Caregiver Immigration to Canada: 2026 Update on Pilot Programs and Pathways

Important Update: Federal Caregiver PR Pilots Are Paused

Before anything else, you need to know this: the primary federal pathway to permanent residence for caregivers is currently paused, and it is not the same program many older guides still describe.

Here’s the timeline that matters:

• The original Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot, which ran from 2019, closed to new applicants in June 2024.
• They were replaced by the Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots, which opened on March 31, 2025, offering successful applicants permanent residence immediately upon landing, rather than requiring years of work experience first.
• Demand vastly exceeded supply. Each stream offered roughly 2,750 spots per year and filled within hours of opening.
• On December 19, 2025, IRCC announced it would pause new applications under both streams. The pilots will not reopen in March 2026 as originally planned. Based on the Ministerial Instructions published in the Canada Gazette, no new applications will be accepted through at least March 2027.
• If you already submitted an application before the pause, IRCC will continue processing it. If you have not yet applied, this pathway is currently closed to you.

This is a genuinely disruptive change for anyone who was planning around these pilots, and it’s worth speaking with an immigration professional to understand what alternatives make sense for your situation.

Speak with a Canadim immigration lawyer about your options →

Who Are Caregivers in Canada?

Home caregivers provide essential support to people who need help with daily activities due to age, illness, or disability. They assist with personal care, medication management, and mobility, while also offering companionship and emotional support that contribute meaningfully to the well-being of the people they care for.

Caregiving roles in Canada generally fall into two categories, aligned with two federal occupation codes:

• NOC 44100 – Home Child Care Provider: caregivers responsible for children in a private household
• NOC 44101 – Home Support Worker: caregivers supporting seniors or individuals with high medical needs

What Are Your Options Right Now?

With the federal PR pilots paused, caregivers looking to work or eventually settle in Canada have a few remaining paths worth understanding.

1. Work Permits Through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program

Canadian families can still hire foreign caregivers through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). This route does not lead directly to permanent residence, but it allows you to work legally in Canada while alternative PR pathways are being developed or reopened.

To hire a caregiver this way, a family or private household employer must:

1. Extend a valid job offer with clear position and wage details
2. Submit a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) application to Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)
3. Pay the government processing fee (currently $1,000 CAD per position)
4. Wait for LMIA processing, which generally takes several weeks

Once the LMIA is approved, the caregiver applies for a work permit through IRCC. This program is intended for situations where no Canadian or permanent resident is available to fill the role, and it applies to caregivers for children under 18, seniors, and individuals with disabilities or serious illness.

2. Provincial Nominee Programs

Several provinces run their own caregiver or care-worker streams under their Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs), independent of the paused federal pilots. Provincial requirements and intake availability vary and change frequently, so this is worth exploring directly with an immigration professional rather than assuming eligibility based on outdated information.

3. Waiting for the Federal Pilots to Reopen

If your priority is permanent residence through a caregiver-specific federal pathway, the honest answer is that you may need to wait. IRCC has indicated that the pause is intended to allow it to process the existing backlog before deciding on the pilots’ long-term future, which may include a permanent caregiver program. There is no confirmed reopening date at this time.

Eligibility Criteria Under the Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots

For context, and in case the pilots reopen, here is what eligibility looked like under the paused Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots. These criteria are more accessible than the older, closed pilots:

Work experience or training: Generally, at least six months of full-time, continuous, and recent caregiving experience or equivalent training within the last three years, in an eligible occupation under NOC 44100 or 44101.

Language proficiency: A minimum of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4 in English or the equivalent NCLC level in French, a reduction from the CLB 5 required under the earlier, closed pilots.

Education: The equivalent of a Canadian high school diploma, a lower bar than the one-year post-secondary credential required under the older programs.

Other requirements: Applicants must demonstrate sufficient financial means to support themselves and any accompanying family members, have no criminal or immigration violations, and be medically admissible.

Now-Closed Caregiver Programs

Canada has run several caregiver immigration programs over the years, all of which are now closed to new applicants:

• Home Child Care Provider Pilot (2019–2024)
• Home Support Worker Pilot (2019–2024)
• Live-In Caregiver Program (LCP) (closed to new applicants; existing participants continue toward permanent residence, typically over 30 to 36 months)
• Caring for Children Pathway
• Caring for People with High Medical Needs Pathway
• Interim Pathway for Caregivers

If you’re already enrolled in one of these programs, your application continues to be processed under the rules that applied when you applied.

Common Mistakes That Delay or Derail Caregiver Applications

Whether you’re applying under a provincial stream, a work permit route, or a future reopening of the federal pilots, the same avoidable errors tend to cause delays or refusals:

• Not thoroughly reading program instructions and requirements
• Submitting incomplete or inconsistent documentation
• Having less than the required amount of experience in your primary NOC code
• Neglecting to sign required application forms
• Applying under the wrong program or visa category
• Omitting necessary supporting documents

Given how quickly caregiver immigration policy has shifted over the past two years, working with an immigration professional who tracks these changes closely can meaningfully improve your chances of a successful outcome.

Frequently Asked Questions