In a significant shift in Canadian immigration policy, the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has officially announced that one of its immigration pilot programs will not accept fresh applications.

The Home Care Worker immigration pilot program, which was deemed as one of the pathways to securing permanent residency status in Canada, will not reopen and be put on hold from March 2026.

What is the Home Care Worker immigration Pilot program?

The Home Care Worker Immigration Pilot program was introduced as part of Canada’s federal efforts to meet a growing need for skilled caregivers across the country while offering a direct route to permanent residency for eligible foreign workers.

Applicants had to possess a job offer in home care or child care, meet minimum education and language requirements, and demonstrate relevant work experience or training to qualify for it, according to CIC News. They must also meet language proficiency requirements in English or French to be eligible to immigrate under this program.

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What happens to the existing applications under this program?

The IRCC has confirmed that it will continue to process applications received to date, in line with the immigration levels plan.

Explaining its decisions to pause further applications, the IRCC said that while the move may seem disappointing to prospective applicants and their families, it will help prevent further inventory growth and help bring immigration back to sustainable levels. Any future updates on the program will be shared publicly.

Canada has also cancelled another visa program

Along with the Home Care Worker program, the country has also put another initiative which aided economic immigration on hold. Launched in 2013, the Start-Up Visa program was meant to attract international entrepreneurs and their ideas to build innovative and fast-growing business start-ups in the country by offering prospective immigrants work permits and a route to permanent residence. In turn, Canada would get jobs and a boost to its economy.

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“Canada now has no innovative business program,” Toronto immigration lawyer Stephen Green was quoted as saying by Toronto Star.

“All other countries are going to take tremendous advantage of this because start-ups can’t come to Canada and they’re going to go to other places. Canada is going to suffer from an economic standpoint,” Green added.