Canada Closes Its Home Care Worker Immigration Pilot For International Applicants

What Is The Canada Home Care Worker Immigration Pilot (HCWP)?

Canada’s Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has officially closed the international stream of its Home Care Worker Immigration Pilot (HCWP), leaving many prospective applicants abroad in limbo.

The HCWP was launched on March 31, 2025, and introduced two new immigration streams aimed at addressing Canada's growing demand for skilled care workers:

• The Home Care Worker Immigration Pilot: Child Care

• The Home Care Worker Immigration Pilot: Home Support

These pilots were designed to provide a pathway to permanent residence for caregivers who met eligibility requirements. However, the 2025 intake initially accepted only workers already residing in Canada, with the international stream set to open at a later date. Unfortunately, that day never came.

What Is Happening To The HCWP?

On September 29, 2025, IRCC closed the international applicant stream without ever accepting a single application. No formal reason was provided for this abrupt move, but IRCC’s internal data may provide some clues. According to IRCC's Minister Transition Binder, there was already a massive backlog of caregiver applications. As of September 11, 2025, there were 34,400 applications in processing. Despite this high number, IRCC planned to process only 4,816 caregiver applications this year — around 14% of the total.

From January to September 2025, 4,200 new permanent residents were admitted through caregiver programs, meaning IRCC only intends to process about 600 more applications by year’s end. The HCWP alone was expected to admit just 2,750 caregivers from within Canada — a figure far below the demand.

IRCC Backlogs And Quotas

The overwhelming backlog and IRCC’s limited processing capacity appear to be the key drivers behind this decision. These issues are not unique to the caregiver stream — delays, shifting priorities, and reduced processing quotas have affected several immigration programs this year.

Another likely reason is IRCC’s increasing focus on transitioning temporary residents already in Canada to permanent status. Caregivers with Canadian work experience are being prioritized, further sidelining international applicants.

Though there has been talk of opening the international stream in future years, there is currently no confirmed date, leaving many would-be applicants uncertain about their prospects.

For now, hopeful caregivers outside Canada must wait and watch as the IRCC manages its backlog and redefines its priorities in the ever-shifting landscape of Canadian immigration.

How Ayodele Law Can Help

There are still other immigration options for international caregivers such as the Provincial Nominee Program or immigration through express entry for eligible workers in the healthcare and social service category.

Ayodele Law can help in finding the most viable option for your immigration journey and assisting with your application.

📞 Contact us today for a consultation and find out how we can help.