Canada’s caregiver immigration pathways offer life-changing opportunities for individuals who provide in-home support to children, seniors, or persons with disabilities. The revamped pilot programs — known as the Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots (HCWP) — now feature more precise eligibility requirements, with intake rounds commencing on March 31, 2025.

If you’re considering applying — or you’re an employer looking to hire — this guide will walk you through the key eligibility criteria and highlight how you can meet them.

Step 1: Job Offer in the Eligible Home-Care Sector

Before you apply, you must secure a valid, full-time job offer from a Canadian employer outside the province of Quebec.

The job must be in one of the two pilot streams:

• Home Child Care Provider Pilot: For individuals providing childcare services in the home (eligible NOC: 44100 or 42202).
• Home Support Worker Pilot: For those supporting seniors or persons with disabilities in the home (eligible NOC: 44101 or 33102).

Key job-offer details:

• Full-time (typically at least 30 hours per week).
• With an employer who is either a private household or a home-care service provider, not a recruitment/placement agency.

Step 2: Education Requirement

You must hold at least the equivalent of a Canadian high-school diploma. If your education was completed outside Canada, you’ll generally need an Education Credential Assessment (ECA) from a designated agency.

Step 3: Language Proficiency

You must demonstrate proficiency in English or French by obtaining approved test results that meet at least Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) Level 4 in all four skills (reading, writing, listening, speaking).

Step 4: Work Experience or Professional Training

You can satisfy this requirement in one of two ways:

• At least six months of full-time, continuous, relevant work experience in the last three years, in an eligible occupation under the correct NOC for that pilot.
• OR a relevant professional training credential (minimum six months in a classroom post-secondary program) completed within the last two years.

Important details:

• The experience must be full-time (30 + hours/week) and continuous.
• Work as a full-time student, in self-employment, or in specific excluded roles (e.g., foster parent) may not be counted.

Step 5: Plan to Live and Work in Canada (Outside Quebec)

You must intend to reside and work in a Canadian province outside the province of Quebec.

Step 6: Meet Admissibility and Other Requirements

You need to be admissible under Canadian immigration rules (medical, security, and criminal background). Additionally:

• If you’re applying under the Workers in Canada stream, you may need valid work authorization in Canada at the time of application.
• If you’re applying under an alternative stream (such as from outside Canada), additional proof of settlement funds may be required.

How Change of Phase Consulting Group Can Help

From assessing eligibility and guiding job-offer preparation to reviewing documentation and supporting settlement, our team at Change of Phase Consulting Group offers end-to-end support for both caregivers and Canadian employers. Whether you already have a job offer or are preparing to apply, we’re here to help make your caregiver immigration journey smooth and successful.