Canada is the greatest place to work if you’re a caregiver, as there’s a rapidly growing demand for child and home care providers across the country and mostly in the most enjoyable cities. Ranging from nannies to personal aides, Canada needs caregivers to fill various crucial positions. One way Canada commits to dealing with the shortages of caregivers in the nation is by making it trouble-free for qualified foreigners to work in Canada and permanently settle in the country through the Caregiver Immigration Pilot.
The first step is to find a job in Canada as a caregiver. In this guide, we share vital tips on how foreign caregivers can land their dream jobs in Canada and what requirements are needed to be met to apply for permanent residency.
Types of Caregiver Jobs in Canada
Caregivers provide crucial care and services to the most vulnerable individuals in our society, these include the elderly, people with disabilities, and children. Canada’s quickly aging population translates into thousands of elderly citizens currently searching for caregivers in an in-home environment. Simultaneously, working parents are constantly enlisting the services of child caregivers to take care of their children whenever they are unable to.
Home support workers
Home support workers dispense personal care while also serving as a companion for the elderly, persons with disabilities, and convalescent clients. Typically care is given within the client’s residence, where the home support worker can also live. They are usually employed by home care and support agencies and private households. The average annual home support worker’s wage in Canada is $34,125 but experienced workers can earn up to $49, 591.
You can secure a job in Canada in one of the home support worker positions listed below to be eligible for the Caregiver Immigration Pilot.
Home Support Workers
- Attendant for persons with disabilities – home care
- Family caregiver
- Home support worker
- Housekeeper
- Live-in caregiver – seniors
- Personal aide – home support
- Personal care attendant – home care
- Respite worker – home support
- Doula
- Home visitor – infant care
Home child care providers
Home child care workers are responsible for caring for children on an ongoing or short-term basis. Their job role revolves around caring for the well-being, physical and social development of children, support parents with child care and might also help with household chores. The average annual child-caregiver salary in Canada is $28,623 but experienced child care providers can earn up to $32, 079.
You can secure a job in Canada in one of the home child care positions listed below to be eligible for Caregiver Immigration Pilot.
Home Child Care Providers
- Babysitter
- Child care live-in caregiver
- Child care provider – private home
- Nanny
- Parent’s helper
- Babysitter – fitness/shopping centers
- Foster parent
How to Work in Canada as a Caregiver
Get a Valid Job Offer
Firstly, to be eligible for the home care provider pilots, you’d require an official job offer from a Canadian employer which is mandated to be a full-time position where you should work a minimum of 30 hours weekly.
Job Tip #1
Make your job hunt seamless by searching for jobs in the right places. In accordance to the Job Outlook Report, Nova Scotia is the territory with the highest demand of caregivers in Canada, New Brunswick, Ontario, and the Yukon territories follow closely behind. In Nova Scotia, the healthcare system is moving people with chronic illnesses and disabling conditions away from hospitals and institutions to a more community-based home-care setting.
SEE ALSO: How to use the GTS to Become a permanent resident in Canada
Job Tip #2
You should definitely look at employee placement agencies such as Trafalgar Personnel. For a small fee, they’d help connect you to suitable jobs in Canada depending on the position you’re searching for: nanny, au-pair, caregiver, babysitter, housekeeper, etc. These agencies are reputable and are widely trusted by Canadian families to manage the whole placement process. However, it’s paramount to know that such agencies can’t apply for your work permit on your behalf. Only Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCIC) or immigration lawyers can legally provide that service.
Job Tip #3
Employers and job placement agencies in Canada would most likely to hire caregivers with formal training and work experience before considering those without. Ensure to update your resume with contactable references and request your past employers for recommendations.
Apply for a Work Permit
Caregivers with a valid job offer should apply through the Home Child Care Provider Pilot or the Home Support Worker Pilot for an occupation-restricted open work permit which is under the International Mobility Program.
An occupation-restricted open work permit enables the caregiver to work for any employer but only within the specified occupation. It also entails that employers would no longer fund travel expenses and you are solely responsible for all costs associated with the application process.
Apart from requiring a valid job offer you must also prove your language skills in either English or French and have a post-secondary education qualification of a minimum of 1-year (certificate, degree, diploma). You ought to take an approved language test such as IELTS that costs about $250CAD. In cases where your educational qualifications weren’t obtained in Canada then you need to get an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) from an approved organization such as World Education Services (WES) which costs around $280CAD.
Take a look at the additional requirements below:
Home Care Provider Pilots Requirements
Requirements Details
- Language Proficiency Minimum rating of CLB 5 in English or NLCL 5 in French
- Education Post-secondary education credential of 1-year minimum
- Valid job offer There must be an authentic need to hire you and the job offer must be done using an IMM 5983 document
- Ability to work Officials utilizes your past experience or training to decide if you’re capable of doing the work described in the job description. Ensure you can.
- Medical examination A medical examination must be carried out by an approved panel physician in your country
- Police clearance is required for all countries you have lived in for 6-months or longer
SEE ALSO: Jobs That Pay $500K A Year
Note:
In cases where you don’t possess a post-secondary education but can clearly show past experience or training in childcare or home support, you would also be considered. However, this will then mandate you to complete a one year of post-secondary education in Canada.
Applying via one of these pilots to work in Canada as a caregiver also means that you are applying for permanent residency at the same time. Your permanent residency application would be put on hold until you have accumulated enough work experience.
SEE ALSO: Top 15 Companies That Hire for Remote Work-From-Home Nursing Jobs
Gain Canadian Work Experience
Immediately you land a job in Canada as a caregiver and meet all of the set aforementioned requirements you would be issued a work permit and the countdown will begin! You will require a minimum of 24 months of work experience in-home child care or in-home support before a decision will be reached as regards your application for permanent residence.
You don’t need to work for 24 months in a row, you just need 24 months total. Ensure to keep all documents that indicate that you have 24 months of work experience such as job offers, contracts, and payslips.
Enlist Immigration Agencies, Experts, or Lawyers to help you immigrate to Canada as a Caregiver.
Every year only a reserved number of spots are open for the Home Care Provider Pilots. So applicants who meet all of the requirements and submit their completed applications on time are the most successful candidates. There are agencies, experts, and immigration lawyers that specialize in assisting international clients with their visa and immigration applications to ensure quicker and more effective results, enlisting them would be in your best interests.
