced at a later date.
Steps to Apply
1. Get Ready
Even if the cap is reached, you can still prepare your application before the next intake opens on March 31, 2026.
2. Create an Account or Sign In
All applications must be submitted online through the Permanent Residence (PR) Portal. If you require accommodations or assistance with your application, additional support is available.
3. Choose the Correct Category
When applying, select "Economic" as your program category and then choose the appropriate HCWIP subcategory:
Workers in Canada:
HCWIP: Child Care – Workers in Canada
HCWIP: Home Support – Workers in Canada
For out-of-status and unauthorized workers:
HCWIP: Child Care – Workers in Canada – Public Policy
HCWIP: Home Support – Workers in Canada – Public Policy
Selecting the incorrect category may lead to a refusal or return of your application.
4. Gather Required Forms and Documents
Ensure you include all required forms and documents by referring to the correct checklist:
Workers in Canada stream: IMM 0270
Workers in Canada – Public Policy stream: IMM 0273
You'll need to complete and upload various digital and PDF forms, including:
Generic Application Form for Canada (IMM 0008)
Schedule A – Background/Declaration (IMM 5669)
Supplementary Information – Your Travels (IMM 5562)
Additional Family Information (IMM 5406)
Employment Information Form (IMM 0267 for individual employers or IMM 0268 for business/non-profit employers)
Additional supporting documents may be required, such as:
Job offer
Proof of training
Proof of legal entry
Proof of work authorization
5. Pay Your Fees
The application fees start at $1,525, which covers:
Processing fees for yourself and any accompanying family members
Right of permanent residence fee
Biometrics fee (if applicable)
Other possible fees for medical exams, police certificates, language tests, or educational credential assessments
Fees must be paid online, and receipts should be included in your application.
6. Submit Your Completed Application
Before submission, double-check that:
All questions are answered
All required forms are signed and uploaded
The application fee receipt is included
All supporting documents are provided
Incomplete applications will be rejected and must be corrected before resubmission, provided the intake cap has not yet been reached.
Additional Information
If additional employer-related documents are needed, you may be asked to inform your employer to submit them.
Your employer cannot charge you recruitment fees or ask for repayment of any hiring costs.
If you are a temporary foreign worker, be aware of your rights in Canada, which remain applicable even after you become a permanent resident.
This is a great opportunity for home care workers in Canada looking to transition to permanent residency. Ensure your application is complete and submitted before the intake cap is met!
june 16, 2024
As of June 16, 2024, you now only need 6 months of eligible work experience to qualify for permanent residence.
If you applied to the Gaining experience category
If you applied to the Direct to permanent residence category
June 3, 2024
Canada announces new pilot programs to support caregivers and Canadian families, intends to make the caregivers program permanent.
The new pilot programs will provide home care workers with permanent residence (PR) on arrival in Canada. They will also be allowed to work for organizations that provide temporary or part-time care for people who are semi-independent or recovering from an injury or illness. 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.
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
More information will be available before the full launch of the pilots, including full eligibility criteria and details on how to apply.
January 14, 2023 - Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot Update
Instructions have been updated to provide additional information, including the following:
Intake sub-caps have been introduced for each pilot:
The Gaining experience category will accept 60% of the intake (1,650 applications).
The Direct to permanent residence category will accept 40% of the intake (1,100 applications).
The Home Child Care Provider Pilot has been allocated 250 spaces for alternate-format applications, to be divided 60/40 between the 2 categories.
January 1, 2023 - Home Child Care Provider Pilot Gaining Experience
Home Child Care Provider Pilot Gaining Experience - Reached the cap. Submission under this category are now closed. IRCC has received the maximum number of applications under this category.
December 20, 2022 - Changes for the 2023 application process
On January 1st, at 9 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST), individuals will be able to apply under the 2023 caps for the Home Child Care Provider Pilot and the Home Support Worker Pilot.
Home Child Care Provider Pilot
Gaining experience category: 1,650 applications
1,500 online applications and 150 alternate format applications.
