Caregiver Pathways to Permanent Residence in Canada
Canada’s home care worker pilots led to permanent residence, but intake has been paused and IRCC is not accepting new applications. Where things stand and what it means if you are already in the system.
Where the pathways stand
The Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker pilots ended in June 2024, and IRCC continued to process applications received on or before that date. They were followed by two Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots (Child Care and Home Support), which took effect on March 31, 2025.
On December 19, 2025, IRCC announced that it would pause intake of the new pilots until further notice. IRCC’s pilot page lists both streams as paused and says it will not accept new applications under them while intake is paused until further notice. The older Live-in Caregiver Program is also closed to new applicants.
What this means for you
- If you are not yet in the system, there is currently no open caregiver pilot to apply to.
- If you already applied, IRCC continues to process applications it accepted.
- If you hold a work permit as a caregiver, it still governs what work you may do and for whom.
- Do not pay anyone who promises to get you into a caregiver pathway that IRCC lists as paused.
Other routes to consider
Caregivers may still qualify through other programs, depending on their profile. A provincial nominee stream that recruits in health or care occupations, or Express Entry if the work experience and language results meet the requirements, can be options. Employers hiring in-home caregivers on a temporary basis use the separate LMIA caregiver stream.
Protecting yourself
- Keep copies of employment contracts, pay records and schedules.
- Never pay a recruiter or employer for a job or an LMIA. Employers are barred from charging workers for LMIA and recruitment fees.
- Know where to report abuse; the open work permit for vulnerable workers exists for people in abusive situations.
How this looks in practice
A hypothetical home support worker has been caring for clients under a work permit and hopes to apply to a caregiver pilot. She checks IRCC’s page and finds that intake to both pilot streams is paused until further notice and that IRCC is not accepting new applications. She decides not to pay an agent who says he can still get her in.
Instead, she keeps her permit records in order and looks at other routes that fit her experience, such as a provincial stream that recruits in care occupations or Express Entry if her language results are strong enough. Checking the official status first saved her money and months.
How to prepare over the next 30 days
- Check the current status of the Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots on IRCC’s site
- Keep your employment contract, pay records and schedules
- Review other programs where your work experience and language results could qualify
- Know where to turn if your employer asks you to work outside your permit’s terms
- Ask a licensed representative to check any offer that sounds too good to be true
Common questions, answered
- Can I apply for the caregiver pilots now? No. IRCC paused intake of the Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots in December 2025 until further notice, and says it is not accepting new applications while intake is paused.
- What about applications already submitted? IRCC continues to process applications it accepted before intake was paused, so applicants already in the system should keep their status and documents current.
- Is the Live-in Caregiver Program still open? No. It is closed to new applicants, except for people who already held a work permit under it based on a labour market impact assessment submitted before December 2014.
Where to go from here
With intake to the home care worker pilots paused until further notice and no new applications being accepted, the useful question is which other route fits your experience. Mahyar can look at that with you in a free assessment, and the work permit page covers the permit side.
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