Live-in Caregiver Requirements

A live-in caregiver is someone who is qualified to care for children, elderly persons or persons with disability in private homes without supervision. It is also a condition of the employment for live-in caregivers that they reside with their employer in their residence.

In order to be eligible, as the applicant, you must have:

• A positive Labour Market Opinion (LMO) from an employer in Canada
• A written contract with your future employer, signed by you and the employer
• Successful completion of the equivalent of a Canadian secondary school education
• At least six months of training or at least one year of full-time paid work experience as a caregiver or in a related field or occupation (including six months with one employer) in the past three years
• Good knowledge of English or French
• A work permit before you enter Canada

Before you can attempt to qualify as a live-in caregiver, you will need to find a suitable Canadian employer. This prospective employer will need to obtain a Labour Market Opinion from Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC)/Service Canada.

They will need to demonstrate that they have made sufficient recruitment efforts and have been unable to locate a suitable Canadian candidate. Once you have obtained your positive Labour Market Opinion, you will use this in your application.

Obtaining the Labour Market Opinion is a separate application entirely. Your employer should consult with a representative if they are unsure of how to obtain this.  You and your employer will also need to enter into an agreement which is essentially your contract with them. This contract should demonstrate that the Live-in Caregiver Program requirements are met by including a description of:

• Mandatory employer-paid benefits, including:
  • Transportation to Canada from your country of permanent residence or the country of habitual residence to the location of work in Canada
  • medical insurance coverage is provided from the date of your arrival until you are eligible for provincial health insurance
  • workplace safety insurance coverage for the duration of the employment

Aside from the above, it should also include items like living accommodations, duties, intended hours of work and payment expectations. Be sure that your contract contains all the pertinent details, including but not limited to the above suggestions. An officer may refuse the application on the basis that the contract does not meet the criteria.

We can Help You!

We have dealt with hundreds of immigration cases. We have helped our clients in their difficult situations and have guided them to draft a more effective application. We can help you draft your application and arrange the required documents. A well-planned and complete application will increase your likelihood of acceptance and will save you from hassle.