Program Updates For The Canada Caregiver Pilot Programs

On December 6, 2022, IRCC published updates for the Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot that come under the Canada Caregiver Program. There are a changes to the experience, language and education requirements, and updated job offer assessment and admissibility criteria. 

Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot will start accepting application as enter the new year 2023. IRCC has a quota of accepting only 2,750 applications under each of the pilot programs.

Program deliver updates contains policy, procedures and guidance used by IRCC staff. It is posted on the department’s website as a courtesy to stakeholders. Learn about the new program updates below. 

Updated language requirements

The candidate must demonstrate that they have achieved a level 5 in the Canadian Language Benchmarks or the Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens in either English or French for each of the four language skill areas:

• reading
• writing
• speaking
• listening

Updated application process and who can apply 

Under the Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker pilots, all applications for permanent residency (APR) must be filed at the Case Processing Centre in Edmonton (CPC-E) in Alberta.

There are two caps for each pilot:

Intake cap: In each pilot, a maximum of 2,750 applications will be accepted for intake per calendar year. It applies to all applicants, even if their applications are incomplete. 

Processing cap: Each pilot will process a maximum of 2,750 applications per fiscal year. To be deemed complete and eligible for processing, applications must meet the conditions outlined in section 10 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) and the application kit.

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About the updated process 

Category of gaining experience (Category A)

You must meet the eligibility and admission standards directly if you have less than 24 months of relevant Canadian work experience. These include the following:

• Satisfy the minimum language requirements
• Fulfill the minimum education requirements
• Posses a valid job offer and is likely to accept it
• Be able to perform the work
• Must be admissible to Canada

Officers evaluate applications based on the criteria listed above. If the applicant is eligible and admissible, an occupation-restricted open work permit (OROWP) is issued, and the permanent residency application is placed on hold. 

Dependents who apply for permanent residency with the principal applicant may be entitled to join the principal applicant and may be granted open work permits or study permits. 

When applying for permanent residence through one of these pilot programs, applicants must submit an application for a work permit for themselves, as well as applications for work or study permits or applications to enter Canada as a visitor or to extend their stay as a visitor for any accompanying dependents.

The principal applicant must obtain 24 months of valid, full-time Canadian work experience after receiving an OROWP. To remain eligible for the program, this must occur within three years of receiving their OROWP. Applicants must provide documentation of gaining this work experience within three years of receiving their OROWP.

If the officer believes that the work experience submitted before issuing the OROWP does not match the criteria for valid work experience (e.g., inadequate time or inaccurate NOC) after the issuance of the OROWP, they may decline the application.

Direct entry into the permanent residence category (Category B)

A candidate with at least 24 months of qualified Canadian work experience must meet the following requirements:

• Satisfy the minimum language requirements
• Fulfill the minimum education requirements
• Complete the Canadian work experience requirement
• Must be admissible to Canada

The application may be rejected if the officer determines that the provided work experience does not satisfy the requirements for acceptable work experience (e.g., the applicant does not have sufficient work experience or appropriate work experience).

Updated completeness check upon receipt

Applications submitted for the Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker pilot programs must be checked for completeness following the standards and the application kit specifications in effect at the time of submission.

If the application satisfies all requirements, the Case Processing Center does the following: 

• Inputs application information into the Global Case Management System (GCMS)
• reimburses the processing fee
• provides the applicant with an acknowledgement of receipt with an E number

If the application is incomplete, the CPC notifies the applicant and records the incident in GCMS before returning the package and fees to them. In general, there are exceptions. As for assessing applications for completeness, offices can provide assistance when necessary. It is especially true when a document is missing and a documented explanation for its absence is provided.

Examining the application against the selection criteria

Based on the information and documentation provided in the application, applicants are evaluated against the pass-and-fail selection criteria listed below. In addition, to get authorized, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Education -The candidate must submit proof that they have completed either of the following items:
  • A 1-year post-secondary (or higher) educational credential in Canada or 
  • a foreign educational credential equivalent to the above, as well as an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report issued for immigration reasons by an IRCC-designated organization
• Official language proficiency – as explained in the first section of this article. 

In addition, applicants must provide proof of either of the following:

• Have a minimum of 24 months of qualifying Canadian work experience, or
• a valid job offer and the ability to perform the work

Updated admissibility requirements 

Whether or not they are accompanying, the primary candidate and their family members must undergo security, criminal background checks, and medical exams. 

After the application has met specific eligibility requirements and either of the following, an officer will evaluate these admissibility conditions:

• Once all requirements, including those pertaining to work experience, have been satisfied and the candidate has demonstrated that they have at least 24 months of verifiable relevant work experience in their original application (Category B – Direct to permanent residence)
• Before the application is granted an occupation-restricted open work permit (OROWP), if the applicant has less than 24 months of qualifying work experience (Category A – Gaining experience – stage 1)
  • Before granting permanent residence status, the officer checks that the applicant and family members, whether accompanying or not, are still allowed to Canada when the applicant presents documentation of obtaining 24 months of qualifying work experience. This may necessitate extra medical examinations (if they have not expired) and additional police checks.

Applicants are highly advised to provide police certifications with their application. If the police certificates are not included, the processing office must seek one for the applicant’s current country of residence and one for any country where they have lived for 6 months or more since they were 18. 

What is Canada Caregiver program?

Families can hire foreign caregivers to look after children, seniors, or anyone with documented medical needs in their homes. However, with the ongoing labour shortage, Canada has a severe shortage of caregivers. Due to this, the government introduced the pilot caregiver program. 

Currently, two programs under the Caregiver pilot enable Canadian citizens and permanent residents residing in Canada to employ foreign caregivers to work in their homes, Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot.

The Home Child Care Provider Pilot focuses on those who work with young children under 18. While the Home Support Worker pilot is for those who assist the elderly, people with disabilities and recovering patients. 

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