Caregiver LMIA

A work permit route for families hiring in-home child care, senior care, or medical care workers

Who Qualifies

• Canadian families or households hiring a foreign caregiver to work in a private residence, for child care, senior care, or care for a person with a medical need.
• Caregivers generally live out. The former Live-in Caregiver Program is closed, and there is no live-in requirement under the current caregiver LMIA route.
• Outside Quebec, IRCC will generally not issue a work permit to a caregiver who is outside Canada based on this LMIA. The caregiver generally must already be in Canada holding valid work or study permit status. Quebec is an exception to this restriction.

Key Requirements

• Caregiver must have a minimum of 6 months of training or 1 year of full-time paid experience in a field related to the care being provided.
• Caregiver must be able to communicate effectively in English or French without supervision.
• Employer must have a CRA business number and payroll account before advertising the position and applying for the LMIA.
• The $1,000 LMIA application fee is generally waived for eligible caregiver positions where the employer household income is under $150,000, or for care involving a certified medical incapacity. Verify the current income threshold and waiver conditions directly, as these can be updated.
• Written employment contract outlining duties, wages, and working conditions must be prepared before LMIA submission.
• Employer cannot charge or recover any recruitment fees from the caregiver. Doing so is a criminal offence under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
• Caregiver must be paid at least the prevailing wage for the region. Providing accommodation does not permit paying below the required wage.
• Most caregiver positions fall under the low-wage LMIA stream, because caregiver wages are typically below the high-wage threshold, which brings in low-wage employer duties such as extended advertising. In-home caregiver positions are generally exempt from the CMA 6% unemployment processing restriction that otherwise applies to low-wage LMIAs.

Application Process

1. 1Determine which caregiver category applies: child care, senior care, or care for a person with a medical need.
2. 2Confirm the caregiver's location. Outside Quebec, generally only a caregiver already in Canada with valid work or study permit status can expect a work permit to be issued under this LMIA.
3. 3Register a CRA business number and payroll account if the household does not already have one.
4. 4Prepare a written employment contract with duties, hourly wage, and working conditions.
5. 5Advertise the position and conduct recruitment consistent with low-wage stream requirements.
6. 6Submit the LMIA application, including supporting documents for the fee waiver if applicable.
7. 7Upon a positive LMIA, the caregiver applies for an employer-specific work permit. The permit is employer-specific, so the caregiver cannot change employers without a new LMIA.

Where Most Applicants Go Wrong

• Caregiver is outside Canada and outside Quebec, where a work permit will generally not be issued under this LMIA regardless of a positive LMIA decision.
• Caregiver does not meet the training or experience requirement for the specific care category.
• Wage offered is below the regional prevailing rate for caregiving occupations.
• Employment contract is missing or does not reflect the actual working conditions.
• Employer's ability to pay is not demonstrated. Families must show income sufficient to pay the caregiver.
• Employer lacks a CRA business number or payroll account at the time of application.