Live in Caregiver Program

Which caregiver program applies to you?

Canada has used several caregiver programs with different application dates, work requirements and permit arrangements. Similar names can conceal important differences. Start with the exact program named on your application or permit correspondence and the date you entered that process.

Check IRCC's caregiver program overview before paying for a new application. Do not rely on an old annual intake date or a statement that a program will reopen automatically. The official intake-pause notice says the newer pilots did not reopen in March 2026.

If you already applied, a closure to new intake does not mean your application has been cancelled. Continue monitoring correspondence and follow the requirements applicable to your file. Keep evidence of when and under which category the application was submitted.

Who may still qualify under the Live-in Caregiver Program?

IRCC's legacy instructions refer to applicants already working with an LCP work permit or whose first LCP permit was approved using an LMIA submitted on or before November 30, 2014. They must also satisfy the program's work-experience and other requirements. The relevant history must be documented; a caregiver job title is not enough.

Read the official LCP permanent residence requirements. If you entered Canada under a different permit or later pilot, do not assume those periods can be substituted into the legacy program. A complete timeline should identify permits, employers, entry dates and the program involved at each stage.

The two work-experience calculation options

The legacy program describes two alternatives: 24 months of authorized full-time live-in employment, or 3,900 hours of authorized full-time employment completed over at least 22 months, including no more than 390 overtime hours. The required experience must have been acquired within four years of arrival under the program.

Do not combine the most favourable parts of separate options without following the checklist. Identify the option used, calculate the qualifying period and support it with the required records. A total number of hours is not enough if the work falls outside the allowed period or does not meet the program conditions.

Guide 5290 explains exclusions and allowable vacation. Absences abroad, unemployment and certain leave or non-LCP periods can affect the calculation. Review each gap instead of assuming every month between the first and last employment dates counts.

Organize the records that prove your qualifying work

Build a chronology before filling out the application. For each employer, record the start and end date, permit held, work location, duties, hours, absences and relevant changes. Connect that summary to documents so that the calculation can be checked without guessing.

• Immigration records: LCP permits, entry information and the relevant approval or LMIA history.
• Employment contracts: terms agreed with each employer and any properly documented changes.
• Hours evidence: required employer declarations and signed timesheets where the hours-based option is used.
• Payment records: relevant payroll, tax and employment records supporting the work history.
• Absence records: travel and leave information needed to separate qualifying from non-qualifying periods.
• Identity and family records: current documents and complete family details for the permanent residence assessment.

Where a former employer is unavailable or records are incomplete, identify the missing evidence and document attempts to obtain it. Alternative records may assist, but they should be explained and cannot guarantee acceptance. Never reconstruct a timesheet as though it were an original signed record when it is only your later estimate.

Check that the employer's declaration agrees with the contract and payment records. Genuine discrepancies can occur, but unexplained differences in dates or hours make the application harder to assess. Resolve them before submission where possible and preserve the basis for any correction.

Family information remains important

Disclose required family members accurately, including those not accompanying you. Relationship changes, births and custody arrangements may affect the application. A family member living elsewhere should not simply disappear from the forms because they are not planning to travel with you.

Review medical, police and other admissibility requirements for the people included in the process. If a family member cannot obtain a document or attend an examination, explain the situation and seek advice. Omitting the person or ignoring a request can create consequences for the current file and future family reunification.

Work permits, employer changes and permanent residence are separate decisions

Some eligible LCP applicants can apply for an open work permit alongside or after their permanent residence application under the published conditions. Applying is not the same as receiving authorization. Check your current permit and the applicable rules before starting different work.

IRCC's LCP extension and change instructions explain the available process. If your employer-specific permit is nearing expiry or your employment ends, review status and employment options promptly. Do not assume a pending permanent residence file automatically keeps every work arrangement lawful.

For workers outside the legacy program, current temporary-caregiver instructions depend on location, occupation, permit status and whether the job is in Quebec. A positive LMIA alone does not establish that every prospective caregiver can obtain the required permit.

If an employer changes the job or stops employing you

Keep the written notice and employment records, identify your current permit conditions and obtain advice about the next lawful step. Do not assume that staying in the same occupation allows an immediate employer change. Also assess whether the change affects work-experience evidence or any application already submitted.

If there are workplace safety or abuse concerns, explain them when seeking help. Immigration planning should not require remaining in an unsafe situation. Preserve relevant records and obtain appropriate advice about employment rights and immigration options rather than relying only on the employer's interpretation.

How to prepare a legacy caregiver application review

1. Identify the exact program. Gather the original permit and application correspondence.
2. Check the qualifying history. Verify the relevant entry and approval dates and whether the legacy route applies.
3. Calculate experience. Use the chosen option and separate excluded periods.
4. Match evidence to the calculation. Organize contracts, employer declarations and payment records.
5. Review family and admissibility details. Identify missing records or changes that require explanation.
6. Protect current status. Assess permit expiry and any employer change independently.
7. Follow current filing instructions. Retain the submitted application and monitor all requests.

Do not treat an old blog checklist as the complete current application package. Forms and submission instructions may change even when the program's historical eligibility dates remain the same. Use the current official guide and the instructions issued for your specific file.

How to avoid refusal: do not mix different caregiver programs

The first safeguard is applying under a route that actually exists for your circumstances. A worker who is not a legacy LCP participant cannot become eligible simply by meeting an old hours target. Similarly, the rules of a later pilot should not be imported into an LCP calculation without a valid basis.

• Verify program membership. Match the claim to permits and official correspondence.
• Calculate work accurately. Check the four-year period, the selected option and excluded absences or leave.
• Document hours and duties. Use consistent, authentic employer and payroll records.
• Disclose the whole history. Include relevant permits, refusals and family information.
• Keep current status separate. A permanent residence application is not universal permission to work.
• Respond to requests on time. Record deadlines and proof of submission.

If IRCC questions eligibility or authenticity, address that concern directly. Our procedural fairness guide explains why a focused response matters. Do not submit fabricated employment documents or omit inconvenient gaps; those choices can create a more serious issue than an insufficient-work calculation.

What to do if a caregiver application is refused

First identify which application was refused: a work permit, a legacy permanent residence application or a file under another pilot. Save the letter, notes, date received and original submission. Each process has its own requirements, and a refusal-to-process decision is different from a decision on the merits.

Compare the reasons with the evidence. A calculation error, missing employer declaration, ineligible program history and admissibility concern require different responses. A new application may help only if the route is available and the underlying issue can be addressed. A closed intake can limit the ability to reapply.

Reconsideration is discretionary. Federal Court leave and judicial review may be available for a legally flawed decision, with general deadlines of 15 days for matters arising in Canada and 60 days for matters arising outside Canada. Review the Federal Court instructions and seek advice immediately about the applicable period.

Do not assume that requesting notes or reconsideration pauses a court deadline. If a work-permit refusal affects your ability to work or remain in Canada, assess that consequence promptly alongside the permanent residence strategy. A court challenge or another application does not automatically restore authorization.