Prospective caregivers hoping to use Canada’s Home Care Worker Pilots have been dealt a blow after Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada confirmed the programmes will remain closed “until further notice.” An internal bulletin dated 19 December 2025 first announced a pause, but an IRCC update circulated on 2 January 2026 makes clear that the intake will not re-open in March as previously scheduled.
The two pilots—Home Child-Care Provider and Home Support Worker—have been popular pathways to permanent residence, collectively filling 5,500 spots per year. High demand, however, generated processing inventories exceeding 18,000 files, driving wait-times beyond 24 months. IRCC says the pause will let officers tackle the backlog and align admissions with the reduced 2026 economic-class quotas.
Amid the uncertainty, VisaHQ can help both employers and caregiver candidates navigate alternative Canadian work-permit and immigration options. Its online platform (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) offers real-time policy updates, guidance on LMIA applications and provincial programs, and personalised support that streamlines paperwork and reduces costly delays.
![IRCC Confirms Home-Care Worker Pilots Will Stay Closed—March Re-Opening Cancelled]()
The freeze removes one of the few federal routes for overseas caregivers to gain status without Canadian experience. Advocacy groups warn that families requiring in-home elder or disability care will face acute labour shortages, particularly in rural regions where provincial nominee streams rarely target caregivers. Employers must now rely on the Temporary Foreign Worker Program—with its Labour Market Impact Assessment cost and processing delays—or recruit domestically.
Analysts expect Ottawa to unveil a re-designed caregiver pathway later in 2026 that emphasises in-Canada applicants and stronger employer compliance. In the meantime, foreign candidates may pivot to provincial options such as Alberta’s new Health-Care Aide pilot or seek employment under regular LMIA streams, though caps on TEER 4 and 5 occupations have tightened.
Companies sponsoring caregivers already in Canada should monitor their employees’ work-permit expiry dates and file extensions early under maintained-status rules, as demand for renewals is likely to surge.
The two pilots—Home Child-Care Provider and Home Support Worker—have been popular pathways to permanent residence, collectively filling 5,500 spots per year. High demand, however, generated processing inventories exceeding 18,000 files, driving wait-times beyond 24 months. IRCC says the pause will let officers tackle the backlog and align admissions with the reduced 2026 economic-class quotas.
Amid the uncertainty, VisaHQ can help both employers and caregiver candidates navigate alternative Canadian work-permit and immigration options. Its online platform (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) offers real-time policy updates, guidance on LMIA applications and provincial programs, and personalised support that streamlines paperwork and reduces costly delays.
The freeze removes one of the few federal routes for overseas caregivers to gain status without Canadian experience. Advocacy groups warn that families requiring in-home elder or disability care will face acute labour shortages, particularly in rural regions where provincial nominee streams rarely target caregivers. Employers must now rely on the Temporary Foreign Worker Program—with its Labour Market Impact Assessment cost and processing delays—or recruit domestically.
Analysts expect Ottawa to unveil a re-designed caregiver pathway later in 2026 that emphasises in-Canada applicants and stronger employer compliance. In the meantime, foreign candidates may pivot to provincial options such as Alberta’s new Health-Care Aide pilot or seek employment under regular LMIA streams, though caps on TEER 4 and 5 occupations have tightened.
Companies sponsoring caregivers already in Canada should monitor their employees’ work-permit expiry dates and file extensions early under maintained-status rules, as demand for renewals is likely to surge.
