Canada Live in Caregiver Program (LCP) 2024 – All Truth about Live in Caregiver Jobs in Canada for Foreigners
Do you want to become a caregiver in Canada? If so, please read the information provided here to understand how.
If you have experience as a caregiver, you may be eligible for one of Canada’s three Caregiver Programs.
As a caregiver, you have numerous choices for temporary work or permanent residency in Canada.
In this article, I will discuss what the Live-in Caregiver Program is, the different types, eligibility, and how to apply.
What is the Live-in Caregiver Program?
Under the Canada Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP), a Canadian citizen may hire a foreign national as a caregiver if no Canadian citizen or permanent resident is available for the position. After two years of employment, the program offered a road to permanent residence.
Why did it start?
The program was designed to provide a legal pathway for in-home caregivers in Canada.
How does this work?
This initiative fell under the Temporary Foreign Worker Initiative (TFWP) and necessitated a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
Applicants had to be able to give at least 30 hours of full-time care to children under 18, adults aged 65 and above, or people with impairments.
They had to reside and work in a private household and meet specified requirements based on the type of care and the person getting it.
What influence did it have?
The obligation to reside with the family made caregivers subject to labor and personal abuse. Critics claimed that the program should be changed to improve caregiver safety. The program concluded in 2014.
There was a huge backlog of applications for permanent residency under the LCP, which resulted in lengthy processing delays.
Who Can Apply to Be a Live-In Caregiver?
The Live-In Caregiver Program (LCP) in Canada is for foreign nationals who want to work as a caregivers/nanny for Canadian citizen’s children or someone with a disability at home.
This would create a direct road to permanent residence.
After only two years of employment under the LCP work permit, foreign nationals are eligible to apply for permanent residence.
Who is Eligible For the Live-In Caregiver Program?
- To be eligible for the live-in caregiver program, applicants must have a valid work permit, have applied to extend their work permit, or have restored their worker status in Canada.
- Have prior job experience in Canada as a Home Child Care Provider or Home Support Worker.
- Have at least one year of full-time job experience since November 30, 2014, which can be cumulative rather than continuous, but cannot include work done while still a student.
- Have worked in a job that corresponds to the duties mentioned in your NOC code.
- Have tested language skills equivalent to Canadian Languages Benchmark (CLB) 5 or NLCL (French language) 5 in all four areas: reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
- Have a minimum Canadian High School Diploma or a comparable international diploma, certificate, or credential.
Rules to Follow While Working in the LCP
A foreign national must observe certain rules when working as a live-in caregiver. The requirements for this position include providing at least 30 hours of full-time care to children under 18, individuals with disabilities, or the elderly, living and working independently in the home, and meeting all CIC and HRSD Canada requirements.
The employee must demonstrate some degree of fluency to establish that he can converse and live independently in an unsupervised environment.
The individual should receive full-time training for at least six months. The live-in caregiver must have worked for at least one year as a full-time caregiver or in a similar vocation during the last three years.
How to Apply for the Live-In Caregiver Program
The Live-In Caregiver Program is temporarily closed to new applications. If you do not have an LCP work permit and want to work as a caregiver in Canada, you must apply for a regular work permit.
To hire a caregiver through this program, you must first find a caregiver with a work permit in the Live-in Caregiver Program who is looking for a new employer and has been approved for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) indicating their willingness to live in your home.
Applying for Permanent Residence as a Live-In Caregiver
If you meet the following qualifications, you may be able to apply for permanent residence in Canada through the Live-in Caregiver Program.
To be eligible, you must have at least two years of permitted full-time live-in employment in Canada or 3900 hours of work experience, including 390 hours of overtime duty, within four years of arrival.
Your application may be impacted if you, your spouse, or family members have a criminal past, a major medical condition, or constitute a security concern.
You did not give truthful information to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
Other Options for Becoming a Caregiver in Canada
1. Home Child Care Provider Pilot
Home childcare providers assist busy parents in caring for their children while simultaneously performing home responsibilities. Care might be provided in the employee’s own home or at the employer’s house.
This pilot is open to individuals who are interested in employment such as:
- Babysitter
- Au pair
- Live-in child caregiver
- Private home child caregiver
- Nanny
- Parent’s helper
- Foster parent
- Child caregiver in a public place, such as a gym or shopping mall.
2. Home Support Worker Provider Pilot
Home support worker providers attempt to assist seniors, people with impairments, and those undergoing rehabilitation.
Typical responsibilities include meal preparation, feeding, bathing, dressing changes, medication administration, and other basic housekeeping tasks.
This pilot is open to individuals who are interested in employment, such as:
- At-home attendant for individuals with disabilities.
- Family caregiver
- Home support worker
- Housekeeper
- Live-in caregivers for seniors
- Personal aide (home support)
- Personal care attendant (home care)
- Respite worker (home support)
- Doula
- Home visitor (infant care)
Who Can Apply for Home Child Care Provider Pilot?
