Liberals launch 2 new immigration pilots for foreign caregivers

The Liberal government is launchingnew pilots for foreign caregiversto replace existing programs that have been harshly criticized for keeping nannies trapped in abusive workplaces and apart from their families.

Immigration MinisterAhmedHussenis announcing two new five-year initiatives today that will allow caregivers to bring family members with them to Canada, and make it easier for them to becomepermanent residents.

"Caregivers provide care to families in Canada that need it, and it's time for Canada to care for them in return," Hussen said in a statement. "We are providing them with both the opportunity to bring their family members hereand access (to) permanent residency to demonstrate our commitment."

Hussenis announcing details of the pilot projectsduring an event at the Neighbourhood Organization in Toronto today.

Under the new pilots:

• Applicants will be assessed for permanent residence eligibility before they start working in Canada. After they have a work permit and two years' work experience, they can have a "direct pathway" to permanent residency.
• Caregivers will be granted occupation-specific work permits, allowing them to change jobs quickly when necessary.
• Spouses and common-law partners will be allowed open work permits and dependent children will be allowed study permits so caregivers'familiescan come with them to Canada.

A total of 5,500 principal applicants will be permitted annually, and family memberswill not count toward the cap.

A news release from Hussen's office said the existing foreign caregiver pilotprograms, which were brought in under the previous Conservative government in 2014 and are set to expire this November, were "ineffective."

Last fall, a national coalition of caregiver advocacy groups called the system "fundamentally flawed"and pushed for reforms that would improve working conditions and allow caregivers to stay with their families. They said the 2014 regime extendedthe legal basis for exploiting caregivers.

Abusive work environments

A report published at the time by the coalitionrecounted stories of foreign caregiversstrugglingwith family separations, difficult and sometimes abusive work environments and a complex bureaucracy.

"Our domestic work, child-rearing and elderly care are all fundamental needs in the labour market and critical to the well-being of a growing and aging population. Yet we do this work from a position of precariousness that is created by Canada's immigration and labour laws," the report reads.

Caregivers have temporary work permits that tie them to one employer. That compels them towork with the employer named on those permits and makes it difficult for themto leave a bad workplace situation, the report said.

The report also outlined the impact temporary status has on the lives of many workers.

"This temporariness has led to profoundly damaging and lasting impacts on the physical and mental health of caregivers and our families. Years of family separation can cause intergenerational conflicts between care workers and our children as well as family breakdown," it reads.