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  „Au-pair" in Canada

The au-pair activity in Canada is different from the au-pair activity in Europe. Since 1992 Canada offers "Live in Caregiver" program / "Programme concernant les aides familiaux résidants".

Candidates should have a confirmation of education or good professional skills in the nursing area. You can receive more information in the government authority of Citizenship and immigration Canada / Citoyenneté et immigration Canada (www.cic.gc.ca).

Because Live-in Caregiver asks for essential costs from the host family and because of long bureaucratic process, a lot of host families are not ready to take an au-pair from abroad. The Canadian families should prove that they could not find any Canadian employee suitable for them.

Entry and stay formalities:

First of all, a host family should apply to the authorized Canada Employment Centre or Centre dÉmploi du Canada (CEC) for a family helper activity:

Service Canada, Temporary Foreign Worker Program, P.O. Box 6500,
Toronto LCD, Downsview A, Toronto ON M3M 3K4,
F. 001 8667206094
Employment Center issues a labour market certificate (labour market opinion). There it is checked if there is no candidate, who is a foreigner resident in Canada or other person who is suitable for work. Besides, the qualification of the candidate is also checked. If the AUTHORITY gives its approval (Confirmation of Offer of Employment), then there is vacancy suitability. After that, Canadian embassy checks the condidate's professional skills and health.  If the positive answer is given, the candidate receives the work permit (Employment Authorization or Permis de travail). However, the work permit does not allow you to enter Canada: depending on the candidate‘s country international passport or visitor's visa is necessary.

In Canada it is possible to change the family, but for that the candidate should register at the authorized department (CEC) and continue working officially.

Conditions:

Age: 18 - 30 years old, single and without children
Stay period: 1 year with the possibility of lengthening for till 2 years. At the end of the 2nd year you can apply for the residence permit and work permit.
Language knowledge: Certificate about knowlege of English or French.
Languages of the country: English und French are the official languages-15 millions of the Canadians consider English as their mother tongue, for six millions it is French, and three millions have other languages as their first ones.  
Professional skills:  Pedagogic or household (e.g., educator, nurse, kindergartner, sick nurse, and etc.). A candidate should have experience in hausehalt or child care (confirmed by a certificate or reference).

Other conditions:

- Finished school education which is equal to the 12-year-old school education in Canada
- Driving license is almost always preferable.

Work conditions:

The Live-in Caregiver is responsible for the child care or other people needed care.
Work time: 40 -48 hours per week
Payment: Live-in Caregiver has hourly wage. Minimum is according to minimum official wage of a certain region. Work on holidays as well as extra hours are also compensated. Conditions of work vary depending on a region.
Tax: Live-in Caregiver is liable to income tax. The biggest part of the income tax is returned later.

Accomodation and support: As Live-in Caregiver you must live in your host family‘s house. Own room is available for you. Indeed, the host family can take off the costs for accomodation and support from the wage.

Working agreement: A written working agreement-working contract/Contrat de travail, which describes duties, work hours, wage and other regulations of the employer, is legally required. The employer sends a copy of this contract to Live-in Caregiver. It should be submitted to the application for the visa. Please ask the Canadian embassy if you need visa.

Work permit: You can apply for the work permit only when your work agreement is over. It is issued for a year and can be extended before another year.
Medical insurance: A participant of Live-in Caregiver Program and Work and Travel Program should enter Canada with medical, guarantee and accident insurances.
Language school or education: Visit of a language school is not a must. You can register for the courses at colleges and universities or another educational centers. If the courses take more than 6 months, you need study permit. Besides, you should prove that the main purpose of your stay is your work as a caregiver. 
Vocation: legal vocation are  approx. 14 days (but it is different from region to region)
Journey costs: Live-in Caregiver pays for the journey.
More information about Live-in Caregiver Program you can find on the web-site of the migration service of Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

Work and Travel Program

Young people of certain countries can spend a year in Canada with Work and Travel program. However, the number of the visas is very limited. If the visa is given, a candidate receives a work permit with an "open" employer and an "open" place of work.

Age: 18 - 30 (in some countries till 35)
Stay period: 12 months
Accepting countries: Australia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, and Great Britain
Financial issue: For Working Holiday Maker program you should have financial support (2500 - 3000 euros) as well as a return ticket.
Visa: The number of the visas is limited. Therefore, it is better to apply for the visa beforehead. Learn more about it at the authorized department in your country.
Work permit: Work permit is valid during 12 months after your arrival to Canada.
Limitations: In the work permit there are three areas are mentioned where you are not allowed to work: 1) child care, 2) as a teacher at elementary and grammar schools, and 3) healthcare area.
If you want to work in one of these 3 areas, you need to do meical survey in Canada and change your work permit. In addition you go to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) Centre, where you receive medical survey blank forms and instructions. After the receipt of the survey results, CIC will change the work permit and cancel the limitations.
Insurance: For the whole period of stay participants of Work and Travel program should provide sufficient medical insurance (including hospital treatment) as well as guarantee insurance.

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