How To Get Your Canadian PR As A Caregiver
🏥 Programs For Caregiver PR In Canada
If you work in Canada as a caregiver, you might be eligible to apply for permanent residence. Yes, you don’t always have to rely on extending work permits to continue working in the country. If you have spent two or more years as a caregiver on a temporary work permit, you can get caregiver PR in Canada.
As you work in Canada as a caregiver, you have the option of a few permanent residence streams. Which one is suitable for you depends on the work you do as a caregiver and the program you used to obtain your work permit.
This program is designed for childcare providers, live-in caregivers, and nannies. It’s mandatory for the applicants to have at least two years of full-time work experience in Canada in the last four years working as a home childcare provider.
The applicant must also have Canadian Language Benchmark Level 5 in English or French, not just in speaking but also in reading, writing, and listening. The applicant should have at least a one-year post-secondary degree either in Canada or some foreign equivalent.
This one’s applicable to certified professionals. This includes registered nurses, registered psychiatric nurses, licensed practical nurses, nurse aides, orderlies, and patient service associates. Home support workers and related occupations can also apply. However, housekeepers and similar occupations are not eligible for this program.
To apply for this, you need to have at least two years of full-time work experience during your last four years in Canada. And, of course, you should be licensed to practice in Canada, depending on your occupation.
If you have been working as a registered nurse or psychiatric nurse in Canada, you need at least CLB 7 in English or French. But if you are eligible for any other job mentioned above, a CLB of 5 in either English or French would suffice. You must also possess at least a year of a post-secondary degree in Canada or a foreign equivalent.
To get a caregiver PR in Canada using this program, you must at least have two years of full-time live-in employment. You can also apply for the program if your work comprises 3900 hours of authorized full-time employment in 22 months.
Keep in mind that this work experience has to be acquired in four years from the day you arrive in Canada.
You can apply for PR status via this program if you have a job offer for one of these occupations and meet the eligibility requirements.
Keep in mind that this program is occupation restricted. You can also work in that specific occupation if you apply for it. No Labor Market Impact Assessment is required for this one. By working in Canada using this program, you can get work experience required to meet the eligibility criteria for PR.
If you have recently worked in any one of these capacities in Canada, your experience can be counted while assessing your PR application.
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📝 Requirements To Get Caregiver PR In Canada
Things You Should Keep in Mind
- You cannot include any period of unemployment in your work experience.
- You have to exclude any extended time you spent outside the country. Therefore, if you leave Canada for a more extended period than the time allotted in your contract period, it cannot be counted in your experience years.
- While calculating your experience years, you cannot count the period you work for your employer outside Canada. If the family spends their vacation outside Canada, you cannot include that time in your work experience.
- The time you spent working in Canada living outside the house of your employer does not count.
Things that Could Go Wrong
- If you, your partner, or your immediate family members have a criminal record or serious medical problem, the fate of your application can be affected.
- If any of your family members are considered a risk to society, there’s a high chance of your application being rejected.
- Your application can be in the lurch if you are found guilty of providing incorrect information to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada.
Don’t worry if you have upgraded your skills in Canada or there’s a change in your marital status or the number of family members. This wouldn’t have any impact on your application for Canadian PR as a caregiver.
🏘️ Applying for Canadian PR as a Caregiver
Caregivers typically strive to have their family get their PR status at the same time. For this, ensure that the application includes a list of all the family members applying for PR.
Keep in mind that even if your family does not intend to come to Canada with you, they might have to undergo medical, criminal, and security screening when your application is being reviewed.
Family members you haven’t listed on the application will not be screened. But they cannot be sponsored by you later either.
You can have your listed family members get PR status at the same time as you. If that’s not convenient, you can also sponsor your family members later. Of course, it’s mandatory that they meet all the requirements.
You or your family members cannot get PR status without passing medical, criminal, and security screening.
Even if you work in Canada as a caregiver, you can apply for an open work permit while applying for PR status simultaneously. Once you have an open permit, you will be free to do any job you want.
If you are working in Quebec under the live-in caregiver program work permit, even the province will assess your application. And they ask for additional information. They are pretty particular about the knowledge of French in applicants.
✍️ What to Take Note of During an Ongoing PR Application
Work Permit Expiration
Keep in mind that if your work permit expires or you leave Canada for over a year, you will have to reapply to the visa application center to return to the country.
Leaving the Country
If your PR application is underway and you leave Canada during the period, you might have to reapply for a temporary resident visa to return to the country.
It’s advisable to apply for a temporary visa before you travel. This will save you from a lot of hassles.
Leaving the Program
Naturally, you can leave the program to return to your country any time you want. But make sure to give your employer adequate notice for the same.
🍁 Final Words
Applying for a permanent residency in Canada is greatly beneficial, especially if you have been working as a caregiver on a temporary work permit for at least 2 years.
Canada provides a lot of advantages to its residents. This is includes better housing, education, and healthcare plans. Thus, you should not waste your time and apply for a PR in Canada as soon as possible.