Permanent Residency for Caregivers

There are now three ways to apply for permanent residence, based on Canadian work experience, as a caregiver.

If you are eligible, you can use any of these options to apply.

Caring for Children Program

You can apply through the Caring for Children class if you have provided full-time child care in a home in Canada for at least two years.

To qualify, you must meet these requirements when you apply for permanent residence:

two years of full-time work experience in Canada as a home child care provider (National Occupation Classification 4411) within the past four years, authorized with a work permit;
a minimum language requirement of “initial intermediate” by meeting Canadian Language Benchmark 5 in a designated third-party language test; and
a Canadian post-secondary education credential of at least one year, or an equivalent foreign credential supported by an Educational Credential Assessment.

Caring for People with High Medical Needs Program

You can apply through the Caring for People with High Medical Needs class if you have been working in Canada for at least two years as a:

registered or licensed practical nurse
nurse aid or orderly

To qualify, you must meet these requirements when you apply for permanent residence application:

two years of full-time work experience in Canada, authorized with a work permit, providing in-home care or care in a health facility to the elderly or persons with disabilities or chronic disease as, for example, a registered nurse, a registered psychiatric nurse, a licensed practical nurse, a nurse aide, a patient service associate or a home support worker;
licensed to practice in Canada, if applicable;
a minimum language requirement of “intermediate” by meeting Canadian Language Benchmark 7 in a designated third-party language test, if applying as a registered nurse or registered psychiatric nurse;
a minimum language requirement of “initial intermediate” by meeting Canadian Language Benchmark 5 in a designated third-party language test, if applying in any other qualifying occupation; and
a Canadian post-secondary education credential of at least one year, or an equivalent foreign credential supported by an Educational Credential Assessment.

When you apply for permanent residence for this pathway, you will need to show that you performed the duties described in one of the following National Occupational Classifications for two years in Canada:

Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses (NOC 3012)
Licensed practical nurses (NOC 3233)
Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates (NOC 3413)
Home support workers and related occupations, but not Housekeepers and related occupations (NOC 4412)