The Canadian government has announced the launch of new pilot programs to support caregivers and Canadian families, with the intention of making the caregiver programs permanent.

The Home Child Care Provider Pilot and the Home Support Worker Pilot are coming to a close, and the new pilot programs will provide home care workers with permanent residence on arrival in Canada. Caregivers will also be allowed to work for organizations that provide temporary or part-time care for semi-independent or recovering individuals. Eligible candidates must meet specific criteria, including language proficiency, education, work experience, and a full-time job offer in the home care sector.

The Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, emphasized the vital role of caregivers in supporting Canadian families and the need to reflect their invaluable contributions in the programs. The Honourable Rechie Valdez, Minister of Small Business, highlighted the importance of creating policies to support the caregiver community and emphasized the need to return the care they deserve.

The government aims to admit over 15,000 caregivers as permanent residents as part of the 2024–2026 Immigration Levels Plan. The new pilot programs mark an important step forward in Canada's efforts to meet the evolving home care needs of its diverse population. The announcement comes as the Live-in Caregiver Program inventory has significantly decreased, and nearly 5,700 caregivers and their family members have become permanent residents since the launch of the previous pilot programs in 2019. More information on the new pilot programs, including full eligibility criteria and application details, will be available before the full launch.

Source: Canada.ca