Canada Live-in Caregiver PR: 24 Months, 3,900 Hours and the LMIA Cut-off Rule — Spain Investment Migration

Official-source verification date: July 15, 2026. Every program rule, threshold, fee and time limit below was checked on that date.

At that verification date, Canada’s federal Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP) is closed to new applicants. The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) guide for in-Canada caregiver permanent-residence applications preserves an LCP route only for people already working in Canada with an LCP work permit, or whose first LCP work permit was approved on the basis of an employer’s positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) application submitted on or before November 30, 2014. For that limited legacy or “grandfathered” population, qualifying work is at least 24 months of authorized full-time live-in employment or 3,900 authorized full-time hours, acquired within four years of arrival; applicants pay a CAD $85 individual biometrics fee when submitting the application, and most provide fingerprints and a photo afterward.

Who is in the limited legacy population?

The LCP permanent-residence route is narrower than simply having worked in Canadian care. Its eligibility branches are:

Eligibility branch	What the official rule requires
Existing LCP worker	The applicant is already working in Canada with an LCP work permit.
First-permit legacy case	The applicant’s first LCP work permit was approved on the basis of a positive LMIA application submitted by an employer on or before November 30, 2014.

The application guide also calls for a valid work permit to work in a home offering live-in care for children, seniors or people with disabilities. The two eligibility branches are alternatives; an applicant does not have to establish both current LCP employment and the first-permit history.

People who fall outside this LCP route may still qualify through the separate Caring for Children or Caring for People with High Medical Needs classes. Those are distinct immigration pathways, so eligibility must be assessed separately. If an applicant holds an LCP work permit and works in Quebec, Quebec will also assess the application, including the applicant’s French knowledge.

How do the 24-month and 3,900-hour routes compare?

The official IRCC LCP permanent-residence page presents the following alternative experience bases:

LCP experience route	Qualifying employment	Time limit and calculation
24-month route	At least 24 months of authorized full-time live-in employment	The work must be acquired within four years of the applicant’s arrival in Canada.
3,900-hour route	3,900 hours of authorized full-time employment	The hours may be completed in a minimum of 22 months and must be acquired within four years of arrival. Up to 390 hours of overtime may be included when calculating them.

The cited wording uses “or,” so the applicant does not need to complete both the 24-month and 3,900-hour routes. The separate 390-hour overtime allowance is stated within the 3,900-hour route and should not be assumed to apply to the 24-month route.

Which periods cannot be counted?

IRCC excludes the following periods from LCP work experience:

Any period of unemployment.
Any extended time outside Canada. For example, time away beyond the vacation period allowed in the employment contract does not count.
Any period spent working for the employer outside Canada, including time during a family vacation abroad.
Any period of caregiver work in Canada while living outside the employer’s home.

Live-out caregiver experience cannot be added to the LCP total. An applicant who wants that experience considered must apply through the separate Caring for Children or Caring for People with High Medical Needs route.

When must biometrics and the fee be completed?

The official guidance sets the following requirements:

Item	LCP permanent-residence requirement
Who provides biometrics	In most cases, the applicant provides fingerprints and a photo after applying. Anyone aged 14 to 79 must provide biometrics for every permanent-residence application, even if previous biometrics remain valid.
Individual biometrics fee	CAD $85
Family fee	Families applying at the same time have a maximum total biometrics fee of CAD $170.
Payment time	The required fee must be paid when the application is submitted; otherwise, processing may be delayed.
Biometrics deadline	The applicant has 30 days from the date on the biometrics instruction letter to complete the requested procedure.
Appointment	The applicant should book a biometrics appointment as soon as possible to avoid processing delays.
Processing	IRCC begins processing after it receives the applicant’s biometrics.

Applicants should consult IRCC’s official fee instructions and include the required fee with the application.

How should the application package be prepared?

The LCP application page lists the following core documents and forms:

Document Checklist — IMM 5282
Generic Application Form for Canada — IMM 0008
Instruction Guide — IMM 5290
Live-in Caregiver Employer Declaration of Hours Worked — IMM 5634

Depending on the application, the package may also include Additional Dependants/Declaration IMM 0008DEP, Schedule A – Background/Declaration IMM 5669, Additional Family Information IMM 5406, and Use of a Representative IMM 5476.

The forms must be completed, validated, printed, signed and dated. The generated barcode page should be placed at the top of the application package; each additional package requires its own barcode page. The checklist should be used to confirm that all required forms and documents are included. IRCC directs applicants to send the completed package to the Case Processing Centre in Edmonton, Alberta.

A complete application can help avoid processing delays. IRCC may contact the applicant if more information is required, and a refused applicant receives a letter explaining the reasons. The cited pages do not state a processing time.

Does permanent-residence approval guarantee entry into Canada?

No. If IRCC approves the application, the applicant should travel with the documents issued by Canada, such as a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR), permanent resident visa, electronically linked eTA or single-entry journey document, as applicable.

At the border, a officer checks identity and admissibility and may use biometrics. Basic entry requirements include:

A valid travel document.
Good health.
No criminal or immigration-related convictions.
Sufficient funds for the stay, based on its length and whether the applicant will stay in a hotel or with friends or relatives.
Evidence of ties to the home country, such as employment, a home, financial assets or family.
A credible intention to leave Canada at the end of the visit.

Children under 18 must meet the same entry requirements and carry the appropriate documents. After an applicant passes the identity and entry checks, the officer normally explains the permitted stay, which is usually up to six months.

These are general points about Canada’s federal LCP permanent-residence process, not a determination of an individual case or a rule for another immigration program. Confirm current eligibility, forms and travel requirements with IRCC or the relevant Canadian consulate before submitting or travelling.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

Is Canada’s Live-in Caregiver Program still open to new applicants?

No. At the verification date, the LCP is closed to new applicants. The permanent-residence route remains limited to the existing-worker and first-permit legacy groups described above. Other applicants may have a separate caregiver option, but that does not reopen the LCP.

Who is treated as part of the grandfathered LCP population?

IRCC’s eligibility wording identifies people who are already working in Canada with an LCP work permit, together with those whose first LCP work permit was approved from a positive LMIA application submitted by the employer on or before November 30, 2014. The applicant must also meet the applicable work-experience and valid-work-permit conditions.

Is the LMIA cut-off based on the filing date or approval date?

The stated cut-off concerns the date the employer submitted the relevant LMIA application: on or before November 30, 2014. The applicant’s first LCP work permit must separately have been approved on the basis of a positive assessment.

Do I need both 24 months of work and 3,900 hours?

No. The official guidance presents them as alternative routes. The qualifying work must fall within four years of arrival, and the 3,900-hour route may include up to 390 overtime hours when calculating the required total.

When are the CAD $85 fee and biometrics due?

The individual biometrics fee is paid when the permanent-residence application is submitted. After receiving a biometrics instruction letter, the applicant must complete the requested procedure within 30 days of the letter’s date and should book an appointment as soon as possible.