Canada Express Entry: How to Immigrate to Canada as a Caregiver with Permanent Residency

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Canada continues to face a shortage of qualified caregivers, especially for vulnerable groups such as children and the elderly. As a result, many individuals ask about the process of immigrating to Canada as a caregiver or nurse, and what qualifications are necessary to be eligible under Canada’s immigration programs.

Immigration Routes To Canada for Caregivers and Nurses

There are multiple pathways for caregivers with relevant Canadian work experience to apply for permanent residency. If you meet the eligibility criteria, you can choose from several available options. One of these is the Caring for Children program.

Caring for Children Program Overview

This program is available to individuals who have worked in Canada as full-time in-home child caregivers for at least 24 months. To be eligible, applicants must satisfy all program requirements and intend to settle in a province or territory other than Quebec.

Work Experience Requirements for Home Childcare Provider Pathway:

  • You must have at least 24 months (2 years) of full-time work experience in Canada as a home childcare provider.

  • This work experience must have been gained within the last 4 years (48 months) before applying.

  • Full-time work is defined as a minimum of 30 hours of paid work per week.

  • You must have provided care for children under the age of 18, either in:

    • Your own home, or

    • Your employer’s home.

  • Living in your employer’s home is not required to be eligible.

  • Employment gaps are allowed (e.g., during unemployment, parental leave, or medical leave).

  • Work done while you were a full-time student does not count toward the experience requirement.

  • Your application will be refused if your experience does not match the NOC (National Occupational Classification) job description for home childcare providers.

Language Requirements for Caregiver Permanent Residence Application:

  • You must demonstrate proficiency in either English or French across all four language skills:

    • Speaking

    • Reading

    • Listening

    • Writing

  • You are required to take a language test from a designated testing agency.

  • You must achieve at least a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 5 in all four skills.

  • Your original language test results must be submitted with your application.

  • The test results must be less than two years old at the time your application is received.

  • Applications without original language test results will not be accepted.

Educational Requirement for Caregiver Permanent Residence Application:

  • You must have one of the following:

    • A Canadian post-secondary certificate, diploma, or degree of at least one year,
      OR

    • A foreign educational credential and an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) from a recognized organization showing your qualification is equal to a Canadian post-secondary credential of at least one year.

  • The ECA must be original and issued by an approved assessment agency.

  • You must submit proof of your education when you apply.

Admissibility for Canada Permanent Residence Application:

  • Not everyone is eligible to enter or stay in Canada.

  • You may be found inadmissible for reasons including:

    • Criminal activity

    • Human rights violations

    • Involvement in organized crime

    • Security concerns

    • Health conditions that may pose a risk or burden

    • Financial instability or inability to support yourself

  • If you are deemed inadmissible under Canadian law, you should not apply through the caregiver permanent residence program.

Caring for People with High Medical Needs Program – Eligibility Overview

You may be eligible to apply for permanent residence through this program if you meet the following criteria:

  • You have at least 2 years of full-time work experience in Canada in one of the following roles:

    • Registered nurse or licensed practical nurse

    • Nurse aide or orderly

    • Home support worker

  • Your work must have involved providing care to individuals with high medical needs.

  • You must meet all the program’s specific eligibility requirements.

  • You must intend to live in a province or territory outside of Quebec.

Work Experience Requirements

To qualify under this program, you must meet the following conditions:

  • You must have completed at least 24 months of full-time paid work (minimum of 30 hours per week) in Canada within the last 4 years (48 months) before applying.

  • Your work experience must be in one of the eligible occupations listed under the Canadian National Occupational Classification (NOC):

    • NOC 3012 – Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses

    • NOC 3233 – Licensed practical nurses

    • NOC 3413 – Nurse aides, orderlies, and patient service associates

    • NOC 4412 – Home support workers and related occupations (Only home support workers are eligible under this code; housekeepers are not)

  • Employment gaps (e.g., due to illness, leave, or unemployment) are permitted.

  • You must demonstrate that your job closely aligns with the NOC description, and that you performed most of the key duties listed for your occupation.

Additional Requirements for Regulated Nursing Roles (NOC 3012 and 3233):

If you gained your work experience as a:

  • Registered nurse or registered psychiatric nurse (NOC 3012)
    OR

  • Licensed practical nurse (NOC 3233)

You must:

  • Provide proof of valid licensure to practice nursing in Canada.

