In 2025, Canadian families continue to rely on caregivers. But the pathways for hiring from overseas are very limited. With new rules in effect and the launch of the Home Care Worker Program, employers need to know their real options.
1. LMIA Requirement Still Applies
- Families hiring foreign caregivers must apply for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
- Jobs must meet wage, contract, and recruitment standards.
- The $1,000 LMIA fee applies unless exempt (medical needs caregiving, or families earning under $150,000 hiring a child care provider).
2. Refusal to Process Rule (Outside Quebec)
- IRCC currently refuses to process overseas caregiver work permit applications tied to LMIAs.
- This means families in most provinces cannot bring a caregiver directly from abroad.
- Employers should instead focus on caregivers already in Canada who have valid work authorization.
3. The Quebec Exception
- Quebec is not covered by the refusal to process rule.
- Families there can still recruit caregivers from overseas through LMIA, provided they also obtain approval from MIFI (Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration).
- This makes Quebec the only province in 2025 where overseas recruitment of caregivers through LMIA remains possible.
4. The Home Care Worker Program (Opened March 31, 2025)
- The Home Care Worker Program (HCWP) replaced the expired caregiver pilots.
- It opened on March 31, 2025, but is limited to caregivers already in Canada and working.
- Overseas caregivers are not yet eligible to apply.
- Employers can support a caregiver’s PR application by providing a valid job offer, but only if the worker is already in Canada.
5. Options for Employers in 2025
- Outside Quebec:
- Hire caregivers already in Canada with valid work permits.
- Support in-Canada caregivers applying under the Home Care Worker Program.
- In Quebec:
- Employers may still hire directly from overseas using the LMIA + MIFI process.
Key Takeaways
- The Home Care Worker Program (March 31, 2025) is only for caregivers already in Canada.
- IRCC’s refusal to process rule means most families outside Quebec cannot hire from overseas.
- Quebec families remain an exception and can still recruit abroad with LMIA + MIFI approval.
- Employers outside Quebec should focus on in-Canada caregivers for both work permits and PR pathways.
👉 If you’re outside Quebec, the best option is to hire a caregiver already here. If you’re in Quebec, you can still pursue overseas recruitment under LMIA rules.