tugrularas/irccfaq huggingface dataset:
Question: Can I come to Canada before I receive my POE Letter?
Answer: We strongly recommend you wait until you receive your Port of Entry (POE) Letter before travelling to Canada. If you do not have your POE Letter when you arrive at a Canadian port of entry, you will not get a work permit. The Border Services Officer will decide if you may be admitted as a visitor (tourist). As a visitor, you are not allowed to work.
If you are in Canada when you receive your POE Letter, you must:

leave the country, and
re-enter at any port of entry to receive your work permit.

If you plan to leave and re-enter Canada through the United States, you must meet US immigration requirements. Contact the nearest US Embassy or Consulate to find out if you meet these requirements.
See also My IEC work permit application was approved, but I don’t want to work yet. Can I enter Canada as a visitor for now?
Question: What should I do if my employer wants me to continue working after my International Experience Canada work permit expires?
Answer: You can only  extend your International Experience Canada work permit in very specific  situations. Find out if you can extend your work permit.
Question: Can I stay in Canada as a tourist after my work permit expires?
Answer: You may be able to apply to change your status from “worker” to “visitor.” We consider tourists to be visitors.
Read the Applying to Change Conditions or Extend Your Stay in Canada guide to find out

you’re eligible to change your status; and
what you need to do to change your status.

You need to apply at least 30 days before your work permit expires. There is no guarantee your application will be approved.
Question: Do I need to provide proof that I can pay the salary of the caregiver I’m hiring through the caregiver pilots?
Answer: When hiring through the Home Child Care Provider or Home Support Worker Pilots, we use the information you give us in the Offer of Employment form IMM 5983 (PDF, 2.33MB) to help determine if your job offer is genuine and valid, including your ability to pay the caregiver’s salary.
If we need more information, we’ll contact you.
We may ask for things like:

your household annual income
bank statements
your most recent Canada Revenue Agency notice of assessment
Question: Do I have to pay for the caregiver’s travel costs if I’m hiring them through the caregiver pilots?
Answer: No but you can pay for the travel costs, if you like.
You and the caregiver you’re hiring should both agree on how to handle things like travel costs before you hire them.
Whether or not you pay for their travel costs can be outlined in the Offer of Employment form IMM 5983 (PDF, 2.33MB).
Learn more about hiring through the Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker Pilots.
Question: I want to hire a caregiver with a live-in arrangement. What’s the maximum amount I can charge for room and board?
Answer: The maximum amount you can charge depends on the province or territory you’re in. Each province and territory has an employment or labour standards office that deals with labour and employment laws.
If you’re hiring through the Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker Pilots, and you and the caregiver agree that you provide housing, the details must be included in the Offer of Employment form IMM 5983 (PDF, 2.33MB).
Question: I already took a medical exam when I applied for the caregiver pilots. Why am I being asked to take another one?
Answer: Medical exams are valid for 12 months from the date of the exam. If you already took a medical exam but it expired, you and your family members will have to take another one to make sure you’re still admissible to Canada.
Learn more about medical exams for the Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker Pilots.
Question: I’m working in Canada as a caregiver but I don’t meet the requirements for the caregiver pilots. Can I apply to extend my work permit?
Answer: Yes. If you have an employer-specific work permit and you’re working in Canada as a caregiver, you can apply to extend it through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. To keep your status as a worker, you should apply to extend your work permit before it expires.
Your employer needs to get another positive Labour Market Impact Assessment before you can extend your work permit.
If you meet the requirements in the future, you can apply for the Home Child Care Provider or Home Support Worker Pilot.
You can also check to see if you qualify for another immigration program.
Question: Can I use work experience from more than 1 employer to apply to the caregiver pilots?
Answer: Yes. You can use work experience from more than 1 employer to apply for the Home Child Care Provider or Home Support Worker Pilots as long as that work experience is in the same eligible occupation.
You can’t combine work experience from 2 different occupations.
Depending on which pilot you apply for, your work experience must be in 1 of these National Occupational Classification (NOC) jobs:

Home child care provider - NOC 44100 (experience as a foster parent doesn’t count)
Home support worker - NOC 44101

For example, if you worked full-time as a home child care provider for 2 different employers, you can use that work experience towards your eligibility. 
However, if you worked full-time as a home child care provider for 1 employer and as a home support worker for another employer, you can’t combine that work experience.
Question: Is there a limit on the number of caregiver applications you accept under the pilots?
Answer: Yes. We only process up to 5,500 applications each year under the caregiver pilots: 

2,750 applications for the Home Child Care Provider Pilot
2,750 applications for the Home Support Worker Pilot

If your application is incomplete or we receive it after the limit has been reached, we return it to you along with your processing fees.

