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Canada has on Tuesday announced the introduction of new caregiver pilot programs, granting foreign caregivers permanent residency upon their arrival.
This initiative aims to ensure continuity in the essential support provided to Canadian families as the existing Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker Pilots near their conclusion.
Marc Miller, the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Minister made this announcement on Tuesday.
He stressed the government’s commitment to addressing the critical home care needs of children, senior citizens, and individuals with disabilities.
He said, "We will launch new pilot programs to better meet the needs of caregivers and the families they support in Canada. The new pilot programs will grant permanent residence status to caregivers on arrival in Canada and allow them to pursue other jobs at any time.
"These new programs are said to underscore the invaluable role that foreign caregivers play in Canadian households and seek to streamline their employment and integration into Canadian society.
“Caregivers play a critical role in supporting Canadian families and our programs need to reflect their invaluable contributions,” Miller said in a statement, reports The Globe and Mail.
“As we work to implement a permanent caregivers program, these two new pilots will not only improve support for caregivers, but also provide families with the quality care they deserve.”
"The IRCC says it will admit at least 15,000 caregivers as permanent residents in the coming two years as part of Canada’s total immigration targets.
"It also ensures a straightforward path to permanent residency, enhancing their stability and integration.
“This pathway means that caregivers can more easily find proper work with reliable employers and have a clear, straightforward access to permanent-resident status as soon as they arrive in Canada,” said the IRCC.
Qualifications required for the job
To qualify for the new programs, applicants must meet specific criteria, including:
– Achieving at least level 4 in the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB)
– Possessing a Canadian high school diploma or its equivalent
– Having relevant and recent work experience
– Securing a full-time job offer in home care
Miller confirmed that the pilot is expected to be launched by the end of fall 2024 or, at the latest, in early 2025.
