Canada’s Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has officially ended the permanent residence (PR) route for caregivers living outside Canada under the Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots (HCWP). The decision closes a once-anticipated immigration option for foreign childcare and home support workers hoping to move to Canada.
Initially, the HCWP program consisted of two pathways: the Home Support Worker Pilot and the Home Child Care Provider Pilot. While both were designed to help caregivers transition to permanent residence, the foreign intake stream — intended for overseas applicants — was never opened and has now been officially terminated.
Alternative Immigration Pathways for Caregivers in 2025
Even though the foreign intake for caregivers under the Home Care Worker Pilots has been discontinued, several alternative routes remain available in 2025 for international caregivers seeking to live and work in Canada.
1. Express Entry System
Caregivers under National Occupation Classification (NOC) 33102 — which includes nurse aides, orderlies, and patient service associates — remain eligible for Express Entry immigration through the Healthcare and Social Services categories.
The latest Express Entry healthcare draw required a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 470 points to qualify. Candidates with strong language scores, work experience, and education credentials stand a better chance of selection.
2. Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs)
Many Canadian provinces continue to accept caregiver applications through their Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs), allowing qualified foreign workers to apply for permanent residence with a valid job offer.
Active caregiver-related provincial streams include:
- Newfoundland and Labrador PNP (NLPNP): Skilled Worker category
- Manitoba PNP (MPNP): Skilled Worker Abroad stream
- New Brunswick PNP (NBPNP): Employer-driven International Worker stream (for NOC 33102, 42202, 44101)
- Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP): Employer Job Offer stream for international workers
Note: NOC 44100 (Home Child Care Providers) is not currently eligible under the New Brunswick PNP stream.
Reasons for the IRCC Closure
While IRCC has not issued a formal public statement, several factors indicate why the overseas caregiver stream was halted:
1. Application Backlogs
As of September 11, 2025, IRCC reported an inventory of over 34,400 caregiver program applications, including those under the Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot. Managing this backlog likely influenced the decision to end new foreign caregiver intakes.
2. Limited Processing Capacity
In 2025, IRCC plans to process only 4,816 caregiver applications — roughly 14% of the existing inventory. From January to September 2025, Canada admitted 4,200 new permanent residents through caregiver pilots, leaving room for only about 600 more before year-end.
3. Shift Toward In-Canada Transitions
IRCC is increasingly focused on converting temporary residents already in Canada into permanent residents. This aligns with policy priorities such as:
- Favoring the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) in Express Entry draws
- Encouraging provinces to allocate 75% of nominations to applicants already living and working in Canada
Canada’s Immigration Goals and Caregiver Backlog
For 2025, IRCC capped total permanent resident admissions under all economic pilot programs — including the Agri-Food Pilot, Start-Up Visa, and Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot — at 10,920 people. This limited capacity has intensified competition for processing slots, pushing the department to prioritize existing in-Canada applicants over new international entries.
The move also aligns with the government’s broader objective to stabilize temporary resident levels and reduce international backlogs by streamlining local transitions.
What This Means for Overseas Caregivers
For caregivers abroad, this change means that direct permanent residence routes through the Home Care Worker Pilots are no longer available. However, opportunities still exist through:
- Provincial nomination streams that accept overseas applicants
- Express Entry under the Healthcare and Social Services categories
- Employer-driven job offers that qualify under specific NOC codes
International caregivers interested in immigrating should continue to monitor IRCC updates and provincial program announcements for new openings or pilot programs.
Conclusion
The closure of Canada’s overseas caregiver permanent residence stream marks a significant policy shift in immigration priorities. While the Home Care Worker Pilots remain available for candidates already in Canada, international caregivers must now explore other immigration avenues, such as Express Entry or Provincial Nominee Programs. This underscores IRCC’s growing focus on retaining and transitioning workers already contributing to the Canadian economy.