The caregiver program has significantly changed in the last decade, from the Live-in Caregiver program to a few other pilots, including the changes to the legislation in 2014 and ending with the most significant amendments implemented in June 2019.
There have been a series of improvements, along the way, including no longer requiring mandatory residence in the employer’s home as was previously the requirement. This was related to the fact that the caregiver must travel alone to Canada without the ability to have their families accompanying them to Canada.
It was not rare that after a separation of at least three years, many families were broken, never to be together again. Or in many cases, after the caregiver went through the program, sacrificed years, the application was refused because one of the family members was inadmissible, medically or criminally. Under the current legislation, there are two programs for caregivers:
• 1. Home Child Care Provider
• 2. Home Support Worker
• The caregiver applies for permanent residence from the very beginning and their family will be included in their application.
• When the work permit as a caregiver is approved, the whole family (qualifying dependents) can accompany them to Canada with immigration status of their own.
• They will not be restricted to working for a specific employer, thus trying to eliminate abuse and exploitation of the caregivers by their employers.
• The employer will not need to submit a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) application to Service Canada (ESDC), thus making the job offer more “user-friendly” to the employers in dire need of caregivers.
• When the work permit as a caregiver is approved, the whole family (qualifying dependents) can accompany them to Canada with immigration status of their own.
Note: The Super Visa is applied from outside of Canada. The child or grandchild must provide proof that minimum necessary income requirements are met.
Sunrise Gems immigration is an immigration consulting company based in Toronto specializing in Canadian immigration and Visa services.