By Mata Press Service

Canada has announced new, enhanced pilot programs to attract foreign home care workers with the promise of permanent residence (PR) on arrival in the country.

This new pathway means that caregivers can more easily find proper work with reliable employers and have clear, straightforward access to permanent resident status as soon as they arrive in Canada.

The new programs will replace existing pilot programs which are set to expire on June 17.

“Caregivers play a critical role in supporting Canadian families, and our programs need to reflect their invaluable contributions. As we work to implement a permanent caregivers program, these two new pilots will not only improve support for caregivers, but also provide families with the quality care they deserve,” said Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship (IRCC).

The new pilot programs will provide home care workers with permanent residence (PR) on arrival in Canada, Immigration Canada said.

They will also be allowed to work for organizations that provide temporary or part-time care for people who are semi-independent or recovering from an injury or illness.

Through these new pilot programs, candidates interested in working in Canada’s home care sector will be eligible to apply if they meet the following criteria:

• attain a minimum of level 4 based on the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB)
• hold the equivalent of a Canadian high school diploma
• have recent and relevant work experience
• receive an offer for a full-time home care job.

IRCC said that as part of the 2024–2026 Immigration Levels Plan, Canada will admit over 15,000 caregivers as permanent residents.

As of April 30, 2024, nearly 5,700 caregivers and their family members have become permanent residents since the launch of the Home Child Care Provider Pilot and the Home Support Worker Pilot in 2019, which expire this month.

“After hearing stories and feedback from caregivers across Canada, I am proud that we are taking concrete action to create policies to support the caregiver community. Generations of women and men have advocated for this important pathway and have cared for our families and loved ones here in Canada. Now is the time to return the care they deserve," said Rechie Valdez, Minister of Small Business.

Jenny Kwan, the NDP immigration critic, said she is thrilled that the government is finally honouring caregivers and treating them with the respect and dignity they deserve by granting them permanent residence status on arrival.

“This is a significant victory for the caregiver community. It means that they will no longer be subject to exploitation and abuse. It means they can have their rights protected as they contribute to Canada's economic, social and cultural fabric,” Kwan posted on Facebook.

The Vancouver East MP said there are 9,000 caregiver PR applications in the backlog. The average processing time is 3 years.

“The government must ensure adequate resources and immigration levels numbers are allocated to process these applications expeditiously so that they do not further languish in the backlog,” she said.

According to Statistics Canada in 2022, 13.4 million Canadians aged 15 years and older (42%)—over  two in five people in this age group—provided unpaid care in the previous 12 months to children younger than 15 years old or to youth aged 15 years and older and adults with a long-term condition or disability.

Of these unpaid caregivers, 13% provided care to both of these care-dependent groups, meaning that 1.8 million Canadians older than 15 years were "sandwiched" between multiple care responsibilities, said a report from McGill University.

A recent report by the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence (CCCE) entitled Giving Care: An Approach to a Better Caregiving Landscape in Canada sounds the alarm on the urgent need to deliver a public policy response to close gaps that jeopardize the mental, physical and economic wellbeing of caregivers.

According to a CCCE survey;

• Caregiving takes a toll on a caregiver’s well-being. One in four caregivers report fair or poor mental health. Caregivers are feeling tired (47%), worried or anxious (44%), or overwhelmed (37%) because of caregiving responsibilities.
• Caregivers are working an “extra shift.” Caregivers provide an average of 5.1 hours of care a day, adding up to over 30 hours of unpaid care, or almost the equivalent of a full-time job.
• Many caregivers are 65+ and may also need care. Nearly one in five caregivers are over the age of 65. Senior caregivers are least likely to access any services or supports to help their responsibilities – from home modifications to respite or transportation services.
• Caregiving can have a significant financial toll. Half of caregivers have experienced financial stress in the past year due to caregiving. One in five (22%) caregivers has provided financial support to their care recipient, with 22% also reporting having spent at least $1,000 per month on out-of-pocket expenses.
• Care provider shortage is linked to poor working conditions. 80% of paid care providers, such as Personal Support Workers or Direct Support Professionals for people with disabilities, have considered changing careers, citing low compensation, inadequate staffing, discrimination and lack of safety at work.
• Diverse communities face additional barriers and gaps in support. Racialized, Indigenous, LGBTQ2S+ caregivers are more likely to experience negative impacts of care. For example, almost half of racialized caregivers have experienced financial hardship due to caregiving, compared to 34% of non-racialized caregivers.