How to immigrate to Canada for nannies and caregivers with no work experience
The immigration process is the same for nannies and caregivers with no Canadian experience or with less than 12 months of experience. In both cases, the main goal is to get the required one year of experience.
1) Depending on your profession, apply for the Home Child Care Provider Pilot or Home Support Worker Pilot program.
2) You apply for a work permit along with your permanent residency application.
3) If you meet all the requirements, you will receive an Open Work Permit to work in Canada. Under the Open Work Permit, you can work for any employer but in the same occupation.
4) You gain at least 12 months of Canadian experience and then send proof of that experience to immigration.
5) They review all the information and make a decision on your application for permanent residence.
Your family members can come to Canada with you. A spouse is eligible for Open Work Pemit and children are eligible for Study Pemit. These applications must be submitted with yours.
Eligibility Requirements
To participate in the nanny or caregiver program, you must meet a number of criteria.
A genuine and valid job offer
It must be:
Home child care provider (NOC 44100)
Your experience must be in one of these NOC codes. The option to work a year in one NOC and then a year in another will not work.
Ability to do the job
You need to provide all information that shows that you have the ability to do the job, such as: relevant education, courses, previous experience in a profession in any country, etc.
How to find out if you are eligible for NOC or not
Follow the instructions below.
1) Depending on your profession, apply for the Home Child Care Provider Pilot or Home Support Worker Pilot program.
2) You apply for a work permit along with your permanent residency application.
3) If you meet all the requirements, you will receive an Open Work Permit to work in Canada. Under the Open Work Permit, you can work for any employer but in the same occupation.
4) You gain at least 12 months of Canadian experience and then send proof of that experience to immigration.
5) They review all the information and make a decision on your application for permanent residence.
Your family members can come to Canada with you. A spouse is eligible for Open Work Pemit and children are eligible for Study Pemit. These applications must be submitted with yours.
Eligibility Requirements
To participate in the nanny or caregiver program, you must meet a number of criteria.
A genuine and valid job offer
It must be:
- made on the Offer of Employment IMM 5983 form;
- full-time, paid employment: at least 30 hours per week;
- outside the province of Quebec;
- from an employer that is not an embassy or consulate;
- genuine, meaning there is a real need for a nanny or caregiver.
Home child care provider (NOC 44100)
- you must care for children under 18 in your own home, or in your employer's home;
- you may live permanently in the employer's home, but it is not a requirement;
- the foster carer's experience does not count.
- you must care for someone who needs the help of a domestic worker. You can work either in your home or at your employer's home;
- you can live permanently in the employer's home, but this is not a requirement;
- only Home support workers are eligible;
- experience as a housekeeper is not counted.
Your experience must be in one of these NOC codes. The option to work a year in one NOC and then a year in another will not work.
Ability to do the job
You need to provide all information that shows that you have the ability to do the job, such as: relevant education, courses, previous experience in a profession in any country, etc.
How to find out if you are eligible for NOC or not
Follow the instructions below.
- Go to the official website of NOC.
- Click on the Search by NOC code tab and enter 44100 or 44101.
- On the page that opens, a suitable list of Example titles and Main duties will appear. For your job to match the selected NOC code, your duties must overlap with these.
Language skills
To qualify, you will need to pass one of the language tests. The program requirement is 5 CLB or higher.
The most common choices are IELTS for English and TEF Canada for French.
Test results are valid for 2 years.
Education
Post-secondary education is required and has been completed with at least 1 year of schooling.
Education will need to be validated - go through an evaluation process. This is most often done through WES.
Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot program fees
To qualify, you will need to pass one of the language tests. The program requirement is 5 CLB or higher.
The most common choices are IELTS for English and TEF Canada for French.
Test results are valid for 2 years.
Education
Post-secondary education is required and has been completed with at least 1 year of schooling.
Education will need to be validated - go through an evaluation process. This is most often done through WES.
Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot program fees
How to apply
Follow the 4 steps to apply for Home Child Care Provider Pilot or Home Support Worker Pilot.
1. Prepare an application packet.
To do this, download and fill out the IMM 5981 form at this link, and then include it in the packet of all documents. It lists:
2. Fill out the forms.
The list of forms depends on where you are now:
You can only choose to apply from Canada if you meet one of the requirements:
3- Pay the fees.
Payment is done online in 2 steps. First, fees are required to be paid for:
Follow the 4 steps to apply for Home Child Care Provider Pilot or Home Support Worker Pilot.
