Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced that it is pausing the intake of new applications for the Home Care Worker Immigration pilots until further notice.
This decision is part of Canada’s 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan, which aims to make the immigration system more responsive to Canada’s real labour needs and to keep immigration at sustainable levels.
Why is the program paused?
The Home Care Worker pilots have been very popular. Many home care workers who support children, seniors, and people with disabilities have already applied for permanent residence through these pilots.
However, the number of applications has been much higher than the available spaces, which has caused long processing times.
To focus on processing the applications already received, IRCC has decided to stop accepting new applications for now.
As a result:
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The pilots will NOT re-open in March 2026, as previously planned.
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IRCC will continue processing all applications already submitted, according to the Immigration Levels Plan.
About the Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots
This program started in 2025 and included two pilot streams:
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Home Care Worker Immigration Pilot: Child Care
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Home Care Worker Immigration Pilot: Home Support
The original plan was to accept 15,000 applications in total across 2025 and 2026:
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About half were accepted in March 2025, mainly for applicants inside Canada
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The remaining spots were expected to open in March 2026
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This second intake is now paused
Impact on workers and families
This announcement is very disappointing for many people:
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Many home care workers were waiting to apply
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Many families hoped to extend job offers so they could get care for their children, elderly parents, or adults with disabilities
IRCC has stated that this pause is necessary to avoid a growing backlog and to support long-term planning for Canada’s immigration system.
What’s next?
IRCC says that any future updates about this program will be shared publicly. No date has been given for when, or if, the intake will re-open.
This pause shows that new changes are coming to Canadian immigration, and programs can change quickly based on demand and government priorities.
If you are affected by this change, it is important to stay informed and explore other immigration or work permit options that may still be available.
We will continue to share updates as soon as new information is released.