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Canada Closes HCWP Stream for Caregivers Abroad. Are there any New Pathways to apply?

The Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots (HCWP) was first launched on March 31, 2025, as a pathway for home care workers to apply for permanent residency in Canada. The HCWP program has two major streams: the Workers in Canada stream and the Applicants Not Working in Canada stream. While the program initially replaced two pilot programs, the Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot programs, the “applicants not working in Canada” under HCWP has now officially been closed as of September 29, 2025. Some of the main reasons for the closure of this PR pathway are said to be the excessive number of applications, pending backlogs, and the overall application submissions exceeding the initial planned intake. While this can be disheartening, Caregivers looking to migrate to Canada can apply for PR through alternate pathways such as the Express Entry program, Provincial Nominee program (PNP), or by applying for a work permit via LMIA.

*Want to check your eligibility to Canada? Use the Y-Axis Canada CRS Score Calculator to get instant results for FREE!!
 

What are the alternate pathways for caregivers abroad?

While the Home Care Worker Immigration pilots (HCWP) officially closed on September 29, 2025, skilled workers seeking to work in home support or home child care can still migrate to Canada through alternative immigration pathways.

Some of the pathways through which skilled care workers abroad can apply for permanent residence in Canada are as follows:

Express Entry

Caregivers in job roles that fall under the NOC code 33102 (Nurse Aides, orderlies, and patient service associates) can apply for PR through the Express Entry program. Express Entry regularly holds category-based draws, and those belonging to NOC code 33102 may qualify for the Healthcare-targeted Express Entry Draws.

Given below is an example of Sharon, who is a nurse aide applying through the Express Entry program:

 

Name	Sharon
Age	29
Occupation	(NOC 33102) Nurse aide, orderly, patient service associate
Education	3-year Nursing Diploma from India
Work experience	3 years (full-time) in a private hospital in India
Language	IELTS General = CLB 8 (Listening 7.5, Reading 7, Writing 7, Speaking 7)
Canadian experience	NA

 

Here’s how Sharon can apply for Express Entry as a nurse aide:

Step 1: Check NOC eligibility.

NOC 33102 is eligible for category-based Express Entry Draws under the healthcare occupations category. Sharon’s job role, which is that of a Nurse Aide, falls under NOC 33102; this takes her to the next step.

Step 2: Getting the credentials recognized.

Sharon completes the process of having her credentials recognized by a registered Educational Credential Assessment (ECA). Having your credentials verified by an ECA is equivalent to holding a post-secondary diploma in Canada.

Step 3:  Language proficiency test

Sharon takes the IELTS General Training test and scores (Listening 7.5, Reading 7, Writing 7, Speaking 7), which equates to a CLB Level 7+, the minimum eligibility for Express Entry.

Step 4: Creating an Express Entry profile

Sharon logs in to the official IRCC Express Entry portal and creates an Express Entry profile. Calculating her scores, which are:

[Age: 110 + Education: 98 + Language: 112 + Work experience: 50 = 470]

Sharon scores an overall CRS score of 470, which is a good score for Healthcare Express Entry Draws.

Step 5: Receiving an ITA (Invitation to Apply)

Sharon receives an ITA for Canada PR if a healthcare category-based Express Entry Draw has a CRS score of around 470.

Step 6: PR application submission

Sharon then uploads all the required documents and completes the application fee payment. The application, once submitted, can take up to 6-12 months to be processed.

Despite the suspension of the HCWP stream, Sharon qualified through the Express Entry program, as her occupation is listed in the eligible NOC (33102). She has a good IELTS score, has had her ECA, and her overall CRS score matched the minimum cut-off CRS score in the draw.

*Want to apply for Express Entry? Let experts at Y-Axis guide you with the process.

Canada PNP

Canadian provinces regularly conduct PNP draws, welcoming caregivers through PNP immigration pathways. The Canada PNP is another great alternative for caregivers, as it provides a direct PR pathway and is comparatively more flexible. Provinces such as Ontario, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, and Manitoba have a huge demand for caregivers, healthcare workers, and home support roles.

The table below has the list of Canadian PNP programs that have a huge demand for caregivers:

 

Program	Stream
Manitoba	Skilled Worker Overseas
Ontario	Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker Stream
New Brunswick	Critical Worker Pilot / Priority Occupations
Newfoundland and Labrador	Skilled Worker Stream

 

You can follow the steps below to apply through Canada PNP:

Step 1: Check your eligibility (Must be NOC 33102)

Step 2: Get a valid job offer from a registered Canadian employer (the job offer must be relevant to your job role)

Step 3: Submit an EOI (Expression of Interest) to the PNP program of your choice.