Direct to permanent residence category: 1,100 applications
1,000 online applications and 100 alternate format applications.
Home Support Worker Pilot
Gaining experience category: 1,650 applications
This is for both online and alternate applications.
Direct to permanent residence category: 1,100 applications
This for both online and alternate format applications.
December 6, 2022 - Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot Update
Instructions updated as additional information added as follows:
Categories are identified as Gaining experience category (Category A) and Direct to permanent residence category (Category B)
Clarification on language requirements
Clarification on educational requirements
Clarification on completeness checks, incomplete applications and mandatory forms
Updates to assessing genuineness of job offer
Additional information added to assessing admissibility
In addition, the National Occupation Code (NOC) version identified in the Assessing the application was updated. The 2016 edition has been updated to the 2021 edition.
February 16 - HOME CHILD CARE PROVIDER PILOT AND HOME SUPPORT WORKER PILOT – CORRECTION OF NATIONAL OCCUPATION CODE (NOC) VERSION
Applicants will be assessed in the below criteria, based on the information and documents provided in the application. Applicants must meet the following criteria to be approved:
*education
*official language proficiency
In addition, applicants must provide proof of either of the following:
*at least 24 months of qualifying Canadian work experience, or
*a job offer and the ability to perform the work
Read more
January 17 - HOME CHILD CARE PROVIDER PILOT AND HOME SUPPORT WORKER PILOT - 2022 NOW CLOSED
The Home Child Care Provider Pilot is closed to new applications
As of Monday, January 17, 2022, IRCC received at least 2,750 applications under this pilot. This means
*the pilot is closed to new applications for 2022
*IRCC will return any other applications receives and refund the fees.
The pilot will reopen to new applications on January 1, 2023. You can also look into other options for caregivers in Canada.
The Home Support Worker Pilot is open to new applications
You can still apply under the new 2022 cap for the Home Support Worker Pilot. In 2022, IRCC will accept up to 2,750 applications for this pilot.
Read more
December 3 - Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot: selection criteria
Applicants must meet the following criteria to be approved:
In addition, applicants must provide proof of either of the following:
at least 24 months of qualifying Canadian work experience, or
a job offer and the ability to perform the work
September 29, 2021: Caregivers Update
Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot
Home Child Care Provider Pilot
IRCC has received at least 2,750 applications under the Home Child Care Provider pilot. This means
the pilot is closed to new applications for 2021
IRCC will return any other applications we receive and refund the fees
The pilot will reopen to new applications on January 1, 2022. You can also look into other options for caregivers in Canada. Caregivers who are already in Canada could also have the opportunity to apply for permanent residence through the recently announced temporary residence to permanent residence pathway for essential workers.
Home Support Worker Pilot
You can still apply under this pilot. IRCC will update this page if and when IRCC will close this pilot to new applications for 2021.
If you already submitted an application
You don’t need to contact IRCC about an application you submitted in 2020 or 2021 under either pilot. IRCC will send you a notification letter as soon as possible to confirm IRCC received your application. It may take longer than usual for you to get this letter due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
May 6 - Temporary public policy to facilitate the granting of permanent residence for caregivers who applied under the Home Child Care Provider Class or Home Support Worker Class in 2020
The Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker pilots opened for applications on June 18, 2019 and will run until June 17, 2024. The caregiver pilots are designed to provide a clear, direct pathway to permanent residence for foreign in-home caregivers. The skills, abilities, and experience of those working in these occupations are essential to Canada’s economic immigration objectives and will continue to support the country’s long-term economic recovery, growth, and prosperity.
Read more
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/mandate/policies-operational-instructions-agreements/public-policies/caregivers-permanent-residence.html
April 11 - Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker Pilots
Important features of the Caregiver - HCCP and HSWP are:
Change your job: These new pilots enable caregivers to change employers.
Family members can come with you: The new pilots enable family members to accompany caregivers and will be eligible to apply for open work permits and/or study permits.