The pilot caps reset on January 1, 2023
As of January 1, 2023, you can apply under the 2023 caps for the Home Child Care Provider Pilot and the Home Support Worker Pilot.
There are changes for the 2023 application process
Read all the changes to these pilots before you apply. Make sure you follow our updated instructions.
2023 application caps
Before you apply, make sure you check the latest updates about the cap for the pilot and category you want to apply to.
Question: What can I do if the yearly limit on applications for the caregiver pilots has been reached before I apply?
Answer: You can either wait until the Home Child Care Provider or Home Support Worker Pilots re-open the next year or find out if you’re eligible for another immigration program.
Question: I want to work in Canada as a caregiver, but I don’t meet the requirements of the pilots. What are my options?
Answer: If you don’t meet the requirements for the Home Child Care Provider or Home Support Worker pilots, you may be able to work temporarily as a caregiver through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program if 1 of the below applies to you:

you’re already in Canada and eligible to apply for a work permit from inside Canada
you’re outside Canada and your employer applied for an LMIA to hire you before June 18, 2019
you’ll be working in Quebec

Your employer needs to get a positive LMIA first.
Question: When do I need to take a medical exam for the caregiver pilots?
Answer: Under the Home Child Care Provider or Home Support Worker Pilots, you probably have to take 2 separate medical exams during the process. In both cases, we send you instructions on when and how to get your medical exam done.
Do not go for your medical exam unless we tell you to.
First medical exam
As a caregiver, you work in close contact with children, disabled people or the elderly, so you need to take a medical exam before you can come to Canada to work. 
Second medical exam
Once you have 12 months of work experience in Canada, and submit proof of your work experience, you may be asked to take another medical exam to make sure you’re still admissible to Canada.
Family members
Your family members must take and pass a medical exam even if they’re not coming with you to Canada. If they don’t, they won’t be eligible to be sponsored in the future. We contact them directly with instructions on how to get their medical exams.
If your family members are already Canadian citizens or permanent residents, they don’t need to take a medical exam.
Question: I worked in Canada illegally. Can I use that experience to meet the work requirement of the caregiver pilots?
Answer: No. For your work experience to count for the Home Child Care Provider or Home Support Worker Pilots, you must have gotten it while working in Canada legally with a work permit. If you’ve ever worked in Canada illegally, your application may be refused.
Question: An employer in Quebec has offered me a job as a caregiver. What do I apply for?
Answer: If an employer wants to hire you for a position in Quebec, you must apply for a work permit through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. Your employer needs to get a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment before they can hire you.
Quebec selects its own economic immigrants. If you want to settle in Quebec permanently, you won’t be eligible for the Home Child Care Provider or Home Support Worker Pilots.
Question: I worked in Quebec as a home child care provider or home support worker. Can that work experience count for the caregiver pilots?
Answer: Yes. If you’ve worked in Quebec in 1 of the National Occupational Classification (NOC) jobs below, you can use that experience to meet the work experience requirement:

Home child care provider - NOC 44100 (experience as a foster parent doesn’t count), or
Home support worker - NOC 44101

If you’re applying to the Home Child Care Provider Pilot or the Home Support Worker Pilot in the Gaining experience category (less than 12 months of qualifying work experience), you need to have a valid and genuine job offer for a job outside of Quebec.
All 12 months of work experience must be gained in the 36-month period before you

apply for permanent residence (Direct to permanent residence category) or
send us proof of your work experience (Gaining experience category).

Living in Canada as a permanent resident
Under these pilots, you must plan to live outside the province of Quebec as a permanent resident. You may want to include supporting documents with your permanent resident application to prove that you’re living or will live outside Quebec.
Question: How is the processing time affected if I need a medical exam?
Answer: If you’re applying as a permanent resident or temporary resident (visitor, student or worker), you can usually check the status of your medical exam results within 30 days of the date you booked your exam.
Once the status of your medical exam results is updated and shows  up as completed, we’ll tell you what to do next.
Question: You asked me for additional medical information. How will this affect the processing time?
Answer: Each case is different. The amount of time it takes us to process your application depends on the medical condition and on the request.
To avoid more delays, you must

go back to see the physician
complete the requirement before we can assess your medical exam

Don’t complete a new medical exam unless we instruct you to do so.
Your panel physician can explain how long it will take to complete additional testing or treatment.
Once you complete the requirement, we’ll tell you what to do next.
Learn more about medical exams.
Question: How can I check the status of my medical exam results?
Answer: The way to check the status of your medical exam results depends on how you applied.
If you applied online


If you applied to immigrate through Express Entry or to sponsor your spouse, partner or dependent children
You can check the status of your results in your application status tracker.
Sign in to your application status tracker.


