(OTTAWA) — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada halted new applications under the Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots on December 19, 2025, reversing course on a flagship caregiver pathway the federal government had promoted as more accessible and permanent.
“The Canadian government has paused new intakes under the Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots until further notice as demand continues to exceed available spaces,” IRCC said in a statement dated December 19, 2025. “The pause is intended to prioritize processing of existing applications. The pilots will no longer reopen in March 2026, as previously anticipated.”
What was paused and why
The decision stops intake for both pilot streams:
– Home Care Worker Immigration Pilot: Child Care
– Home Care Worker Immigration Pilot: Home Support
IRCC’s statement tied the pause to capacity constraints: “demand continues to exceed available spaces,” and the pause is intended to prioritize processing of existing applications.
Background: what the pilots promised
Ottawa had spent much of 2024 and early 2025 promoting these pilots as a more direct pathway for caregivers to obtain Permanent Residency (PR) upon arrival, eliminating the prior requirement to first accumulate work experience in Canada.
At the initial program announcement on June 3, 2024, Immigration Minister Marc Miller framed the pilots as part of a broader push to improve supports for caregivers and families:
“Caregivers play a critical role in supporting Canadian families, and our programs need to reflect their invaluable contributions,” Miller said. “As we work to implement a permanent caregivers program, these two new pilots will not only improve support for caregivers, but also provide families with the quality care they deserve.”
Key features announced in June 2024:
– PR on arrival (one-step route).
– Lowered entry requirements: CLB level 4 for language and a high school diploma for education.
Previously, caregivers generally had to complete two years of work experience in Canada before applying for PR (later reduced to one year).
Timeline of key events
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| June 3, 2024 | Pilot programs announced; PR on arrival and reduced thresholds (CLB 4, high school) promoted. |
| October 2025 | Stream B (for applicants outside Canada) quietly listed as closed, despite never accepting applications under the PR-on-arrival criteria. |
| December 19, 2025 | IRCC officially paused new intakes and confirmed the pilots will not reopen in March 2026 as previously anticipated. |
IRCC rationale and planning context
IRCC indicated that the existing volume of applications already submitted was sufficient to meet targets tied to the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan. The department said pausing intake would allow it to clear files already received and meet planned admissions under the caregiver pilots.
Relevant government pages cited in IRCC’s communications:
– Program information: Immigrate through the Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots
– June 3, 2024 announcement: Canada announces new pilot programs to support caregivers and Canadian families intends to make the caregivers program permanent
– Immigration levels planning: Government of Canada – Immigration Levels Plan
Immediate impacts
The pause affected several groups and raised a range of consequences:
- Thousands of caregivers who were preparing language tests and educational assessments for a March 2026 opening are now left without the promoted federal pathway to PR.
- Caregivers outside Canada were hardest hit because Stream B was closed before they could file, cutting off access to the reduced language and education thresholds.
- Families seeking in-home care for children or seniors face increased uncertainty as the primary immigration pipeline for child care and home support workers is effectively shut.
- Advocates warn the pause could push workers to remain on temporary status, increasing the risk of employer dependency and abuse where permits have closed conditions.
Perspectives from advocates
The Migrant Workers Alliance for Change and other advocacy groups have raised concerns:
- Without a clear path to PR, many caregivers may be forced to work under temporary permits with limited autonomy.
- The pause could exacerbate continued shortages in home care, affecting families who rely on these workers.
Key takeaways
- IRCC has paused new intakes for the Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots as of December 19, 2025 and confirmed the pilots will not reopen in March 2026 as previously expected.
- The pause is framed as a capacity and processing issue: demand outstripped available spaces and existing application inventory is sufficient for planned admissions under the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan.
- The closure of Stream B in October 2025, before accepting applications under the PR-on-arrival model, further limited access for applicants outside Canada.
- The result is immediate uncertainty for caregivers preparing to apply and Canadian families seeking care.
For caregivers waiting to apply, IRCC’s message was blunt: “paused new intakes” and “until further notice.” For families and workers tracking the pilots, the most immediate change is simple: Ottawa has halted new applications.
The Canadian government has halted intake for the Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots due to high application volumes. Originally promoted as a streamlined route to permanent residency, the pilots are now closed to new applicants and will not resume in March 2026. IRCC plans to focus on existing inventory to meet its 2026–2028 immigration targets, leaving many international workers and families in a state of uncertainty.
