Hiring a foreign caregiver to look after a child, a senior parent, or a family member with medical needs starts with one document: a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). It’s also the step most families get stuck on — the paperwork is detailed, the requirements are strict, and processing times shift depending on demand. Here’s what the LMIA Caregiver Program actually requires, what it costs, and how long it realistically takes.
What Is an LMIA, and Why Do You Need One to Hire a Caregiver?
An LMIA is a document issued by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) that confirms two things: that you genuinely need a foreign worker for the role, and that no Canadian citizen or permanent resident is available to fill it. Under the In-Home Caregivers stream, this applies to families hiring:
- Childcare providers, live-in caregivers, or nannies for children under 18
- Home support workers or personal care attendants for seniors aged 65+
- Registered nurses, psychiatric nurses, or licensed practical nurses for individuals with disabilities, chronic illness, or a terminal condition
In every case, the caregiver must work full-time — at least 30 hours a week — in the employer’s private residence.
Some families ask about the newer no-LMIA pilot for home care workers instead. As of now, both streams of that pilot — for workers applying directly and for employers hiring through it — are listed as closed on IRCC’s site, so the LMIA route below is the only active path to hire an in-home caregiver.
Caregiver LMIA Processing Times
This is the question we get asked the most, and it’s also the one with the least stable answer: processing times for the In-Home Caregivers stream move with ESDC’s application volume, and they can shift by weeks from one quarter to the next. Rather than quote a fixed number that’s likely to be outdated by the time you read this, use the government’s own official LMIA processing times tool for the current estimate before you plan around a start date.
What we can tell you from experience: incomplete applications are the single biggest cause of delay. Missing recruitment documentation, an employment contract that doesn’t match the job offer, or a gap in proof of need can add weeks to a file that would otherwise move quickly.
Employer Requirements for a Caregiver LMIA
To qualify, you need to show a genuine need for a foreign caregiver and demonstrate that hiring one won’t come at the expense of the Canadian labour market. In practice, that means:
- A detailed employment contract outlining job duties, hours, wages, and working conditions
- A competitive wage that meets or exceeds the median wage for the occupation and region
- Proof of recruitment efforts — job ads and outcomes showing you tried to hire a Canadian or permanent resident first
- Proof of need, such as a medical certificate when the caregiver is for a family member with a medical condition
- Proof of financial ability to pay the caregiver’s wages (bank statements, tax returns)
- Proof of business or household legitimacy — identification and, where relevant, incorporation documents
LMIA Caregiver Fees — and Who’s Exempt
ESDC charges a $1,000 processing fee per position requested — this is the government’s fee, not ours. Two exemptions apply specifically to caregivers:
- Families hiring a caregiver for someone with documented medical needs
- Families hiring for childcare of a child under 13 with a gross annual household income of $150,000 or less
Whether you qualify for either exemption depends on how your file is documented — it’s worth confirming before you submit, not after. Full detail is on ESDC’s official in-home caregiver program requirements page.
After a Positive LMIA: the Work Permit
A positive LMIA is valid for six months from the date it’s issued — the caregiver needs to apply for their work permit within that window, so timing the two steps together matters. Once the work permit is approved, the caregiver can begin work in your home under the conditions set out in the employment contract.
How Castle & Co. Helps Families Through the Process
Every LMIA caregiver file we handle goes through the same process: confirming the household actually needs the LMIA route, preparing a compliant employment contract and full document package, submitting through Service Canada, and following up until a decision comes in — then supporting the caregiver’s work permit application so there’s no gap between approval and start date.
If you’re weighing whether an LMIA is the right path for your household, or you want a second look at a file before you submit it, our Caregiver LMIA Program page has the full breakdown of eligible positions and next steps — or you can start with a free assessment below.