How to Immigrate to Canada as a Caregiver with Permanent Residence– It is a well-known fact that it is hard to find qualified workers to care for some of the most precious people in our lives: our children and our elders. We are often asked how can I immigrate to Canada as a caregiver and what skills we need to qualify for Canadian immigration as a caregiver or as a nurse.
How to immigrate to Canada as a Caregiver or Nurse?
There are several 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. Consider the following options below:
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. You must meet all the requirements below to apply through the Caring for Children Program. You must also plan to live outside the province of Quebec.
Work experience
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You must have at least 24 months of full-time work experience in Canada as a home childcare provider in the four years (48 months) before you apply.
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Full-time work means at least 30 hours of paid work per week You must have cared for children under the age of 18, in your own home or your employer’s home. You do not need to have lived in your employer’s home to qualify
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You can have breaks in employment (for example, periods where you were not employed, sick leave, parental leave)Any work experience you had while you were a full-time student does not count
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Your application will be refused if you do not show that your work experience meets the NOC job description.
Language Requirement for Permanent Residence Application
You must:
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Prove your ability in English or French for speaking, reading, listening, and writing
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Take a language test from an approved agency
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Meet the minimum language levels of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5
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Include the original language test results when you apply
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Your language test results must be less than two years old on the day we get your application
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You must include original language test results with your application.
Educational Requirement for Canada Permanent Residence Application
You must have a completed:
Canadian post-secondary degree, diploma, or certificate of at least one year
OR
- A foreign degree, diploma, or certificate and
- An original Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) from an approved organization that shows your education is equal to a completed Canadian degree, diploma, or certificate of at least one year.
- You must provide proof that you meet the minimum education requirement when you apply.
Admissibility for Canada Permanent Residence Application
Some people are not admissible to Canada. This means they are not allowed to come here. Many things can make you inadmissible, such as being involved in:
- criminal activity
- human rights violations
- organized crime
- You can also be inadmissible for security, health, or financial reasons.
If you are not admissible to Canada, you should not apply through this program.
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:
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registered or licensed practical nurse
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nurse aid or orderly
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home support worker
You must meet all the requirements below to apply through the Caring for People with High Medical Needs Program. You must also plan to live outside the province of Quebec.
Work experience
You must have at least 24 months of full-time work experience in Canada in the four years (48 months) before you apply. Your experience must be in one of these jobs listed in the Canadian National Occupational Classification:
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Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses (3012)
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Licensed practical nurses (3233)
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Nurse aides, orderlies, and patient service associates (3413)
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Home support workers and related occupations (4412)
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Only Home support workers are eligible under 4412. Housekeepers are not eligible.
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Full-time work means at least 30 hours of paid work per week
– breaks in employment are allowed
– you must show that your job matched the NOC job description and you must have done most of the main duties.
If you got your work experience in Canada as a registered nurse or registered psychiatric nurse (NOC 3012) or as a licensed practical nurse (NOC 3233), you must:
- prove that you are licensed to practice in Canada
- provide proof that you are registered with the regulatory body, as required, in your province or territory at the time you apply
Employment Requirements
You must prove that you meet the requirements of the job you are claiming work experience for. This includes education, necessary training, or other qualifications as set out in the NOC job description.
Language ability
-You must prove your ability in English or French for speaking, reading, listening, and writing. Immigration Authorities use the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) system to assess your skills.
-Take a language test from an approved agency
-Meet minimum language levels for your job (use your test results to find your CLB level):
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If you got your work experience in Canada as a registered nurse or registered psychiatric nurse (NOC 3012), you must meet a minimum CLB 7 in either English or French for all four language abilities. I
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If you got your work experience in Canada in any other eligible job (NOC 3233, NOC 3413, or NOC 4412), you must meet a minimum CLB 5 in either English or French for all four language abilities
Please include the original language test results when you apply. Please note that your results must be less than two years old on the day we get your application. You can only use the test results that you provide when you apply. You must provide original language test results that show you meet the minimum language levels for your job when you apply.
Education
You must have a completed:
- Canadian post-secondary degree, diploma, or certificate of at least one year
OR
A foreign degree, diploma, or certificate and - Original Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) from an approved organization that shows your education is equal to a completed Canadian post-secondary degree, diploma, or certificate of at least one year.
- You must provide proof that you meet the minimum education requirement when you apply.
Admissibility
Some people are not admissible to Canada. This means they are not allowed to come here. Many things can make you inadmissible, such as being involved in:
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criminal activity,
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human rights violations or
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organized crime.
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You can also be inadmissible for security, health, or financial reasons.
If you are not admissible to Canada, you should not apply through this program.
Live-in Caregiver Program
You can apply if you have at least two years of work experience in the Live-in Caregiver Program in Canada. You may be eligible to apply for permanent residence in Canada after you have had the following work experience under the Live-in Caregiver Program:
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24 months of authorized full-time live-in employment, or
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3,900 hours of authorized full-time employment. You can complete these hours within a minimum of 22 months. When calculating your hours, you can also include up to 390 hours of overtime; and
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The work experience must be acquired within four years of your date of arrival.
Your work experience under the Live-in Caregiver Program may also allow you to apply for permanent residence through the Caring for Children or Caring for People with High Medical Needs pathway.
How to Calculate Work Experience In Canada
When calculating your work experience, you cannot include:
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Any period of unemployment
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Any extended time outside Canada.
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Any period you work for your employer outside Canada.
If you have work experience as a live-out caregiver that you would like to include in your application, you must apply for permanent residence through the Caring for Children or Caring for People with High Medical Needs pathway.
What can affect your Canada Permanent Residence Application?
Your application is affected if:
– You, your spouse or common-law partner, or any of your family members have a criminal record or a serious medical problem or pose a security risk.
– You didn’t provide truthful information to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
What cannot affect your application?
Your application is not affected by upgrading your skills in Canada, volunteer work, marital status, or the number of family members you have in your home country.
- Applying for your family at the same time
- You must list all your family members in your application for permanent resident status. Your family members can have medical, criminal, and security screening at the time of your application even if they don’t want to come to Canada with you.
- Family members who aren’t listed on your application and were not screened cannot be sponsored by you at a later date.
- You and your listed family members can get permanent resident status at the same time or you can sponsor your family members at a later date as long as they meet the requirements.
- You and all your family members must pass medical, criminal, and security screening before you can receive permanent resident status.
Can I Apply for Open Work Permit at the Same Time As a Permanent Residence
You can apply for an open work permit at the same time that you apply for permanent resident status. After you receive your open work permit you can take any job you want.
Permanent residence in Quebec
If you have a Live-in Caregiver Program work permit and are working in Quebec, the province will also assess your application. The province will look for additional information, including your knowledge of French.