Caregiver LMIA
Hire Temporary Foreign Worker for Your Critical Workforce Needs
In—home caregivers are vital professionals who provide compassionate care for children, elderly individuals, or persons with disabilities within private residences. This role is indispensable for families unable to provide constant care due to full—time employment or other commitments. With an aging population and increasing demand for childcare, the need for in—home caregivers is growing rapidly. Unfortunately, this sector faces a critical labor shortage, making recruitment challenging.
At Can X, we simplify hiring solutions, offering quick, affordable, and efficient workforce placement tailored to your needs. Whether you’re a family seeking in—home support or a business navigating recruitment complexity, our expertise ensures a smooth process every step of the way.
Why the Caregiver Workforce Is in Demand
Elderly Care Needs: Canada’s aging population has created an unprecedented demand for caregivers specializing in elderly care.
Childcare Support: Dual—income households increasingly rely on professional childcare.
Skilled Care: Caregivers for people with disabilities or chronic illnesses require specific training and expertise, which are in short supply domestically.
Key Benefits of Partnering with Us
Fast Track Processing: Our expertise ensures LMIA applications are processed efficiently, minimizing delays and helping you secure the caregiver you need promptly.
Cost Effective Solutions: We provide affordable options without compromising on quality, aligning with your budget while meeting all hiring requirements.
Comprehensive and Tailored Support: From LMIA application to work permit processing and caregiver onboarding, we offer customized solutions designed to address your household’s specific caregiving needs seamlessly.
Caregivers for Children
Families or individuals can apply under this category to take care of their children under 18 years of age. It could include positions such as childcare provider, live-in caregiver, and nanny (TEER 44100).
Caregivers for People with High Medical Needs
Families or individuals can apply under this category to take care of their elderly family members (parents) who are 65 years of age or over or with disabilities, a chronic or terminal illness. This category includes following positions:
- Registered nurse or registered psychiatric nurse (TEER 31301)
- Licensed practical nurse (TEER 32101)
- Attendant for persons with disabilities, home support worker, live-in caregiver, personal care attendant (TEER 44101).
Hiring a Foreign Caregiver: Understanding the CRA Business Number Requirement
Overview of Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) Business Number (BN): When Canadian families or individuals consider hiring a foreign caregiver, understanding the legal and tax implications is crucial. One of the primary steps involves obtaining a Business Number (BN) from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). This 15—digit identifier is essential for employers based in Canada, as it aids in tax-related matters and compliance with Canadian employment laws. Obtaining a BN is not just a formality but a necessary step in the hiring process. Here’s why you need it:
Advertising on Job Platforms: To advertise caregiver positions on the national Job Bank website or its provincial counterparts, you must meet initial registration requirements, for which a BN is necessary.
Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Application: A BN is a prerequisite for applying for a TFW, ensuring foreign caregivers are legally hired and registered.
Wage Payments and Legal Compliance: Employers use the BN to lawfully pay the caregiver’s wages, including vacation pay, and to make necessary legal deductions as prescribed by the TFW Program (TFWP).
Issuing Official Documents: A BN enables employers to issue necessary documents like pay stubs, T4 statements (remuneration paid), and Records of Employment (ROE).
How to Obtain a Business Number (BN)
Online Registration: The quickest method is using the CRA’s business registration online service.
Phone Registration: Employers can call the CRA’s business inquiries line at 1-800-959-5525. Prepare to answer the questions listed in the BN Form (RC1).
Mail or Fax: Complete the RC1 form and send it to the nearest tax services office.
Key Points for Employers
Sole Proprietors: If you already have a BN for other business activities, you can use it to hire a foreign caregiver. Remember to create a separate domestic account for this purpose.
Other Businesses: Companies cannot use an existing BN for hiring a foreign caregiver. They must obtain a new, separate BN for this purpose.
Multiple Employers: When multiple employers wish to hire a caregiver, only one BN is required for the process.
Essential Documentation and Requirements
Proof of Care Need: To hire a caregiver, you must demonstrate the need for care. Depending on who requires care, different documents are needed:
For Children Under 18: Provide a long-form birth certificate, adoption order, official guardianship document, or a medical note confirming pregnancy and due date.
For Seniors (65+): Submit a birth certificate, passport, or Old Age Security (OAS) identification card.
For Disabled or Ill Individuals: A completed medical certificate (Schedule H – EMP5600) or a physician’s note confirming the disability or illness is required.
