“Caregivers are an important option for families in Canada and have played an instrumental role in the lives of many growing children, aging parents, and those who need additional specialized care. By reducing the work experience required in Canada to one year, more caregivers and their families will become eligible to transition to permanent residence sooner, meaning that they can settle down and start the next chapter of their lives here in Canada.”

– The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

On February 10, 2023, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced the plan to reduce work experience requirements for caregivers and provide more pathways to permanent residency. 

The new measures include reducing the work experience requirement from 24 months to 12 months, creating new permanent residency pathways for caregivers, and providing more support for those seeking permanent residency. Starting from April 30, 2023, the change will take effect and it will apply retroactively to caregivers who have already submitted their applications. 

Since the launch of the pilot programs in 2019, almost 1,600 caregivers and their families have attained permanent residency in Canada. In the year 2022 alone, almost 1,100 caregivers and their family members obtained permanent residency through the 2 pilots. This latest public policy is expected to benefit about 90% of the applications currently in the processing stage. This provides an advantage to both novice and experienced caregivers who have been delivering care in Canada. 

Although the pilot programs are near their end date, IRCC is actively preparing for the future of the caregiver program after the pilots end in June 2024.