Caregivers provide care to families in Canada that need it, and it’s time to care for them in return. Which is why we are removing barriers and reuniting more families faster.

We eliminated the massive Harper backlogs by 94 % which helped more than 21,500 caregivers across Canada and we reduced the processing time from 60 months to only 12 months.

We made a commitment to improve pathways to Permanent Residency for caregivers and our new system delivers on that promise.

This means better protection for caregivers in the workplace and no longer having to make the difficult decision to be separated from their families.

Our Government recognizes the importance of the care and support provided by migrant caregivers to Canadian families. For decades, Canada has shown its commitment to caregivers by offering a dedicated pathway to permanent residence.

In the spring 2018, IRCC held consultations with caregivers and other stakeholders about an improved pathway to permanent residence for caregivers to replace the current five-year Caring for Children and Caring for People with High Medical Needs pilots that expire later this year.

In considering what we heard in consultations, on February 23, 2019, the Minister announced the Interim Pathway for Caregivers (IPC), which will be open to applications from March 4, 2019 to June 4, 2019. This interim program will provide in-home caregivers who have been working in Canada temporarily but found that they would not qualify for permanent residence through existing programs another chance at staying permanently.

At the same time, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship also announced two new five-year pilots – the Home-Child Care Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot – to be launched later in 2019 and to replace the expiring Caring for Children and Caring for People with High Medical Needs pilots. Information on the new pilots can be found in the News Release on IRCC’s website. More details on the pilots’ criteria will be announced closer to the launch date.

On March 4, IRCC launched the Interim Pathway for Caregivers (IPC). The IPC features criteria that have been modified from the existing Caring for Children and Caring for People with High Medical Needs pilots. The criteria for the IPC includes:
• Authorization to work in Canada, or a pending application for restoration of status;
• Work Experience: 1 year as a home child care provider or a home support worker, or a combination of experience in either occupation;
• Language: Canadian Language Benchmarks or Niveaux de compétence linguistique Canadiens 5 in reading, writing, listening and speaking; and
• Education: A Canadian high school diploma, or foreign equivalent.

Caregivers who have been working in Canada temporarily but who haven’t qualified for any other current caregiver program are encouraged to review the criteria and begin working on their applications so that they don’t miss the June 4 submission deadline.

The eligibility criteria for the Home Child Care and Home Support Worker pilots will be made available closer to the date of their launch later in 2019. The pilots will feature criteria that is standard for economic immigration programs, such as minimum education and official language criteria, along with the requirement for the caregiver to gain Canadian work experience, like for existing caregiver pathways. (Age will not impact applicants’ eligibility under the Interim Pathway for Caregivers (IPC)

These criteria have been shown to be critical factors for the successful settlement and establishment in Canada for all new permanent residents, including caregivers.

IRCC aims to process 80% of complete Interim Pathway for Caregivers applications within 12 months.
Application and processing fees for the Interim Pathway for Caregivers will be the same as for other economic immigration programs; including $550 processing fee and $490 right of permanent residence fee. Applicants will also have to pay the standard fees for a work permit application if their work permit is going to expire before their permanent residence application can be processed. Other fees, including for the collection of biometrics, may apply.
Under the Interim Pathway for Caregivers, applications from abroad will be accepted in the exceptional case where someone holds a valid Canadian work permit but is outside the country (for example, on a brief trip). Otherwise, caregiver applicants outside Canada are not eligible to apply to this pathway.

Temporary foreign workers and permanent residents, including caregivers, are responsible for their housing arrangements during their stay in Canada.

The definition of family member for all permanent residence programs, including the Interim Pathway for Caregivers, is defined in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations in respect of a person as (a) the spouse or common-law partner of the person; (b) a dependent child of the person or of the person’s spouse or common-law partner; and (c) a dependent child of a dependent child referred to in (b).

To be eligible under the Interim Pathway for Caregivers, caregiver applicants must have acquired one year of authorized full-time Canadian work experience since November 30, 2014 on a Temporary Foreign Worker Program work permit in any combination of the following eligible occupations:
· A home child care provider within the meaning of that occupation as set out in the National Occupational Classification for unit group 4411, other than any experience as a foster parent;
· A home support worker or related occupation, but not a housekeeper, within the meaning of that occupation as set out in the National Occupational Classification for unit group 4412, including the occupations — other than housekeeper — listed under that unit group as example titles.

Wages are not assessed as part of the Interim Pathway for Caregivers eligibility criteria. However, employers must ensure that the wage offered to the caregiver is aligned with minimum wage rates in applicable federal or provincial/territorial employment legislation.

The criteria for the Interim Pathway for Caregivers includes a Canadian high school diploma, or a non-Canadian diploma or certificate that is the equivalent of a Canadian high school diploma. An educational credential assessment is required to demonstrate foreign equivalency. The IPC’s criteria are presented on IRCC’s website: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/caregivers/interim-pathway.html

Information on the new pilots can be found in the News Release on IRCC’s website. The eligibility criteria of the Home Child Care Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot, including the education requirement, will be made available closer to the date of their launch later in 2019.

To watch the full video:
https://youtu.be/MOnzTlfDPlo