Caregiver (home care worker) pathways
IRCC lists the Home Care Worker Immigration pilots and every older caregiver program as closed. Read on IRCC’s page on November 9, 2026.
Canada has run several caregiver pathways to permanent residence for home child care and home support workers. This page covers what IRCC currently publishes. When we checked, IRCC listed the Home Care Worker Immigration pilots and every older caregiver program (including the Live-in Caregiver Program) as closed.
No caregiver pathway to permanent residence was listed as open on IRCC’s page when we checked. We won’t describe criteria for a program that isn’t taking applications — check IRCC for any reopening.
Who is eligible
- Closed per IRCC: Home Care Worker Immigration pilots; Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot (last day to apply June 17, 2024); Live-in Caregiver Program (closed to new applicants, with exceptions); Caring for Children and High Medical Needs pilots; Interim Pathway for Caregivers.
- IRCC still publishes how to work temporarily as a home care worker. That generally means a work permit — see the LMIA-based work permit page.
Steps
- Check IRCC’s caregivers page for any reopening before preparing an application.
Documents you’ll usually need
- Not applicable while the pathways are closed.
What the law says
“in the case of a foreign national who seeks to enter Canada as a live-in caregiver”
For live-in caregiver work permits, the Regulations still set household and accommodation conditions.
Official IRCC pages
Program rules not written in the statute, plus current fees and processing times, are on IRCC’s own pages:
Common mistakes
- Paying a recruiter or consultant for a caregiver “program” that IRCC lists as closed.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an open caregiver pathway to permanent residence?
Not on IRCC’s caregivers page when we checked (2026-11-09). Other economic programs may still fit you — see Express Entry and the Provincial Nominee Program.
Related streams
- LMIA-based work permit Check IRCC
An employer-specific work permit backed by a Labour Market Impact Assessment.
- Provincial Nominee Program Open
A province or territory nominates you for permanent residence based on its own labour needs.
- Express Entry Invitation-only
The online system IRCC uses to invite skilled workers to apply for permanent residence.