If you applied to any other program
You can check the status of your results in your IRCC secure account.
Sign in to your IRCC secure account.

If you don’t already have an account, you can create one and link it to your existing application. 
Make sure you link your account to the application that needed a medical exam.
Find out which applications you can link to an IRCC secure account.




The status of medical exam results in your account may show an inaccurate validity date.

If you applied on paper
You can check the status of your application, including your medical exam results, using the check your application status tool.

When to check the status of your results

If we asked you for a medical exam after you applied
You may not see the status of your results updated right away.

Your results usually show up in your account within 30 days of the date you booked your exam.
It may take longer (for example, if we need more information from you).



If you got your medical exam before you applied (upfront medical exam)
You may not see the status of your results updated in your account until we finish processing your immigration application. We need time to

process your application
link the results to your application

Check the application processing time.


If we ask or if a panel physician asks you for additional medical information, tests or treatment
To avoid more delays, you must

go back to see the physician
complete the requirement before we can assess your medical exam

Don’t complete a new medical exam unless we instruct you to do so.
Your panel physician can explain how long it will take to complete additional testing or treatment.


When to contact us
Use the web form to tell us if

we asked you for a medical exam after you applied
it’s been over 3 weeks since you had your exam
your results do not show up in your account
Question: Can I have a medical exam done in advance to speed up my application?
Answer: Some temporary residence programs allow you to get your medical exam done at any time.
If you’re applying for permanent residence, we’ll send you instructions on how to get your medical exam.
Find more information on when to get your medical exam for

permanent residence applications
temporary residence applications
Question: I’m pregnant. Can I wait until after I give birth to take the medical exam?
Answer: No. You still need to have a medical exam even if you’re pregnant.
However, some parts of the exam may be postponed until after you give birth. In that case, your application will be assessed only after all mandatory medical requirements are met.
You should discuss your options with the panel physician performing your medical exam.
Question: I have applied for permanent residence. My spouse or partner and children are not coming with me. Do they need to get a medical exam?
Answer: Yes. All of your dependants must have a medical exam done by an approved panel physician, regardless of whether or not they’re coming with you to Canada.
All your dependants must have a medical exam done to make sure they’re admissible to Canada. They must be admissible to be able to be sponsored in the future.
Having inadmissible dependants might make you inadmissible for permanent residence.
Learn more about medical exams.
Question: How do I get education points for Express Entry if I have 2 or more degrees or diplomas?
Answer: To get full points for having more than 1 credential:

at least 1 of the credentials must be for a program of 3 or more years in length
you need a valid educational credential assessment (ECA) for each credential

Note: The order that you complete your credentials in does not affect points.
Fill in all fields in the Education history section in your profile. When you’re done, click Save and add. After you do:

the details you entered about your study period will be saved to the table below the Save and add button
the fields will go blank and you can add another study period
make sure to add all study periods you want us to assess for points

Each educational credential needs its own row in the Education history table.
Question: The online tool said I was eligible for Express Entry, but my completed profile says I’m not. Which one is right?
Answer: The online  tool asks general questions to see if you may be eligible for one of the programs under Express Entry.
  The Express  Entry profile asks more specific and detailed questions about your  qualifications. It is possible that after you gave more detailed information in  your Express Entry profile that you are, in fact, not eligible.
Only a complete  Express Entry profile can be used to fully assess if you are eligible.
Question: Can I use my existing Job Bank account to get matched with employers for Express Entry?
Answer: Note: It is now optional to create a Job Match account with Job Bank. You can still create a Job Match account to help you find work.