Proof of Address: If the care recipient lives at a different address, proof of their address is needed. This can include a driver’s license, utility bill, bank statement, or government benefit statements like the Canada Pension Plan or OAS.
Financial Ability: Employers must demonstrate financial capability to pay wages to caregivers. This is assessed using Statistics Canada’s Low-Income Cut-Offs (LICO). Submit your most recent Notice of Assessment (NOA) from the CRA. Note: NOAs from previous years are not accepted. In certain cases, paystubs or bank statements can be submitted.
Transportation Costs: Employers must cover caregiver transportation costs, including travel to Canada and local transportation. These costs should be paid upfront and cannot be recovered by the caregiver.
Housing Requirements: If a live-in arrangement is agreed upon, the caregiver must have a private, furnished bedroom with a lock and safety bolt. The room should meet health and building standards. No charges for room and board are allowed under the TFWP.
Health and Workplace Safety: Employers must provide private health insurance covering emergency care during periods when provincial/territorial health insurance is not available to the caregiver. Additionally, workplace safety insurance from the provincial/territorial provider is required.
Ministerial Instruction: Note that applications for hiring caregivers exclusively on a live-in basis may be refused based on Ministerial Instructions effective December 1, 2014.
Key Points to Know
Flexible Living Options: Live-in caregivers in Canada can choose to live outside their employer’s home, offering greater flexibility for both parties.
LMIA Fee: Employers hiring foreign caregivers for home-based medical care are exempt from the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) application fee. Also, families earning under $150,000 annually qualify for a fee exemption when hiring foreign caregivers for children under 13 years.
Who may apply for a Work Permit: An applicant seeking a work permit as a caregiver must be a student or worker and residing in Canada at the time of application.
Ready to Simplify Your LMIA Process
For over a decade, Can X have been a trusted partner for businesses across Canada, offering fast, affordable, and reliable LMIA solutions. From eligibility assessments to crafting compliant job postings, preparing detailed LMIA applications, and representing you with ESDC, our expert team ensures every step is handled with precision and care. We understand the challenges of the LMIA process and are here to simplify it, helping your business secure the talent it needs to succeed. Contact us today to start your seamless LMIA application journey.
FAQs for In-Home Caregiver LMIA
No (except Québec), but you can use the Home Childcare Provider Pilot or Home Support Worker Pilot programs for overseas sponsorship.
Families hiring caregivers for medical care are exempt from the LMIA fee if they provide care for children under 18, seniors over 65, or persons with certified medical needs.
Live-in caregivers in Canada can choose to live inside or outside their employer’s home.
Depending on the care recipient, documents like birth certificates, medical certificates, or official guardianship documents are needed.
A private, furnished bedroom with a lock, meeting health and building standards, is required without charges for room and board.
Yes, applications for live-in only positions may be refused as per Ministerial Instructions effective December 1, 2014.
Yes, employers must provide workplace safety insurance from provincial/territorial providers.
No, use the Home Childcare Provider Pilot or Home Support Worker Pilot for overseas sponsorship.
The specific income level required on the NOA for an LMIA application isn’t fixed. It varies based on factors like the number of family members, location, and the caregiver’s salary. Generally, the employer must meet or exceed the Low-Income Cut-Offs (LICO) as defined by Statistics Canada for their family size and geographical area.
Yes, foreign caregivers may be required to meet certain language proficiency levels in English or French.
No, the applicant must be a student or worker in Canada.
Employers can register online, call the CRA, or send a completed RC1 form by mail or fax.
The categories are Caregivers for children (TEER 44100) and Caregivers for people with high medical needs (TEER 31301, 32101, 44101).
Yes, employers must cover all transportation costs to Canada and local travel, paid upfront.
Yes, private health insurance covering emergency care is necessary until provincial/territorial health insurance is available.
Employers must submit their most recent Notice of Assessment (NOA) from the CRA or, in some cases, paytubs or bank statements.
Yes! When multiple employers wish to hire a caregiver, only one BN is required for the process.
Yes, if you’ve worked full-time as a caregiver in Canada for 12 months or more in the last 36 months, you can apply to the Direct to Permanent Residence category.
Yes, you can combine your income with your spouse’s income when calculating the total income shown on the Notice of Assessment (NOA) for an LMIA application. This joint income should meet or exceed the Low-Income Cut-Offs (LICO) as per family size and location.
Under certain conditions, caregivers may be eligible to bring their dependents to Canada, either by accompanying them on their initial entry or sponsoring them after obtaining a work permit.
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