Au pair in Canada ( Live-in Caregiver )
Au pair in Canada
Official Au Pair in Canada Program Information
There is no official au pair in Canada program, however there are two programs you can apply to, to become an au pair in Canada. They are the Working Holiday Program and the Live-in Caregiver program.
The Live-in Caregiver Program is designed specifically to bring workers to Canada to care for children, the elderly or disabled when there are not enough Canadians to fill the positions.
The Working Holiday Program (WHP) allows young citizens from countries with a reciprocal agreement with Canada, to live and work in Canada for 12-24 months. To work in the "childcare" field on this visa, you will need to lodge additional forms to have an unrestricted visa issued. See visa information below.
Official Au Pair in Canada Contracts
Visa InformationCitizens from the following countries are able to work as an au pair in Canada under the Working Holiday Program: Australia, Belgium, Costa Rica, Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy (Italian citizens are permitted to work for maximum 6 months), Japan, Korea Rep., Latvia, Lithuania, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Republic of Korea, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.
Working Holiday Visa Program DetailsTo work as an au pair in Canada, working holiday makers must provide proof of sufficient funds (usually $2,500 CAD, some countries require more), have a return air ticket or funds to purchase one, have a valid passport, possess neither a criminal record nor serious medical conditions, not be accompanied by dependents, have comprehensive private health insurance, which includes medical, hospitalisation, repatriation and liability cover for the duration of their stay and not have already participated in the working holiday program.
To work as an au pair in Canada on a working holiday visa you have two options to apply for the visa:
Further informationThe best way to get yourself fully informed about where and how to apply is by visiting the Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada website and selecting your country of origin. This website will help you determine your eligibilty and provide a step-by-step guide for the application process.
Live-In Caregiver Program DetailsYou can also become an au pair in Canada under the Live-In Caregiver Program. This program has been set up to bring workers to Canada to take care of children and the elderly in a private household when there are not enough Canadians to fill the positions.
Requirements: You must have completed the equivalent of Canadian Secondary School, have at least 6 months training or at least 1 year of full-time paid work experience as a caregiver or in a related field or occupation (including 6 months with 1 employer) in the past 3 years, have good knowledge of English or French and have a work permit before you enter Canada.
An application to hire a live-in carer must be submitted by the prospective employer (host family) to Human Resources and Skills Development Canada/Service Canada (HRSDC/SC). If all requirements are met, the host family will be issued a positive LMO (Labour Market Opinion). A positive LMO is required to be eligible for the Live-in cae giver Program.
The Au pair and host family must sign a written employment contract. The postive LMO and employmeny contract must then be submitted with your work permit application. Once granted, the work permit is normally valid for 4 years, in some circumstances 4 years and 3 months, and then you can start working as an au pair in Canada. More information on how to apply can be found at the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website:
The Human resources and Skills Development Canada website provides guidelines for wages, working conditions etc. by province.
Please note: If you are a citizen or a permanent resident of the United States, Saint-Pierre and Miquelon or Greenland, you do not need a passport or a temporary resident visa to enter Canada. However, you must provide proof of citizenship or permanent residence, such as a national identity card or an alien registration card.
Official Au Pair in Canada Program Information
There is no official au pair in Canada program, however there are two programs you can apply to, to become an au pair in Canada. They are the Working Holiday Program and the Live-in Caregiver program.
The Live-in Caregiver Program is designed specifically to bring workers to Canada to care for children, the elderly or disabled when there are not enough Canadians to fill the positions.
The Working Holiday Program (WHP) allows young citizens from countries with a reciprocal agreement with Canada, to live and work in Canada for 12-24 months. To work in the "childcare" field on this visa, you will need to lodge additional forms to have an unrestricted visa issued. See visa information below.
Official Au Pair in Canada Contracts
- Au pair in Canada Contract (opens in a new browser window)
- Au Pair in Canada Contract Quebec (opens in a new browser window) Please note the contract template is different for Quebec.
- The Au pair and host family must sign a contract that addresses all mandatory clauses.
Visa InformationCitizens from the following countries are able to work as an au pair in Canada under the Working Holiday Program: Australia, Belgium, Costa Rica, Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy (Italian citizens are permitted to work for maximum 6 months), Japan, Korea Rep., Latvia, Lithuania, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Republic of Korea, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.
Working Holiday Visa Program DetailsTo work as an au pair in Canada, working holiday makers must provide proof of sufficient funds (usually $2,500 CAD, some countries require more), have a return air ticket or funds to purchase one, have a valid passport, possess neither a criminal record nor serious medical conditions, not be accompanied by dependents, have comprehensive private health insurance, which includes medical, hospitalisation, repatriation and liability cover for the duration of their stay and not have already participated in the working holiday program.
To work as an au pair in Canada on a working holiday visa you have two options to apply for the visa:
- To apply for the working holiday, you don't need to have a job pre-organised, although you can if you wish. During the application process, you'll be asked if you would like to work in childcare, answer 'yes' to that, mail your application and requirements to your nearest Canadian Visa Office. They will mail you the medical form, instructions and list of doctors. After you complete the medical exam, in another 6-8 weeks, a decision can be made on your application. If you are successful, a Letter of Introduction (LOI) will be emailed to you and you can enter Canada and be issued an unrestricted work permit so you may start working in childcare and hence as an au pair in Canada.
- If you need a faster processing time than the above, apply for the working holiday, don't tick 'no' to working in childcare. They will process your application as a routine case. When you enter Canada with your LOI, you will be issued a RESTRICTED work permit so you may work in any field except childcare, healthcare or teaching. Contact Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) Centre where you will get medical examination forms and further instructions, then CIC will modify your Work Permit and remove the occupational restrictions and then you can work as an au pair in Canada.
Further informationThe best way to get yourself fully informed about where and how to apply is by visiting the Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada website and selecting your country of origin. This website will help you determine your eligibilty and provide a step-by-step guide for the application process.
Live-In Caregiver Program DetailsYou can also become an au pair in Canada under the Live-In Caregiver Program. This program has been set up to bring workers to Canada to take care of children and the elderly in a private household when there are not enough Canadians to fill the positions.
Requirements: You must have completed the equivalent of Canadian Secondary School, have at least 6 months training or at least 1 year of full-time paid work experience as a caregiver or in a related field or occupation (including 6 months with 1 employer) in the past 3 years, have good knowledge of English or French and have a work permit before you enter Canada.
An application to hire a live-in carer must be submitted by the prospective employer (host family) to Human Resources and Skills Development Canada/Service Canada (HRSDC/SC). If all requirements are met, the host family will be issued a positive LMO (Labour Market Opinion). A positive LMO is required to be eligible for the Live-in cae giver Program.
The Au pair and host family must sign a written employment contract. The postive LMO and employmeny contract must then be submitted with your work permit application. Once granted, the work permit is normally valid for 4 years, in some circumstances 4 years and 3 months, and then you can start working as an au pair in Canada. More information on how to apply can be found at the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website:
The Human resources and Skills Development Canada website provides guidelines for wages, working conditions etc. by province.
Please note: If you are a citizen or a permanent resident of the United States, Saint-Pierre and Miquelon or Greenland, you do not need a passport or a temporary resident visa to enter Canada. However, you must provide proof of citizenship or permanent residence, such as a national identity card or an alien registration card.