  • Submit evidence of registration with the appropriate provincial or territorial regulatory body at the time of your application.

Employment Requirements

To qualify, you must:

  • Demonstrate that you meet the job requirements of the position for which you are claiming work experience.

  • This includes relevant education, training, and any other qualifications as outlined in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) for your job.

Language Requirements

You are required to prove proficiency in either English or French across all four language skills:

  • Speaking

  • Reading

  • Listening

  • Writing

Steps to meet the language requirement:

  • Take a language test from an approved testing agency.

  • Use your test results to determine your Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level.

  • Submit the original language test results with your application.

  • The test results must be less than 2 years old at the time your application is received.

  • Only the test results submitted at the time of application will be considered.

Minimum CLB Scores Required:

  • For Registered Nurses or Registered Psychiatric Nurses (NOC 3012):

    • You must have a minimum CLB level 7 in all four skills.

  • For all other eligible occupations (NOC 3233, 3413, or 4412):

    • A minimum CLB level 5 in all four language abilities is required.

Education Requirements

To meet the education requirement, you must have one of the following:

  • A Canadian post-secondary credential (degree, diploma, or certificate) that is at least one year in length
    OR

  • A foreign credential (degree, diploma, or certificate) plus:

    • An original Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) from an authorized organization confirming your education is equivalent to a Canadian post-secondary credential of at least one year.

You must submit proof of your educational qualifications with your application.

Admissibility Criteria

To be eligible to apply, you must be admissible to Canada. You may be considered inadmissible for the following reasons:

  • Criminal activity

  • Human rights violations

  • Involvement in organized crime

  • Security risks

  • Medical conditions that pose a threat or burden to public health or safety

  • Financial instability (e.g., inability to support yourself in Canada)

Live-in Caregiver Program – Permanent Residence Eligibility

You may qualify to apply for permanent residence through the Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP) if you meet the following conditions:

  • You have completed at least two years of full-time, authorized live-in work experience in Canada under the LCP.
    OR

  • You have accumulated a total of 3,900 hours of authorized full-time employment, including:

    • A minimum of 22 months to complete the hours

    • Up to 390 hours of overtime may be counted toward this total

  • Your work experience must be completed within four years from the date you arrived in Canada.

If eligible, your experience may also allow you to apply through either the Caring for Children or Caring for People with High Medical Needs permanent residence pathways.

How to Calculate Work Experience in Canada

When determining your eligible work experience for a caregiver permanent residence application, make sure to exclude the following:

  • Any period of unemployment

  • Any extended stay outside Canada

  • Any time you worked for your employer while outside Canada

If your experience includes live-out caregiving, you must apply through the Caring for Children or Caring for People with High Medical Needs pathway — not the Live-in Caregiver Program.

What Can Affect Your Canada Permanent Residence Application

Your application may be negatively affected if:

  • You, your spouse/common-law partner, or any family member:

    • Has a criminal record

    • Has a serious medical condition

    • Poses a security risk

  • You provide false or misleading information to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)

What Does Not Affect Your Application

Your application will not be impacted by:

  • Taking part in skills upgrading programs in Canada

  • Participating in volunteer work

  • Your marital status

  • The number of family members living in your home country

 Including Family Members in Your Application

  • You must declare all your family members in your permanent residence application.

  • Family members will undergo medical, criminal, and security screening, even if they don’t plan to immigrate to Canada with you.

  • If you fail to list a family member, you cannot sponsor them later.

  • Your eligible family members may:

    • Receive permanent resident status at the same time as you,
      OR

    • Be sponsored at a later date, provided they meet the program's requirements.

All family members must successfully pass the required medical and background checks before anyone in your application is granted permanent residency.

Applying for an Open Work Permit with Your Permanent Residence Application

  • Yes, you can submit an application for an open work permit at the same time as your permanent residence application.

  • Once you receive your open work permit, you are free to work for any employer in Canada, in any field or industry.

Permanent Residence Applications in Quebec

  • If you are currently working in Quebec under a Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP) work permit, your permanent residence application will also be assessed by the province.

  • Quebec may request additional information, such as:

    • Your level of French language proficiency

    • Other criteria specific to Quebec’s immigration standards

Note: Immigration in Quebec is partially managed at the provincial level, so approval from both the federal and provincial governments may be required.

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