Step 4: Upon eligibility, you will receive a provincial nomination certificate

Step 5: Apply for Canada PR through the base PNP or enhanced PNP
 

*Want to apply for Canada PNP? Let Y-Axis guide you with the steps.
 

Why was the HCWP Stream closed?

The HCWP (Home Care Worker Immigration Pilot) stream was officially closed on September 29, 2025. While no official reasons were announced, several factors may have contributed to this decision, including exceptionally high application volumes, high demand, and pending backlogs.

 

Here’s why the HCWP stream was closed in September 2025, just 6 months after it was launched:

• Each of the HCWP streams had a cap of 2,750 applications for 2025, and both streams were filled within a few hours after their launch.
• There was a huge demand from caregivers abroad, registering an exceeding number of applications.
• While the HCWP was a replacement for the previous pilot programs, it came with stricter resources.
• There are numerous pending backlogs, with recent reports suggesting that at least 34,400 caregiver applications are currently pending and yet to be processed, of which only 14% are expected to be processed. 

 

*Are you looking for step-by-step assistance in applying for Canadian immigration? Contact Y-Axis, the world’s No. 1 overseas immigration consultancy, for end-to-end assistance!

Why increase your IELTS score?

• Preparing for it makes you highly proficient in English.
• Crucial to get admission to a prestigious university abroad.
• IELTS is a very highly rated English language test that is recognized globally by universities & organizations
• A high band score on IELTS betters your career prospects in your home country too.
• Overseas immigration bodies recognize its reputation.

How to use your mobile to increase your IELTS score?

According to the official IELTS Guide for Teachers, test passages for IELTS Academic Reading are picked from books, newspapers, magazines, and journals. They are based mostly on academic topics that interest most people. They are selected for a non-professional audience. It implies that to excel in IELTS Reading, and you need to read widely on subjects of topical interest.

With your mobile phone, you can read most major English-language newspapers worldwide. The advantage is that with a mobile phone, you can access it while commuting, relaxing, or lying down. You need only ten to 15 minutes to read an article, preparing for the IELTS

Reading tests casually.

For instance, you can go through articles in a newspaper that appeal to you. If politics interest you, go through the articles related to it. Likewise, opt for two or three areas related to travel, sports, technology, arts, health, science, and films. Make it a task to read one article every day.

When preparing for IELTS Reading practice, concentrate on how articles are structured. Ask yourself the theme of each paragraph. Notice when the writer makes use of tough words. Search for their meanings online and keep improving your vocabulary on a daily basis.

Practice in the same way for IELTS Listening practice.

Listen to voiceovers on top-rated channels such as CNN, BBC, NBC, etc. Focus on programs that interest you, notice how the shows are organized, and note words you don’t know the meaning of and look for their meanings later. Similarly, podcasts, entertainment programs, and movies also help train your listening skills.

Focus on vocabulary

Concentrate on making vocabulary lists from all the articles you go through. Certain words may fascinate you. For instance, IELTS has a list of the most used words like dissonance, brusque, erudite, lucid, etc. Go through their meanings and try to understand how these words are used in sentences so that you can learn new words surrounding them.

Try to use the dictionary as much as possible. You may forget the meanings of words you may have looked up in the dictionary. Look them in the dictionary again. Try to form sentences with them. If you focus on topics of difference each day, you could learn five to seven words each day. This is the key to improving your vocabulary.

Seek advice from IELTS experts

When you prepare for an important test, like IELTS, you need to go through blog posts. When you are not going through an IELTS preparation book, you may remember the pieces of advice you may have gotten from your teacher or from any other source.

*Just ping a ME to Y-Axis! Our IELTS coaching experts will guide you in the right path.

Keep track of your current IELTS band

Keep track of your existing IELTS level. You need to identify your strengths and flaws to be able to prepare well for the IELTS exam. Do not fall into the trap of focusing on areas you like and are your strengths. As per research, no matter how difficult it is, you need to focus on improving in areas that you are uncomfortable with.

Begin your IELTS preparation by checking out the IELTS Score Calculator. Follow the instructions given in it, which will notify you of your existing level in IELTS Listening and Reading. You can follow a similar process in the IELTS Speaking and IELTS Writing tests so that you improve your capability when you are ready to take the real IELTS test.

Come up with a timetable for IELTS preparation by using the results in the process mentioned above. Allot time by identifying your strengths and drawbacks in different areas. If you excel at speaking but are founding wanting in reading, ensure that in your schedule, you devote more time to reading. Do not fail to follow the timetable. If you can do so, you can prepare for IELTS in just a month’s time by sticking to the schedule.

Y-Axis offers expert guidance on all the components of IELTS coaching, listening, writing, speaking and reading.