Because of the very high demand for migrant domestic workers (also known as maids or nannies) in Canada there is no doubt why there are many nanny jobs for foreigners to apply to work in Canada.
If you are a home child care provider, nanny or maid, there is no cause for alarm for whether or not you can go to Canada to work as a foreigner. The increasing demand for home child care providers makes the immigration process quite easy for anyone who would like to move to Canada as a nanny from outside Canada and meets all the requirements.
What's Covered in This Article
How to apply for a job in Canada as child care provider/nanny/maid
To find a job in Canada as a child care provider, nanny, or maid, you will first have to confirm the National Occupation Classification (NOC) of this job.
NOC is basically the way in which jobs in Canada are grouped depending on the requirements, the kind of work one does, and the duties they will be engaged in. For immigration purposes, the main skill levels are:
TEER categories and examples of jobs
| TEER | Occupation types | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| TEER 0 | Management occupations | Advertising, marketing and public relations managers Financial managers |
| TEER 1 | Occupations that usually require a university degree | Financial advisors Software engineers |
| TEER 2 | Occupations that usually require
|
Computer network and web technicians Medical laboratory technologists |
| TEER 3 | Occupations that usually require
|
Bakers Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants |
| TEER 4 | Occupations that usually require
|
Home child care providers Retail salespersons and visual merchandisers |
| TEER 5 | Occupations that usually need short-term work demonstration and no formal education | Landscaping and grounds maintenance labourers Delivery service drivers and door-to-door distributors |
For those who want to move to Canada or immigrate to Canada as a child care provider, nanny, or maid, the NOC code is 44100 and the skill level is Teer 4.
Minimum requirements to move to Canada as a babysitter, nanny, parents’ helpers, child care provider, maid include:
- Have at least six months of post-high school in-classroom training in child care; or at least one year of full-time paid work experience as a caregiver or role in a related field or occupation.
- (In the last 36 months, you’ve worked full-time as a caregiver in Canada for a total of 24 months or more); or a valid job offer from a Canadian employer to work in any one of the above occupations. The job must be a full-time position wherein you work a minimum of 30 hours per week.
- Must have completed equivalent of Canadian high school/secondary school education.
- Completed Canadian one-year post-secondary educational credential or equivalent non-Canadian educational credential.
- English and/or French language proficiency skills for all four language skill areas (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) as set out in the Canadian Language Benchmarks or the Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens.
- Your CLB test results must be at least benchmark level 5
- Results must be less than two years old at the time that IRCC receives your application.
- Demonstrated ability to successfully do the work as set out in the occupational descriptions of the National Occupational Classification (NOC). .
- First aid certification and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training is an added advantage.
In addition to the above qualifications, your age, English and/or French language proficiency skills, can help boost your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points that determines whether you can move to Canada or not.
Once you have identified your NOC code as a home child care provider and confirmed possession of all the above requirements, you can then process your Canada Permanent Residence and move to Canada under any one of the following programs:
- you may be able to come to Canada as a provincial nominee,
- you may be able to come to Canada through the Atlantic Immigration Pilot, or
- you may be able to work in Canada temporarily for up to two years then later apply for Canada PR.
All these three programs use the CRS point-based system and if you’re lucky to get the Invitation to Apply (ITA), your Canadian Permanent Residence application can be processed 6 to 12 months.
Through any one of the above 3 streams, you can apply to come to Canada as a nanny/child care provider through any one of the below programs:
1. Home Child Care Provider Pilot
The child being cared for must be under 18 years of age and cared for in the nanny’s own home or nanny’s employer’s home but nanny does not have to live in the employer’s home.
2. Home Support Worker Pilot
The person being cared for may be cared for in caregiver’s own home or in caregiver employer’s home but caregiver does not have to live in the employer’s home.
As a home child care provider, your main duty include looking after your employer’s children. You may however be required to help out with light household chores.
Steps to permanent residency in Canada as nanny/child care provider
Step 1: Gather your documents:
- Document Checklist – Home Child Care Provider or Home Support Worker [IMM 5981] (PDF, 3.39 MB)
- Generic Application Form for Canada [IMM 0008] (PDF, 652 KB)
- Application For a Work Permit Made Outside of Canada [IMM 1295] (PDF, 465.84 KB)
- Additional Dependants/Declaration [IMM 0008DEP] (PDF, 424.19 KB)
- Schedule A – Background/Declaration [IMM 5669] (PDF, 776.39 KB)
- Schedule 19a – Home Child Care Provider or Home Support Worker – Education and Language Assessment [IMM 5982] (PDF, 2.26 MB)
- Submit original results of one of the following language tests designated by IRCC with your application:
English
- IELTS: International English Language Testing System (General Training test only)
- CELPIP: Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (General test only)
French
- Submit original results of one of the following language tests designated by IRCC with your application:
- Offer of Employment Form [IMM 5983] (PDF, 2.18 MB)or Proof of qualifying Canadian work experience
- For the Home Child Care Provider Pilot you must have provided in-home care to children under the age of 18 in an occupation listed under NOC 44100, other than a foster parent.
- For the Home Support Worker Pilot, you must have provided in-home care to adult(s) in an occupation listed under NOC 4412, other than as a housekeeper.
- Additional Family Information [IMM 5406] (PDF, 570 KB)
- Supplementary Information – Your Travels [IMM 5562] (PDF, 1.76 MB)
- Passport copy
- Proof of language proficiency.
- Proof of Canadian one-year post-secondary educational credential or equivalent non-Canadian educational credential AND an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report issued by an organization designated by IRCC, if your educational credential was obtained outside Canada.
- Original police certificate of good conduct and clearances.
- For specific and up-to-date information, see this guide on where to get a police certificate.
- Medical examination
- Proof of ability to perform the work e.g. previous work experience, relevant training certificates, etc.
- Two photos of yourself and for each member of your family whether accompanying or not.
- Application For a Work Permit Made Outside of Canada [IMM 1295] (PDF, 465.84 KB)
- The following form must be filled out and submitted for any spouse, partner, or dependent child who is applying for a study permit.
Step 2: Get a valid job offer
You need a genuine and valid job offer that meets all of the following requirements:
- The job offer was made using the Offer of Employment form [IMM 5983] (PDF, 2.18 MB) for you to sign and include in your application.
- Is genuine and likely to be valid when you are issued your work permit
- The job offer was made by a single Canadian employer (excluding an embassy, high commission or consulate) for a position outside the province of Quebec
- The job must be non-seasonal and for full-time employment, meaning you’ll work at least 30 paid hours per week
- The job must be in a NOC 4411 (Home child care provider) or NOC 4412 (Home support worker) occupation, depending on which pilot you apply for.
Step 3: Obtain your occupation-restricted open work permit
If you meet the permanent residence eligibility criteria (i.e. education, official language, offer of employment and ability to perform the work) to qualify for either the Home Child Care Provider Pilot or the Home Support Worker Pilot and you are admissible to Canada, you will be issued an occupation-restricted open work permit so that you can acquire your eligible Canadian work experience.
Once you immigrate to Canada under the home child care program, you could be engaged in any one of the following job titles for NOC 44100 – Home child care providers
- Au pair
- Au pair girl
- Babysitter
- Babysitter – fitness centre
- Babysitter – shopping centre
- Babysitting caregiver
- Child care live-in caregiver
- Child care provider – private home
- Child caregiver – private home
- Child minder
- Children’s guardian
- Family child care provider
- Foster father
- Foster mother
- Foster parent
- Governess – child care
- Home child care provider
- Kinship care provider
- Kinship caregiver
- Live-in nanny
- Nanny
- Parent’s helper
