Status: Coming March 31, 2025
Home care workers play an important role in Canadian society. They help nurture children, and provide the support seniors and persons living with disabilities need to be comfortable, independent and an active part of our communities. They also allow more Canadians to enter and stay in the workforce, which strengthens Canada’s economy.
The new Home Care Worker Immigration pilots will make it easier for home care workers in home support or home child care to
- become permanent residents
- find work with a range of employers
There will be 2 streams:
- Workers in Canada
- Applicants not working in Canada
When the pilots open, we’ll only accept applications for the Workers in Canada stream. The stream for applicants not working in Canada will open at a later date.
Learn about the pilots
The new pilots will build on the successes of the previous ones to better meet the changing home care needs of Canadians, while recognizing the importance of the workers providing this care.
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Permanent residence in one step
The new pilots will offer a one-step immigration process for home care workers and their family members. Qualified home care workers will get permanent residence without needing Canadian work experience in the occupation first.
See AlsoVerbesserung der häuslichen Gesundheitspflege mit Havis-Lösungen für medizinisches Fachpersonal | Havis IncThe role of personalization in the care journey: An example of patient engagement to reduce readmissionsHow ‘Care at Home’ ecosystems can reshape the way health systems envision patient careFamily Caregiving for Older Adults - Older People’s Health Issues - Merck Manual Consumer Version -
Reduced language and education requirements
The new pilots will lower language and education requirements. Applicants will still need to have the skills required to perform the work and be able to adapt to the Canadian labour market. However, applicants will now only need
- a level4 in the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC), and
- a high school diploma
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No in-Canada work experience needed
Applicants won’t need prior Canadian work experience. However, they will need to have recent, relevant work experience or have completed a credential of at least 6 months of related home care training. They will also need to have a full-time job offer in home care within Canada, outside Quebec.
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Flexible work options with a job offer
Home care workers can work where they are needed. Your job offer can be from
- private households
- organizations that directly hire full-time workers to provide short-term or occasional home care for those who are semi-independent or recovering from an injury or illness, for example
- home health care service providers
- home care support service providers
- direct care agencies
- personal care services in residential settings
- pediatric home health care service providers
This will not include recruitment or placement agencies.
Who is eligible
A labour market impact assessment is not required.
We’ll update our website with the full eligibility criteria before the pilots open.
If you previously applied to the Home Child Care Provider Pilot or Home Support Worker Pilot
The Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker Pilots ended on June17, 2024. We’ll continue to process applications we received on or before this date. If you have applied to the Gaining experience category and now have enough eligible work experience, you can send us your proof.
Submit your proof
If you have not applied to the Home Child Care Provider Pilot or Home Support Worker Pilot
You may be eligible to apply to the new Home Care Worker Immigration pilots.
If you’re a home care worker without status in Canada
You may still be eligible for the Home Care Worker Immigration pilots under a public policy. A limited number of spots would be available.
Prepare to apply
Full details will be announced in the coming months. You can begin to prepare for the application period by gathering some of the information we will likely need.
Guidance on how to prepare to apply could change at any time. Check back regularly for updates.
If you’re currently working in Canada
If you’re currently working in Canada full-time (in a non-seasonal job), you can:
Take a language test
Get proof of your language skills in English or French
Get your education assessed
Explore how to get an Educational Credential Assessment
If you’re not working in Canada
Do not start preparing your application. We’ll share more details about the Applicants not working in Canada stream when they become available.
How we got here
We’ve had many initiatives for home care workers over the years, including the
- Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot
- Interim Pathway for Caregivers Program
- Caring for Children Pilot
- Caring for People with High Medical Needs Pilot
- Live-in Caregiver Program
These programs have brought many home care workers to Canada, who have helped ensure better home care services for families and communities. This has significantly improved the quality of home care across the country.
