The Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has provided additional details, and the application requirements for Canada’s new Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots (HCWIP). The HCWIP is scheduled to start accepting applications on March 31, 2025.
For the details of this release and other official information, you can check the Government of Canada website here.
Below, you will find a summary of some of the key details released. The HCWIP offers permanent residence to skilled workers who want to work in home child care or home support in Canada.
Summary of Key HCWIP Requirements
There are 2 pilots in the HCWIP:
1) Home Care Worker Immigration Pilot: Child Care
2) Home Care Worker Immigration Pilot: Home Support
Each pilot has 2 application streams:
1) Workers in Canada
2) Applicants not working in Canada
When the applications open on March 31, 2025, IRCC has indicated that it will only accept applications for the Workers in Canada stream. The application is expected to open by 10:00AM ET on the day. The stream for applicants not working in Canada will open at a later date.
What is IRCC’s Definition of Workers in Canada (for this program)?
For this program, IRCC has defined workers in Canada (who are eligible for the program) as those:
- already living in Canada
- You can be physically outside of Canada when you apply (for example, on vacation), but you’ll need to show that you normally reside in Canada.
- authorized to work in Canada full-time, in any occupation (in a non-seasonal job) through
- a valid work permit
- maintained status
- public policies
What does NOT count as having authorization to work in Canada?
If you’re not authorized to work through one of the above options, you’re not eligible for this stream. For example, you’re not eligible if you’re working without a work permit:
❌ as a business visitor
❌ under the conditions of your study permit (in summary, business visitors, and international students who are still on a study permit are not eligible for this program).
Special Consideration for Certain People Out-of-Status in Canada
Some individuals who are already out of status in Canada may be eligible to apply. According to IRCC, if you’re a home care worker without status in Canada or no longer have authorization to work, you may be eligible for the Home Care Worker Immigration pilots under a public policy.
In summary, to be eligible as an out-of-status applicant, you must meet these requirements:
1) You are in Canada when you apply.
2) You do not have authorization to work and you don’t have temporary resident status or are a visitor
3) You must have entered Canada legally on or before December 16, 2021, and lived here continuously since then.
4) You had a work permit at some point during that period.
5) You’re not inadmissible to Canada for reasons other than overstaying your temporary resident status; working or studying without authorization; having a family member who overstayed their temporary resident status or worked or studied without authorization.
You are NOT eligible as an out-of-status applicant if:
❌ You started living in Canada after December 16, 2021.
❌ You made a refugee claim.
❌ You’re under a removal order.
❌ You’re currently in Canada on a study permit.
❌ You haven’t had a valid work permit at any point during your current period of residence in Canada. Work permits before this period of residence don’t count.
More information for out-of-status applicants is available here.
What do you need to apply for the HCWIP?
1) You must attain a minimum of Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) 4 in the language test
2) hold the equivalent of at least a Canadian high school diploma
3) have recent and relevant work experience (or completed a relevant training credential of at least 6 months, within or outside Canada).
4) receive an offer for a full-time home care job
What is IRCC’s Definition of Recent and Relevant Work Experience (for this program)?
You must have at least 6 months of work experience, gained within or outside Canada. The work experience must be full-time, and within the past 3 years. Or if you don’t have work experience, you must have completed a relevant training credential of at least 6 months, within or outside Canada.
Depending on which pilot you apply to (Child Care or Home Support), the relevant work experience must also be:
HCWIP: Relevant Experience for Child Care Category
1) Home child care providers (NOC 44100)
2) Early childhood educators and assistants (NOC 42202)
HCWIP: Relevant Experience for Home Support Category
1) Home support workers, caregivers and related occupations (NOC 44101)
2) Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates (NOC 33102)
There are additional details to note for the eligible work experience or credential training. For instance, IRCC indicated that these work experiences are not eligible:
❌ Any experience you gain after applying doesn’t count. You must complete all the work experience before applying, or your application will be refused.
❌ Work experience gained as a full-time student doesn’t count.
❌ Work experience gained while you were self-employed doesn’t count.
Please check the details for the eligible work experience or credential training here.
What is IRCC’s Definition Of Eligible Full-Time Job Offer (for this program)?
Before you apply, you need a genuine job offer as a home child care provider or home support worker. You must also be likely to accept the job offer and be able to perform the job duties. IRCC will review things like your past training and experience to determine this.
Additionally, the job offer must be genuine and must:
1) Be in Canada (jobs in Quebec are not eligible).
2) Be full-time and continuous work, meaning it must be at least 30 hours of paid work per week, and a permanent job (with no set end date).
3) Include your hourly wage, employment requirements and a description of the main duties.
4) Be a job offer with a wage that is equal to or higher than the Job Bank’s median wage for the occupation listed on your job offer in the province or territory of employment.
5) Be in the NOC of the pilot you apply for.
Your employer can be a private household or a business (or non-profit organization) that has a direct employer-employee relationship. And the employer should check for any additional requirements listed here and here.
Please check the details for the eligible job offer here.
How To Submit Your Application.
IRCC will accept new applications starting March 31, 2025, at 10 a.m. ET, until the caps for each category are reached. If the caps are reached, they will reset on March 31, 2026. The advice is to prepare as much as possible before the pilots open, in case the caps are reached quickly.
The total cap for this year’s workers in Canada stream is 5,500. And the breakdown of the caps for each category is as follows:
Home Care Worker Immigration Pilot (HCWIP): Child Care
| Category | Online | Alternate format |
|---|---|---|
| Workers in Canada | 2,350 | 260 |
| Out-of-status and unauthorized workers | 125 | 15 |
Home Care Worker Immigration Pilot (HCWIP): Home Support
| Category | Online | Alternate format |
|---|---|---|
| Workers in Canada | 2,350 | 260 |
| Out-of-status and unauthorized workers | 125 | 15 |
You must apply online using the Permanent Residence (PR) Portal. And the step-by-step process to follow, and the forms and documents to get ready are listed here.
When Will Applicants From Outside Canada Be Able To Apply For The HCWIP?
The stream for applicants not working in Canada will open at a later date.
However, to be eligible for the Applicants not working in Canada stream, you must prove you have enough money for you (and your family) to settle in Canada.
Proof of funds is only required for those applying under the Applicants not working in Canada stream. Check the details of the proof of funds here.
In addition to some of the requirements stated above, you should also start getting ready with the proof of funds if you are an applicant outside Canada.
Conclusion:
In summary, IRCC has done a good job of providing this comprehensive breakdown of the requirements. Go through the details, and determine your eligibility. And if you meet the requirements, give it a shot!
We wish you all the best in the application process!
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DISCLAIMER: The posts and information on this website are not legal advice. We are not Canadian Immigration Consultants and do NOT provide Canadian Immigration Services. For any authorized Canadian Immigration information, services, or support, please check the Government of Canada website at www.canada.ca/immigration
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