The Home Child Care Provider Pilot is a five-year pilot program that allows eligible caregivers and their family members to move to Canada to become permanent residents.
If you have been offered a job as a caregiver in Canada or have prior experience as a caregiver, you may be eligible to apply for permanent residence under the Home Child Care Provider Pilot. Find out what the qualifications are to determine whether you are eligible.
Eligibility Requirements for the Home Child Care Provider Pilot
You are qualified to apply for the Home Child Care Provider Pilot if you have:
- enough work experience
- Meet the language level
- Meet the education requirements
- are admissible to Canada
- intend to relocate outside of Quebec
How to Apply to the Home Child Care Provider Pilot
The Home Child Care Provider Pilot application process varies depending on your situation and relevant work experience.
To learn how to apply, select the work experience category that best fits you from the list below.
- You have never worked full-time in Canada as a caregiver.
- You have fewer than 24 months of experience yet are employed as a full-time caregiver in Canada.
- You have worked full-time as a caregiver in Canada for at least 24 months out of the last 36.
Who Can Apply for the Home Support Worker Pilot?
The Home Support Worker Trial is a five-year trial program that allows eligible caregivers and their family members to move to Canada to become permanent citizens.
If you have been offered a job as a caregiver in Canada or have prior experience as a caregiver, you may be eligible to apply for permanent residence under the Home Support Worker Pilot. Find out what the qualifications are to determine whether you are eligible.
Eligibility Requirements for the Home Support Worker Pilot
You are qualified to apply for the Home Support Worker Pilot if you have:
- enough work experience
- Meet the language level
- Meet the education requirements
- are admissible to Canada
- intend to relocate outside of Quebec
How to Apply to the Home Support Worker Pilot
The Home Support Worker application process varies a lot depending on your situation and relevant work experience.
To learn how to apply, select the work experience category that best fits you from the list below.
- You have never worked full-time in Canada as a caregiver.
- You have or are working full-time as a caregiver in Canada but have less than 24 months of experience.
- You have worked full-time as a caregiver in Canada for at least 24 months out of the last 36.
What are the causes that can affect your Live in Caregiver Program application?
The application may be affected if the main applicant, spouse, common-law partner, or family members have a criminal record, a high-risk medical issue, or pose a threat to Canada’s security.
Have given false information to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada.
What are the variables that cannot influence your application?
The following reasons will not influence your application to the Live-in Caregiver Program:
- For upgrading skills in Canada, or
- Volunteer work, or
- Marital status, or
- The total number of family members in the home country.
Applying for family members
The PR application allows applicants to list all of their family members. Additionally, family members might undergo medical, criminal, and security screenings at the time of application. This applies if they are not coming to Canada.
However, if family members need to be not listed and scored, the main candidate cannot sponsor them later.
An applicant can either list family members for permanent residency when applying or sponsor them afterward. This is only feasible if they meet all of the qualifying criteria.
Apply for an Open Work Permit at the time of applying for PR through the Live-in Caregiver Program
Apply for an open work permit when applying for Canadian permanent residency. After obtaining an open work visa, the candidate may take any job they like.
Applying for Canada PR in Quebec
If you have a Live-in Caregiver Work Permit and are actively employed in Quebec, Quebec will also consider your application.
Departure from Canada (permanent or vacation purposes)
If an applicant leaves Canada during the processing of their Canada PR application for any reason, they must reapply for a temporary resident visa before entering Canada again.
As a result, preferably, they should apply for a new temporary residence visa from within Canada before leaving.
If the applicant leaves Canada for more than a year or if the work permit expires, they must reapply to the overseas visa office or Visa Application Centre to return to Canada.
FAQS
Is the caregiver program in Canada open in 2023?
In 2024, the IRCC received 1,650 applications for the HCCP, although the limit of 1,500 online applications was achieved on the first day, January 1. The quota of 150 alternate format applications was reached exactly one month later, in February.
Can a live-in caregiver apply for permanent residency in Canada?
If you match the conditions, you can apply for permanent residency in Canada through the Live-in Caregiver Program. Learn about the requirements to become a permanent resident. What can impact your application?
How much time does it take to get a Canadian caregiver visa?
It may take up to a year to process this application, so employers hiring caregivers need to make advance arrangements. The duration of the work permit is three years.
What is the live-in caregiver course in Canada?
Students enrolled in Aims College’s Live-In Caregiver/Nanny program finish a full-time diploma curriculum that prepares them to work as nannies or elderly caretakers for Canadian families.
Conclusion
The LCP application procedure can be extremely complex, time-consuming, and difficult. It is also critical that, if you are considering applying for a Canadian visa, you get experienced immigration assistance.
The last thing you want is to be notified that your application has been denied after months (or even years) of waiting.
