What is Live-In Caregiver? (nanny)
A live-in Caregiver is a person who provide continuous full time unsupervised care for children, the elderly or persons with disabilities in a single private household.
Canada faces shortage of Live-In Caregivers
At the start of this new century Canada faces significant aging of its population as the proportion of seniors increases more rapidly than other age. In 2003, an estimated 4.6 million Canadian were 65 years of age or older, a number that is expected to double in the next 25 years. Nowadays, it is recognized that there exists a labor market need for live-in caregivers and that there is a shortage of Canadians or permanent residents willing to provide live-in care work to fill these positions. In respond to this need, the Live-in Caregiver Program was established to facilitate the entry to Canada of foreign live-in caregivers.
What is the eligibility criteria for Live-In caregivers?
To be eligible to apply under the Live-In caregiver program, the applicant must meet the following conditions:
Education:
The applicants for LCP must have successfully completed equivalent of Canadian secondary school, that is equal to 72 credits of post secondary education.
Training & Experience:
Candidates for LCP wishing to work as live-in caregivers must satisfy Training & Experience requirements:
- have completed professional program at the accredited by local educational authorities training center. The course itself has to be relevant to the required position and meet Canadian requirements for caregivers.
- have acquired at least six months of experience in an institutional setting (day care, crèche, hospital, senior citizens’ home, etc.)
- have received at least six months of full time training on average 25 to 30 hours per week at a vocational school in early childhood education, geriatric care, pediatric or geriatric nursing.
Working experience:
The applicant’s work experience has to be at least one year or more of full time and paid employment. It must include at least six month of continuous employment with the same employer. This work experience must have been obtain within three years prior to the day a candidate submits the application for a work permit.
Language:
Candidate must be able to speak, read and understand either English or French at a level that allows them to function independently in a home setting as well as outside of residence.