Who Is Eligible for the Caregiver Program in Canada?

Are you considering a permanent move to Canada? There may be several programs available to you to make such a relocation. For instance, have you heard of Canada’s Live-in Caregiver Program? It offers one way for caregivers to go to Canada to work temporarily or to even become a permanent resident. Let us take a closer look at the Caregiver Program in Canada.

Who is Eligible for the Caregiver Program in Canada?

Foreign nationals hoping to be employed by a Canadian citizen as either a caretaker or a nanny to their children or to provide care and support for a person with disabilities in the Canadian citizen’s home may be able to utilize the country’s Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP). The program provides a direct pathway to permanent residency in Canada after just two years of experience with an LCP work permit.

There are specific requirements an LCP applicant must meet to be eligible for the program. For instance, the applicant must have a valid work permit. Alternatively, the applicant must have applied for an extension of a work permit or applied to restore worker status in Canada. Furthermore, the applicant must have work experience in Canada as either a Home Child Care provider or a Home Support Worker and have a minimum of one year, full time work experience. This work experience does not need to be continuous but can be cumulative instead. The work experience requirement cannot include time as a student. Additionally, the work must be in a job that matches the applicants NOC code duties. NOC, National Occupational Classification system, is used to classify jobs and groups jobs based on job duties. The NOC code can be important for Canadian immigrants as it often relates to the job listed on their visa applications.

LCP applicants must also meet language requirements. An applicant must have tested at a Canadian Languages Benchmark 5 or a French Language NLCL 5 in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. The applicant must also have a Canadian high school diploma or the foreign equivalent, at a minimum.

Once admitted to the LCP, the program participant must comply with certain rules of the program. The participant must be able to work at least 30 hours a week in full time childcare or in the capacity of a caregiver providing support to a person with disabilities or an elderly individual in the home. The LCP participant must also live and work in the home without supervision or assistance. He or she should receive full time training for the job for a minimum of 6 months.

Immigration Law Attorneys

At NPZ, our U.S. and Canadian lawyers seek to assist clients with regard to employment and family immigration issues. If you or your friends or family should have any questions about any aspect of the Canadian Immigration Law, please feel free to contact us at info@visaserve.com or you can call our offices at 201-670-0006 (ext. 104). We look forward to being able to assist you.