Canada’s new pilot will offer PR to Caregivers upon arrival. The government recently announced the new, enhanced programs as the two existing pilots, the Home Child Care Provider Pilot and the Home Support Worker Pilot, are about to expire.
Notably, these two programs will expire on June 17 and be replaced by the new pilot programs that will offer permanent resident status to home care workers when they arrive in Canada. Earlier, these individuals required work experience in the Country.
In addition, they will be able to work for corporations that offer part-time care for individuals who are semi-independent or recovering from illness or any injury.
Canada’s New Pilot Will Offer PR to Caregivers: What are the eligibility requirements for caregivers?
The following are the eligibility criteria for Caregivers that they must satisfy:
- They must secure at least level 4 language proficiency on the basis of the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB)
- must have a certificate or diploma equivalent to the Canadian high school diploma
- have relevant and recent work experience
- hold a job offer for a full-time home care worker
This criteria is distinct from the previous pilot program as it required a CLB of level 5 and at least one year of Canadian post-secondary education or its foreign equivalent. In addition, it required work experience of at least six months.
IRCC has not declared more details on the work experience requirement for the new pilot program. It stated that the information would be available at the time of its launch.
According to a news release from IRCC, Minister Miller has emphasized the importance of caregivers in assisting Canadian families and the need for programs to recognize their essential efforts. Minister Miller further added that these two new pilots would help improve caregiver assistance and provide quality care to the families.
The Importance of Caregivers in Canada
As per the immigration levels plan 2024-2026, Canada is planning to admit over 15,000 individuals under the caregiver programs for PR status.
By April 30, 2024, around 5,700 caregivers with their families have attained PR status. This is since 2019 Canada launched the Home Child Care Provider Pilot and the Home Support Worker Pilot.
Notably, with the rise of an aging population, the demand for caregivers in Canada is rising. Canada expects that within the next six years, more than 6 Million Canadians will retire. As a result, more people will require extra care in their homes or organizations over the coming years.
Moreover, according to the report from the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence, there is an urgent need for caregivers in the Country. It further highlights that in Canada, many caregivers are 65+ of age and may require care. Notably, one in five caregivers is more than 65 years of age. Also, senior caregivers in the Country are unable to access any services or support to assist with their responsibilities.
Furthermore, many Canadian families also require childcare assistance. This is because more women in Canada are seeking to enter the workforce who typically used to fulfill their childcare duties.
According to a Statistics Canada report, the rate of participation of women in the labor force aged 15 and above and in all education levels has increased on an annual basis. It increased from 58.5% in 1990 to 61.5% in 2022. However, the rate for men has declined from 76.1% to 69.5% during the same period.
Do you have questions about Canadian Immigration? Please feel free to contact our MakeHomeCanada experts at 1-800-979-0509 or email us at [email protected].