Need assistance with the Caregiver-Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker Pilots, click here
January 28 - Application Being Accepted for 2021
IRCC has now reopened the application intake for the child care provider and home support worker pilots. Canada will accept over 5,000 caregiver applications in 2021. The objective is 2,750 applications under the Home Support Worker Pilot and 2,750 under the Home Child Care Provider Pilot.
Applicants must have completed at least one year of post-secondary education, score CLB 5 in all four language skills, and acquire their educational credentials assessed. If you are in Canada on a visit visa and meet the requirement you may also qualify for this program and get a work permit. If you have a bachelor’s degree in nursing you can apply under the home support worker program. Your family members will be allowed to come to Canada.
We are ICCRC certified Immigration professionals. Do you need more information, or require to assess your eligibility? Contact JM Immigration Consultancy, WhatsApp +1.416.904.3815, 905-820-3924, email: info@onecanadavisa.com
November 2 - Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot: Closed for 2020
IRCC has received 2,750 applications under the Home Child Care Provider pilot, hence the pilot is closed to new applications for 2020. IRCC will return any other applications it received and refund the fees. The pilot will reopen on January 1, 2021.
IRCC has not yet reached the cap for the Home Support Worker Pilot. You can still apply under this pilot. Candidates who have submitted an application do not need to contact IRCC as applications are being processed since the offices have now opened amid Covid-19.
If your application is accepted for processing for 2020, IRCC will send you a notification letter. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it may take longer than usual for you to get the letter.
Read more
August 12 - Hire a home child care provider or home support worker
As of June 18, 2019, there are 2 pilots to let you hire a foreign in-home caregiver:
Home Child Care Provider pilot
National Occupational Classification 4411, excluding foster parents
Home Support Worker pilot
National Occupational Classification 4412, excluding housekeepers
The Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker pilots provide in-home caregivers with the opportunity to become a permanent resident once they have 2 years of eligible work experience in Canada. It also lets their family members come to Canada to work or study while they get work experience.
Selection Criteria - read more
July 26 - Interim Pathway for Caregivers Reopens Again
The interim pathway for caregivers is a pathway to permanent residence for temporary foreign worker caregivers and their family members. Applications are currently being accepted until October 8, 2019.
This pathway is for caregivers who have:
· language skills of at least a CLB 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.
You must have Canadian work experience as a:
· home child care provide
· home support worker
· or a mix of both
Also, your work experience must have been gained while working in the TFWP.
June 18, 2019 - Home Child-Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot
On June 18, 2019, IRCC launched the Home Child-Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot. These pilots replace the Caring for Children and Caring for People with High Medical Needs pilots. Applications received under the Caring for Children and Caring for People with High Medical Needs pilots received on or after June 18, 2019, will not be accepted.
Applicants under the Home Child-Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot can apply from within or outside Canada. Applicants may also apply with or without at least 24 months of qualifying work experience.
Applicants applying without 24 months of qualifying work experience are issued an occupation-restricted open work permit once they pass select eligibility and admissibility requirements.
Applicants who have 24 months of qualifying work experience, and who meet all the other eligibility requirements, may be eligible for a bridging open work permit.
Accompanying family members (spouses and dependants) are also eligible to accompany the principal applicant to Canada. Applications for work permits and study permits for accompanying family members must be sent along with the principal applicant’s permanent residence application.
March 3, 2019 - Interim Pathway for Caregivers Program
Beginning tomorrow March 4, 2019 until June 4, 2019, IRCC will accept applications for the the This is a dedicated pathway to permanent residence for qualifying in-home caregivers. If you have work experience in Canada as a home child care provider or home support worker, you may be able to apply for permanent residence.
February 26, 2019 - Caregiver Programs
The Canadian government announced that it will be launching two new immigration pilot programs –
The new Home Child Care Provider Pilot and the Home Support Worker Pilot in March that permits caregivers to come to Canada along with their families. The programs will be opened from March 4, to June 4., and will accept 5,500 applications.
Applicants will be assessed for Canadian permanent residence criteria before they arrive and start working in Canada. After obtaining a work permit and have two years of work experience, they will be allowed to start their permanent resident application process.
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