1. Prepare an application packet.
To do this, download and fill out the IMM 5981 form at this link, and then include it in the packet of all documents. It lists:
- all required documents;
- all forms that need to be filled out.
2. Fill out the forms.
The list of forms depends on where you are now:
- Outside Canada. You can download the forms from this link. You will also find detailed instructions on how to fill them out below.
- In Canada. Download the forms at this link. You will also find detailed instructions on how to complete the forms below.
You can only choose to apply from Canada if you meet one of the requirements:
- you have a valid study or work per-mit;
- your spouse, civil partner or parents have a valid study or work permit;
- you are eligible for a post-graduation work permit and your study permit remains valid;
- you have a temporary residence permit that is valid for six months or more;
- you are awaiting a decision on an application for permanent residence in Canada;
- you have been recognized as a refugee or protected person.
3- Pay the fees.
Payment is done online in 2 steps. First, fees are required to be paid for:
- application processing for you and PR family members;
- Right of Permanent Residence;
- Biometrics for all family members.
You will then need to pay your family's temporary residency fees:
- Work Permit for you and spouse;
- Open Work Permit holder for you and your spouse;
- Study Permit for children, if required.
You can do this at this link.
After paying each portion of the fees, you must print a bar-coded receipt and make 2 copies. One copy should be included in the application packet and the second copy should be kept.
4. Submit the application.
Mail the entire application package to the program:
Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada
c/o PR (HCCP Stage 1), Station 806
9700 Jasper Avenue NW, Suite 55
Edmonton, AB T5J 4C3
Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada
c/o PR (HSW Stage 1), Station 808
9700 Jasper Avenue NW, Suite 55
Edmonton, AB T5J 4C3
Some time after you pay the fees and submit the application, you and your family members will be required to undergo biometrics.
You will be sent a letter with instructions. You will need to bring it with you when you go to take the biometrics.
You will also receive instructions for a medical exam for you and your family members after you submit your application. Relevant even for those who are not traveling with you. If you don't pass the checkup, you won't be able to sponsor them in the future.
You cannot get a medical exam in advance without instructions from Immigration Canada!
If your work permit application is approved, you will get a letter. Take it with you when you travel to Canada.
This letter is not a work permit. You will get your work permit when you arrive in Canada.
Getting the experience you need
To become a permanent resident of Canada under the Child Care or Needy Adult Care Program, you need to have 1 year of experience within 3 years.
This experience does not have to be continuous. You can work for a year, do something else for a few months, and then get another year of experience.
You will have an open work permit with occupation restrictions. That is, you will be able to work for any employer, but only under NOC 44100 or 44101.
Also, a Canadian employer will not need to file an LMIA to hire you.
Once the appropriate length of service has been accumulated, you will need to send proof to immigration.
They will review them and make a decision on your application for permanent residence.
Evidence may include:
4. Submit the application.
Mail the entire application package to the program:
- Home Children Care Provider Pilot to the address:
Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada
c/o PR (HCCP Stage 1), Station 806
9700 Jasper Avenue NW, Suite 55
Edmonton, AB T5J 4C3
- Home Support Worker Pilot to the address:
Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada
c/o PR (HSW Stage 1), Station 808
9700 Jasper Avenue NW, Suite 55
Edmonton, AB T5J 4C3
Some time after you pay the fees and submit the application, you and your family members will be required to undergo biometrics.
You will be sent a letter with instructions. You will need to bring it with you when you go to take the biometrics.
You will also receive instructions for a medical exam for you and your family members after you submit your application. Relevant even for those who are not traveling with you. If you don't pass the checkup, you won't be able to sponsor them in the future.
You cannot get a medical exam in advance without instructions from Immigration Canada!
If your work permit application is approved, you will get a letter. Take it with you when you travel to Canada.
This letter is not a work permit. You will get your work permit when you arrive in Canada.
Getting the experience you need
To become a permanent resident of Canada under the Child Care or Needy Adult Care Program, you need to have 1 year of experience within 3 years.
This experience does not have to be continuous. You can work for a year, do something else for a few months, and then get another year of experience.
You will have an open work permit with occupation restrictions. That is, you will be able to work for any employer, but only under NOC 44100 or 44101.
Also, a Canadian employer will not need to file an LMIA to hire you.
Once the appropriate length of service has been accumulated, you will need to send proof to immigration.
They will review them and make a decision on your application for permanent residence.
Evidence may include:
- job offers;
- contracts;
- pay stubs;
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