Canada Caregiver Immigration: Pilots Closed, What Still Works

Caregiving was one of the best-known routes from Nigeria to Canada. In 2026 the picture is very different: the permanent residence pilots for caregivers are closed. This guide explains what closed, what is still possible, and how to protect yourself from the scams that fill the gap.

The short answer: the pilots are closed

IRCC's caregiver page lists the Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots as closed. The pilot page states they are closed while IRCC focuses on processing existing applications.

The pilots had two parts, one for child care and one for home support, each with a stream for workers already in Canada and one for applicants not working in Canada. All four are marked closed.

IRCC's 2026 deputy minister briefing gives the timeline. The pilots opened on 31 March 2025 with a cap of 2,750 applications per year for each pilot. In December 2025, intake closed for the rest of the pilot period, which runs to 2030. The reason given was the large number of home care workers already waiting for permanent residence.

Which caregiver programs are open or closed

What the pilots required (in case intake returns)

IRCC has not announced any reopening. Still, the eligibility rules show what Canada looks for, and they are worth knowing if you are planning ahead:

• Language: CLB 4 in English or NCLC 4 in French, in all four skills (reading, writing, listening, speaking).
• Education: the equivalent of a Canadian high school diploma or higher. Nigerian certificates need an assessment to show equivalency.
• Experience or training: six months of continuous, full-time, relevant work experience in the last three years, or a relevant training credential completed in the last two years.
• Job offer: a full-time offer as a home child care provider or home support worker.
• Admissibility: you must be admissible to Canada (medicals, security, criminality).

The big draw was that approved workers got permanent residence on arrival instead of building Canadian experience first. That is why demand was so high and the caps filled so fast.

The route still open: an LMIA-backed work permit

IRCC still lets you work temporarily as a home care worker. The jobs covered are home child care provider (NOC 44100) and home support worker (NOC 44101). Other caregiving jobs follow the normal work permit process.

This is a work permit through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. It does not give permanent residence. IRCC says these applications currently get faster processing.

Step by step

1. Find a genuine employer. This is usually a family hiring for their own home. The employer must offer full-time work of at least 30 hours a week.
2. The employer applies for an LMIA. Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) checks that hiring a foreign worker is justified. The employer must advertise the job and offer the prevailing wage for the area.
3. The employer receives a positive LMIA and sends you a copy of the decision and the job offer.
4. You apply for a work permit with IRCC, using the LMIA number. Expect to provide your passport, the job offer, proof you meet the job requirements, and biometrics. You may need a medical exam and a police certificate.
5. Sign your employment contract. It must be in English or French and signed on or before your first day, setting out your duties, wages and conditions.
6. Extend or change employers when needed. A new employer generally needs its own LMIA and you need a new work permit.

Your rights as a caregiver

ESDC's program rules give caregivers real protection:

• Employers cannot require you to live in their home. If you both agree to live-in, you get a private, lockable bedroom free of charge.
• Neither the employer nor anyone recruiting for them may charge or recover recruitment fees from you, directly or indirectly.
• Employers who break the rules can face penalties and bans.

The permanent residence problem

Here is the honest catch. With the pilots closed, a caregiver work permit does not lead straight to PR.

The Canadian Experience Class only counts work in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 jobs. Home child care provider and home support worker are TEER 4, so that experience does not qualify on its own.

Some provinces run their own streams, so it is worth reading our guide to the Provincial Nominee Program and checking each province's official site. Others move into a different occupation, such as a licensed health role, over time. Neither route is guaranteed.

How to spot caregiver job scams

Caregiving ads on Facebook and WhatsApp are a favourite tool for fraudsters targeting Nigerians. IRCC's 2026 fraud warning is clear: no one can promise you a visa or faster processing.

Walk away if you see any of these:

• You are asked to pay for a job offer, an LMIA, or a "caregiver slot".
• Someone guarantees a visa or PR, or promises shorter wait times.
• You are pressured to pay quickly or send documents through WhatsApp, Telegram or text.
• The wage seems too high for the job, or there is no interview.
• The "employer" will not do a video call or name the town where you would work.
• You are told the caregiver PR pilot is open and they can submit for you.

Before you trust any paid consultant, check that they are a licensed member of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants, and verify every claim on canada.ca. Even licensed representatives cannot guarantee results, and you can apply for a work permit yourself without paying anyone.

Checklist for an LMIA caregiver job

• The employer is a real person or family you have spoken to by video
• You have a copy of the positive LMIA decision letter, not just a "number"
• The job is full-time (30+ hours a week) at a stated hourly wage
• You have paid nothing for the job offer or LMIA
• The offer says who pays your flight (the employer, for low-wage roles)
• Your passport is valid and your police certificate is in progress
• You applied for the work permit yourself or through a verified licensed representative
• You have read the official status pages for the pilots on canada.ca

Where this leaves Nigerian caregivers

If you hoped to use the caregiver pilots, that door is shut for now. An LMIA-backed job can still get you to Canada legally, but it is temporary and depends entirely on a genuine employer.

If you want a direct PR route, look at programs that fit your full profile. For an overview of options and costs, see our guide to living and working in Canada.