At IMB Immigration Law, we guide the clients carefully through Applications for PR to Canada. Home Child Care Provider Program is an initiative by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) that offers an easy pathway to permanent residence in Canada to in-home child caregivers. Examples of such jobs are – babysitter, live-in caregiver, nanny, governess, etc. Notably, it does not include foster parents.

The program which was launched in June 2019, accepts a limited number of applications, capped at 2750 at the moment.

The program allows the applicant to apply for a work permit and permanent residence at the same time. Once the applicant has two years of eligible work experience in Canada, they can transition to permanent residence easily. The program allows the applicant’s immediate family members to accompany them to Canada to work or study while the applicant accumulates the minimum required work experience to become a permanent resident.

The work permit that is granted under the program is an occupation-restricted open work permit. Such a permit allows the holder to work only in the occupation listed on the work permit, however for any employer.

Eligibility Criteria

The applicant must meet the following eligibility criteria to become a permanent resident under the program:

  • Ability to communicate in English or French language. For this, they will need to take an approved language test such as IELTS or TEF. The minimum required Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) is Level 5.
  • An Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report to prove their foreign education is equivalent to a Canadian post-secondary diploma or certificate of minimum one year in duration.
  • Work experience in National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes 4411 i.e. Home Child Care Providers
  • A valid offer of employment from a Canadian employer.

Quebec Exception

With respect to the Quebec province in Canada, the Home Child Care Provider doesn’t apply to caregivers who wish to work in the province. For a foreign national willing to work in Quebec as an in-home caregiver, their employer will need to hire them through the Temporary Worker Program and must apply for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).

Application Process

  • The first step is checking the eligibility which entails ensuring the applicant has the required educational qualification and language proficiency.
  • The applicant must secure an official letter of employment from a Canadian employer, offering employment as a home child care provider.
  • Once they receive the job offer, an application for a work permit is submitted along with the permanent residence application.
  • If the applicant meets the eligibility criteria, they will be issued a work permit.
  • The work permit issued under the program is valid for three years and the candidate will be eligible to become a permanent residence after working for two years on the permit.

In case, the applicant already has two years of eligible work experience in Canada, they can straightaway apply for permanent residence.

Processing Time

It can take up to 12 months for the application to be processed under the program.

Contact IMB Immigration Law

If you are interested in immigrating to Canada under this or any other program, contact IMB Immigration Law for a free evaluation at [email protected]. The firm is headed by Ravneet Kaur Brar – one of the best immigration lawyers in India. She has years of valuable industry experience helping people immigrated to US, UK and Canada through a variety of programs. Take advantage of her knowledge, to fulfil your immigration dream to Canada and USA. Visit www.imbimmigrationlaw.com today!