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Home care workers can now get more information on the forthcoming pathways to Canadian permanent residence.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has posted more details on the forthcoming Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots (HCWP)—including reduced language, work experience, and education eligibility criteria for candidates.
The Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots are two forthcoming Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)-exempt immigration pathways for foreign home care workers to find employment and receive permanent residence (PR) upon arrival to Canada. They are set to be launched on March 31, 2025.
The immigration department clarified that upon opening, the HCWP will only accept applications from candidates who are currently in Canada. Applicants outside Canada will have the opportunity to apply at a later date.
IRCC also provided further details for these pathways, which will be covered in this article, including
- Which streams are included within the HCWP;
- Eligibility requirements for language scores, work experience, and job offers;
- HCWP eligibility for out-of-status workers in Canada; and
- Guidance for applicants to the (now closed) Home Child Care Worker and Home Support Worker Pilots.
What Are The Streams For The New Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots?
Foreign nationals can apply to the new HCWP under one of two streams:
- The Workers in Canada stream; and
- The Applicants not working in Canada stream.
Upon opening at the end of March, only the Workers in Canada stream will accept new applications. The Applicants not working in Canada stream will open its application intake later in the year.
IRCC advises that potential applicants to the Workers in Canada stream take an approved language test, and get their education assessed through an Education Credential Assessment (ECA), in anticipation of the HCWP’s opening date in March.
The immigration department has not released details on application procedures for the Applicants not working in Canada stream. More details will be posted by IRCC once available.
IRCC also warns that “guidance on how to prepare to apply” may change at any time and advises those interested to check their web pages regularly for any updates.