Canada to launch caregiver programme for foreign workers on March 31, 2025

Foreign caregivers will soon have an updated pathway to work and live in Canada, as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced that the Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots will begin accepting applications on March 31, 2025.

 

This new programme will replace the Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot, which stopped accepting applications on June 17, 2024.  

 

Marc Miller, Canada’s Minister of Immigration, unveiled these enhanced caregiver pathways on June 3, 2024, calling them an important step forward.  

 

What the new pilots offer  

 

Permanent residency on arrival: Caregivers will receive permanent resident status immediately upon entering Canada, removing the delays and uncertainty of previous programmes.  

Flexible work opportunities: Participants can work in various settings, including part-time or temporary positions, supporting semi-independent individuals or those recovering from illness. 

 

To qualify, applicants must:  

< Achieve at least Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 4, equivalent to minimum IELTS scores of 4.5 in listening, 3.5 in reading, and 4 in writing and speaking.  

< Hold a Canadian high school diploma or its equivalent, proven through an Education Credential Assessment (ECA).  

< Possess relevant and recent work experience.  

< Secure a full-time job offer in Canada’s home care sector.  

 

The total number of applications expected for 2025 is estimated between 4,000 and 5,000, with Canada’s broader pilot immigration quota reducing from 10,920 in 2024 to 10,875 in 2025, according to the Immigration Levels Plan.  

 

Canada's growing need for caregivers  

 

Canada’s ageing population is creating an increasing demand for professional caregivers, particularly in home care services. In its 2017 report, the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), a government-funded, not-for-profit organisation, showed that over the past 40 years, the population of seniors in Canada more than tripled. This trend is expected to continue, placing a greater strain on healthcare systems and increasing the need for home care services.  

 

Population growth among seniors:  

Between 1977 and 1997, the number of seniors aged 65 and older grew from 2 million to 3.5 million.  

By 2017, the seniors population reached 6.2 million.  

By 2037, this figure is projected to increase by 68%, reaching 10.4 million.  

 

Older seniors (75 and older):  

This subgroup is growing faster than the overall seniors population.  

By 2037, the number of older seniors in Canada is expected to be 2.1 times its 2017 size.  

 

Provincial and territorial growth projections for seniors aged 75 and older by 2037:  

Newfoundland and Labrador: 2.2 times the current size

Prince Edward Island: 2.3 times

Nova Scotia: 2.1 times

New Brunswick: 2.1 times

Quebec: 2.0 times

Ontario: 2.1 times

Manitoba: 2.0 times

Saskatchewan: 1.9 times

Alberta: 2.8 times

British Columbia: 2.1 times

Yukon: 2.9 times

Northwest Territories: 3.3 times

Nunavut: 5.7 times

 

As Canada launches its new Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots, it’s important for applicants to be aware of older caregiver pathways that are no longer available. This helps avoid confusion, misinformation, or potential fraud.  

 

The following programmes are no longer accepting applications:  

 

Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot: Both streams stopped accepting applications on June 17, 2024.

Live-in Caregiver Programme (LCP): This programme stopped taking new applications in 2014.  

Caring for Children Programme: Ceased operations on June 18, 2019.  

Caring for people with high medical needs programme: Discontinued on June 18, 2019.  

Interim Pathway for Caregivers: A temporary pathway that ended on October 8, 2019.