Requirements for Live in Caregiver Program

Requirements for the Employer:

• The Live in Caregiver Program (LCP) applies only to caregivers who live in the home of the person for whom they are caring. This is the case even when the home is not the employer’s residence.

• The employers must employ the live in caregiver on a full time basis and must provide private and well-furnished room with a lock for exclusive use by the caregiver.

• To obtain an HSRDC confirmation, the employer must satisfy the following requirements:

  • Submit an LMO to HRSDC

  • Submit a contract signed by both employer and live in caregiver, which sets out the following:

    • Employer’s responsibility for mandatory employer paid benefits

    • Caregiver’s job duties

    • Caregiver’s hours of work

    • Accommodation arrangements

    • Holiday and sick leave entitlements

    • Terms that address termination and resignation

• In most provinces, an employer is required to advertise the Live in Caregiver position to find qualified Canadians or permanent residents. Advertisements in newspapers, flyers, networking, recruitment agencies, friends and local ethnic newspapers are also valid. If the ad was in a language other than English or French, a translation must be enclosed with LMO application.

• An employer is permitted to seek candidates who possess desired skills e.g. language or cooking. However, these are not weighted by the officer when assessing the LCP application.

• In the event that the live in caregiver changes employers, the new employer and the live in caregiver must obtain a new HRSDC confirmation, a new employment contract, and live in caregiver must apply for a new work permit.

Eligibility criteria for Live in caregiver:

The criteria set by the CIC for an LCP applicant includes education, training and language requirements. These must be met by the foreign live in caregivers seeking to qualify for the LCP. These requirements are specific for those who wish to work outside Quebec:

Education:

• Successful completion of equivalent of Canadian secondary school

Training/work experience requirement:

• Training requirement: successful completion of 6 months of full time classroom training in the field or occupation related to the job in question. (Full time: at least 25 to 30 hours per week of educational instruction.) Furthermore, the training must be in a classroom setting; correspondence courses are not acceptable.

• Work experience: completion of at least 12 months of full time paid employment, including at least 6 months of continuous employment with one employer, in related field or occupation within 3 years immediately prior to the day the person submits the application for a work permit to a visa office.

Language proficiency requirement:

• Ability to read, listen and speak English or French at a level sufficient to communicate effectively in an unsupervised setting, such as to respond to emergency situations by contacting doctor, an ambulance, police or fire department, answer the door and telephone, administer medication. In the event that officer is not convinced that applicant has language proficiency, the officer may request an interview.

• Mandatory employment contract: employer must forward original employment contract to the applicant. It must be consistent with provincial employment standards and must be signed by both the employer and the live in caregiver.

The live in caregiver’s work permit is valid for only one year and must be renewed every year to maintain eligibility under the LCP. Applicants seeking initial work permit under the LCP must submit their applications to a visa office abroad regardless of whether they are in Canada with a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV).

Contact Akrami & Associates

For more information on the live in caregiver program or how to prepare a successful application feel free to contact us today!