No. If you don’t already have a valid job offer, you can create a Job Match account in Job Bank using your Express Entry profile number and Job Seeker Validation Code. A Job Match account can help you start looking for work.
Once you complete your Express Entry profile, if you are found to meet most of the requirements to enter the pool, you should get a message in your account with this information.
To create an account:

go to the Job Match sign-in page
click the “Sign up now!” button
read the privacy notice and click “I agree”
follow the instructions to create an account
Question: My personal reference code is not working. What should I do?
Answer: If you already started to create an Express Entry profile in your account, the reference code won’t work. To continue your profile:

go to the “View the applications you submitted” section at the top of your account page
choose the line with your Express Entry profile
click the “Continue Profile” button

If you have not started creating your profile, you can:

go through the Come to Canada tool again for a new reference code
create a profile directly in your account
Question: A message in my account says my profile was updated. I didn’t update it today (or don’t see an update). What happened?
Answer: It may take up to 24 hours for the system to send a message saying that your profile has been updated.
For example, if you made a change on Monday, you may only receive a message from your account on Tuesday.
Question: I accidently withdrew my Express Entry profile. How can I fix this?
Answer: If you withdrew your  profile, you will need to create a new one  if you want to enter the pool.
You will have to meet the Express Entry requirements in  place at that time.
Question: I was found not eligible for Express Entry and I can’t change my profile. What do I do?
Answer: If you’ve been found not eligible, you will need to create a new profile. An ineligible profile is no longer valid so you can’t change it, even if you have new information.
You will still have to meet the Express Entry requirements that are in place. So, unless you made a mistake in your first profile or your circumstances have changed (for example, you have new language test results, you now have more work experience, etc.), there is a good chance you will be found ineligible again.
You can review the requirements to see which ones you did not meet. This can help you find what to do to meet the requirements so you can apply again.
Question: How do I update my Express Entry profile before submitting it?
Answer: To update  your profile, follow these steps:

Go to the main  page of your account
Scroll down to  “Continue my profile / application, not yet submitted”
Choose the line  with your Express Entry Profile
Click “Continue Profile” button 


Once  you’re on the “Express Entry profile” page:


Click the “Update form” button for  the “Form Name” you want to update
Make the changes you want to the fields
Click the “Save and exit” button at the bottom of page to go back to “Express Entry Profile” page.
Question: Some fields in my Express Entry profile are greyed out and I can’t change them. How do I update them?
Answer: This is an example of greyed out fields in your Express  Entry profile:

In  some places, the fields will be coloured gray, and you will not be able to  update them. (A red circle with a diagonal line  will  also appear when you mouse over the field.) This is because the information was  brought forward from the first tool (Come to Canada) you completed. To update  them, you will have to update them in the previous step. To do this: 

From the “Express Entry Profile” page:
Click on the “Modify Family Information” button at the top of the page:

Change the fields as needed.
Click the “Update Information” button to save any changes:


Note: Clicking the “Update Information” button will also  bring you to the next section if the change you want to make is not in the  first screen.
On the following screens:

You have a few options. You can  click: 

the “Next” button to save your answers and go back to the “Express Entry Profile” page,
the “Save and exit questionnaire” button to return to the main page of your account, or
the “Modify my Answers” button to see all the  eligibility questions. 

Click the “pencil” button to access  the fields related to that question.
Question: How do I confirm that my Express Entry profile is complete?
Answer: To confirm that you profile is complete:

Go to the “Express  Entry profile” page
Click the “Continue form” button for the section with the status “in progress”
Verify that all circles to the right have a  green check mark  in them.
    If one section displays a progress bar  instead of a green check mark, open the section and complete the missing information.

Click the “save and exit” button to save your changes and return to the “Express Entry profile” page.
Question: I already submitted my Express Entry profile. Can I still update it?
Answer: If you weren’t found eligible, you won’t be able to update your profile. You’ll have to create a new profile. Be sure your profile is complete and correct before you submit it.
 If your profile was found eligible for the pool, you can still update it after you’ve submitted it. Follow these steps:

On the main page of your account, go to the section “View the applications you submitted”.
Click on “Check full application status”.
On the “Express Entry profile status” page, click on the “View your profile” under the heading “Your Express Entry profile status”.
On the “Express Entry profile” page, click on the “Update form” button for the section you want to change.

Note: If the button only says “View form,” your profile wasn’t found eligible. You’ll have to submit a new one.


Make any changes you need to, and then click the “Save and exit” button at the bottom of the page.
Once you finish updating your profile, click on the “Continue” button at the bottom of the page. Follow the instructions provided to submit your updated profile.

Note: The “Revert changes” button will appear each time you enter a form and click on the “Save and exit” button, even if you didn't make any changes.