Before the last election, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney proposed significant changes to the live in caregiver program and caregiver groups were in overwhelming support. Promises of no second medical, over-time accruement towards faster completion, no recruitment fees, flights paid, health insurance, and most importantly of all, faster Permanent Residence processing times. In the following video at Caregivers One Special Day, Kenney reiterates many of those promises:

Jason Kenney speaking at Caregivers One Special Day

Unfortunately relatively few benefits discussed were adhered to.

Ironically, it is 16 months later and processing time are also 16 months for open permits, up from 6 months previously. Add on another 16 months minimum to get final Permanent Residence. This may seem like a natural consequence of our immigration backlog, but there are some serious priorities being misplaced when you consider the detrimental effects these inflated times are having on both the employees and our country.

For one, Kenney and Citizenship and Immigration (CIC) are forcing additional illegal work in Canada by putting caregivers in limbo while they wait for LMOs and work permits after already being admitted to the program, and also when they finish the program until they get their open permits and PR. Currently, it takes up to 4 months to get an LMO and work permit on a simple employer change or up to 6 months on a renewal with the sample employer. Remember, these are caregivers who have already been admitted to and are working in Canada. LCP members are constantly waiting and they are expected to wait up to 4 months with no salary and potentially no OHIP. If they let LCP lapse when waiting for open, they can be without a job if they are laid off their last job and without OHIP for over a year if they aren’t made aware of work arounds, mentioned by in a previous post.

The fact remains that nobody making minimum wage less room and board can afford to be without work for 4 months when they are supporting whole families abroad. Nobody can control them from taking cash jobs desperately, no matter what we tell employers or the caregivers. CIC can instantly fix this by giving implied status to caregivers who have received a positive LMO. The work permit renewal is an unnecessary delay which clogs government offices and incites illegal employment. We can only advise on the laws to a degree.

So not only are caregivers and families forced to break the law in dire situations, nannies are worrying constantly about their papers. This ultimately affects job performance and the quality of care our vulnerable persons are receiving.

Speaking of those we care for, what about the families of the caregivers? It can be years until they see their loved ones. 24 months in the program, 16 months for open work permit, minimum 16 months for PR.. We are talking 56+ months for family reunification if there absolutely no delays, and most are completing the initial program in up to 4 years because they are caught in changing jobs multiple times.

We have a few suggestions that might alleviate these problems:

- Give caregivers implied status with new employers once they receive an LMO and use the work permit transfer as a formality. This will cut down on illegal cash employment by cutting wait time down to 1 month instead of 3.

- Allow caregivers to have implied open status to change employers after the open permit is applied for. They wont have to work for cash as employers don’t have to worry about remitting taxes. Government gets more tax dollars, nobody is breaking the law and workers have less worries.

- Provide fast track open permit to spouse and Temporary Resident Visas to minor children conditional upon open permit being issued to the caregiver. Let the family come here for the last 16 to 18 months of processing if the caregiver has been approved in principal. We already know they are in good health and don’t have criminal convictions internationally and the family members’ status can be revoked if necessary.

Let’s be honest; the caregiver program changes really hit employers in the pocket books and sent shockwaves through the agency industry, but the caregivers are still royally being screwed here even though they were made extravagant promises. We have our families here, we can change jobs freely.. They can’t.

I urge you all to contact your local MP and voice your distaste for what has gone on here and continues to affect one of our most important assets: the people who care for the loved ones we don’t have all the time to take of.

Ian Minton
Business Manager
Execu-Nannies Inc.