The wait is almost over for many families across Canada and dedicated caregivers worldwide. The much-anticipated reopening of the Home Child Care Provider Pilot and the Home Support Worker Pilot programs is set for March 31st, 2025. This is a significant moment for those seeking permanent residency through these pathways, and it brings renewed hope for families needing crucial in-home care.

These pilots offer permanent residence to skilled workers who want to work in home child care or home support in Canada.

There are 2 pilots:

• Home Care Worker Immigration Pilot: Child Care
• Home Care Worker Immigration Pilot: Home Support

Each pilot has 2 application streams:

• Workers in Canada
• Applicants not working in Canada

Stream eligibility

Language

You must take a language test to prove you meet the minimum Level 4 for all 4 language skills (writing, reading, listening and speaking) in English or French.

Education

You must have completed the equivalent of a Canadian high school diploma or higher. If you completed your education outside Canada, you’ll need to get your education credential assessed to show that it’s equal to a Canadian high school diploma (or higher).

Work experience or training

Depending on which pilot you apply to (Child Care or Home Support), you’ll need work experience or training in certain National Occupational Classifications (NOCs).

HCWIP: Child Care

• Home child care providers (NOC 44100)
• Early childhood educators and assistants (NOC 42202)
  • Check out the details as some jobs under this NOC aren’t eligible.

HCWIP: Home Support

• Home support workers, caregivers and related occupations (NOC 44101)
• Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates (NOC 33102)

You must have:

6 months of continuous, full-time and relevant work experience in the past 3 years

OR

completed a relevant training credential in the past 2 years

Get a job offer

Before you apply, you need a genuine job offer as a home child care provider or home support worker.

Your employer should check for any additional requirements to hire through the Home care worker immigration pilots.

1. You must be likely to accept the job offer and be able to perform the job duties.
2. The job must be:
   • in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) of the pilot you apply for:
     • Home Care Worker Immigration Pilot: Child Care
       • Home child care providers (NOC 44100)
         • The location can’t be an institutional setting such as a daycare.
         • A job as a foster parent doesn’t count.
     • Home Care Worker Immigration Pilot: Home Support
       • Home support workers, caregivers and related occupations (NOC 44101)
         • The location can’t be an institutional setting such as a nursing home.
   • Although work experience and training in these NOCs may be eligible, we won’t accept job offers for:
     • early childhood educators and assistants (NOC 42202)
     • nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates (NOC 33102)
   • in Canada, outside Quebec
   • full-time and continuous work, meaning
     • at least 30 hours of paid work per week
     • permanent employment (there’s no set end date)
3. The job offer must:
   • include your hourly wage, employment requirements and a description of the main duties
   • be genuine, meaning:
     • there’s a real need to hire you.
     • the employer can fulfil the terms of the job, including paying you.
     • the employer follows all the rules and laws set by
       • Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
       • federal and provincial legislation
     • your wage must be equal to or higher than the Job Bank’s median wage for the occupation listed on your job offer in the province or territory of employment.
       • If there is no provincial or territorial median wage, use the national one.
       • If the employer’s workers have a union, the rules of the collective agreement apply.
     • if your employer is a business (or non-profit organization), they must have been providing the same type of care services as the job for at least 1 year before the job offer was made.
4. The employer must have a Canada Revenue Agency business number and be either a private household business (or non-profit organization) that has a direct employer-employee relationship, meaning the employer is directly responsible for:
   • hiring the employeemanaging work conditionspaying the employee
   This includes organizations that directly hire full-time workers to provide short-term or occasional home care for those who are semi-independent or recovering from an injury or illness, for example:
   • home health care service providers
   • home care support service providers
   • direct care agencies
   • personal care services in residential settings
   • pediatric home health care service providers

Remember: Immigration laws and regulations can change. It’s always advisable to consult with an immigration professional for the most accurate and up-to-date information.