Canada has launched a new immigration program that will provide homecare workers and their families with the opportunity to obtain permanent residency (PR). This program is specifically for those who have started working as homecare workers in Canada or who are already working in Canada.
This new initiative will also give foreign students and those working in the healthcare sector a chance to obtain their permanent residency.
This year, the Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) of about 7,66,000 foreign students is going to get expired in Canada, including a large number of Indian students who are working in the healthcare sector.
For this reason, Indian students have now become active to obtain Canadian Permanent Residency (PR). Keeping this demand in mind, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has introduced a new program aimed at providing PR to homecare workers. Additionally, it will also include their families.
One of the key features of this pilot program is that it does not require a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) certificate. As per the guideline, for this program an individual must have a job offer as a caregiver through a sponsor.
According to IRCC, the target is to grant PR to almost around 10,920 newcomers during 2025-2027 under this pilot program. Although the number of people who will get PR under the Homecare Worker Pilot Program has not been disclosed yet, experts believe that this number could be double as compared to previous schemes.
The amount of funds that will be provided has not been disclosed yet, but experts believe that this number could be double as compared to previous schemes.
In order to apply for this program, candidates must have a language ability of at least Level 4 on the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) scale. Additionally, they must have a Canadian High School Diploma (10+2) or equivalent educational qualification. Apart from this, the candidate must also have sufficient experience as a homecare worker.
This pilot program has been launched in order to meet the growing demand for healthcare services in Canada, as the need for nurses and caregivers is constantly increasing due to the growing aging population in the country.
This program will help address the shortage of nurses and homecare workers in Canada and will make a significant contribution to Canada's health sector.