Maple News reports that Canada will not reopen its Home Care Worker Pilot programs for new permanent residence applications beyond March 2026. According to newly published Ministerial Instructions in the Canada Gazette, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will not accept any new applications under these pilot streams between March 31, 2026, and March 30, 2030.
Initially, there was widespread expectation that the programs—focused on providing permanent residency pathways for foreign nationals working in home-based care—would reopen in spring 2026 once the current intake closed. However, the new directive confirms that no application windows will be available during the four-year period following the expiration of the current phase.
The two programs involved—the Home Child Care Provider Pilot and the Home Support Worker Pilot—first opened on March 31, 2025, with a planned one-year intake period running through to March 30, 2026. Both pilots were immediately met with overwhelming demand, hitting their application quotas within hours on the day of their launch.
These pilots were designed to support the permanent immigration of foreign nationals who had secured job offers in Canada’s caregiving sector. Eligible applicants were required to hold at least a high school diploma, demonstrate minimum language skills, and meet specific work experience or training criteria.
Each pilot was subject to an annual cap on the number of permanent resident applications accepted, resulting in a first-come, first-served model. Despite strong interest in these pathways, the decision to pause new intakes reflects the government’s focus on managing immigration levels and evaluating the effectiveness of pilot programs before considering renewal or expansion.
Pilot programs in Canada are typically time-limited initiatives, structured to run for up to five years. Once this period concludes, the government reviews the outcomes and determines whether the programs should be continued, modified, or retired.
The upcoming closure of these pilots means that aspiring home care and childcare workers abroad will need to explore alternative immigration pathways if they wish to settle permanently in Canada. As of now, there has been no announcement of a replacement program.
Maple News will continue to closely monitor updates from IRCC and provide timely insights into evolving immigration policies that affect Canada’s caregiving workforce and broader immigration landscape.