AL. Caregivers Live-in facility

A Live-in caregiver is a qualified caregiver who lives in the employer's home to fulfill the need for live-in care work. A Live out caregiver is the person that comes to the care recipient’s home. A nanny is a Live in caregiver, whereas a companion caregiver can be Live in or Live out. A housekeeping caregiver might also be living in or living out.

Job Guidelines

The job is usually a full time one. Overseas live-in caregivers are paid on the basis of current minimum wage of the province they are residing in. The Live in caregivers are available for emergency care, babysitting, taking care of the elderly and persons with disabilities. The employer generally provides these caregivers with a private furnished room and meal facilities. In childcare positions, the caregiver is solely responsible for the child’s/children’s well being in the absence of the parents. The caregiver is also responsible for light housekeeping, house cleaning and meal preparation. In elderly or disabled care positions caregiver is expected to assist all the daily tasks including special care.

Holidays and Leave entitlements

The caregiver is entitled to two full days off per week. These need not be consecutive days or weekends. He/she should be compensated for working beyond stipulated time either by allowing compensatory off or overtime pays as per the Employment Standards Act. The caregiver is also entitled to statutory holidays after 30 days of employment and at least 15 days worked. He/she is entitled to 4% holiday pay or 2 weeks paid leave after one full year of employment.

Medical Coverage

Foreign caregivers are entitled to medical coverage after they have been in Canada for 90 days. It is not the responsibility of the employer to pay medical expense prior to the 90 days.

Employing foreign live-in caregivers in Canada is quite common for a family for childcare, or elderly or disabled relatives. The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act includes special guidelines for the hiring of live-in caregivers in Canada. Meeting the Citizenship and Immigration Canada's requirements for language, education and work skills are necessary to function in the Canadian labour market. A live-in caregiver cannot however take up multiple jobs i.e. work for more than one employer at the same time or work for a health care agency or labour contractors, or in day care or foster care.

Formalities for immigration to Canada

1. Submit the LCP application for a labour market opinion (LMO) to the Service Canada Centre responsible for your area.

2. For some states, employers must meet additional Criteria – Like The province of British Columbia or Quebec.

3. After HRSDC approval, a copy of the HRSDC confirmation letter and a copy of the LCP employer-employee contract have to be sent.

4. Apply for a work permit from Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC).

Lastly, CIC decides whether the foreign live-in caregiver will get a work permit according to the requirements to work and reside temporarily in Canada

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