New Changes to Caregiver Program

Caregiver Program Changes

The Citizenship and Immigration Canada announced that their Caregiver program is been reformed with some significant changes. These changes are to help acknowledge hard work and effort that caregivers have given for families and the economy.

The changes now reflect on the live in requirement. Caregivers now have an option to either live in or live out of the home. The employer must not take out any part of the caregivers’ salary if they choose to live in. Caregivers that choose to live out and want to apply for permanent residence in the future, under one of the new pathways, would need to apply for a regular work permit. By dropping this live in requirement, this action will result in greater opportunities and possibly higher wages for the caregivers.

The change is to improve the pathways to permanent residence so that skilled workers have greater options in their employment and have the opportunity to be a Canadian citizen. These improvements also mean that there will be a faster process in applications, better career opportunities for prospective caregivers, and to better protect against potential workplace vulnerability and abuse.

The purpose of improving the caregiver program was to reduce the backlog and bring down the processing times for the applications. Because CIC had doubled the permanent resident admissions for the caregivers in the last year, there is significant backlog of the applications. The lengthy process times means the applicant would be separated from their family and loved ones for longer.

Another purpose is to end the live in requirement. By doing this, it helps the caregivers to be vulnerable to situations like having to work over time, working in poor conditions, or being paid too low. By removing this requirement, there will be more opportunities for the Canadians that are in the caregiver field. It would also ensure that for the caregiver to live-in, there is an agreed arrangement between the caregiver and their employer.

Although the caregiver program still has a space for improvement, the current changes will immensely enhance the program, create employment opportunities, and improve the caregiver’s experiences.

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