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Canada to grant permanent residency to incoming caregivers

Groups believe this would help prevent the separation of caregivers with their families.

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Rowena Papasin

TFC News

<div><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GNqZiNdsg_M?&amp;feature=youtu.be&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe> </div>It was a battle that caregivers organizations have fought for several decades.After almost 45 years, incoming caregivers to Canada will be granted permanent resident status as soon as they arrive.Immigration Minister Marc Miller recently unveiled this plan by the federal government.He also said the new pilot program will bring down the language requirement for caregivers to the educational requirement equivalent of a Canadian high school diploma.Miller said this is to recognize caregivers’ critical role in supporting Canadian families.&quot;[It&#x27;s] certainly not lost on me that the majority of caregivers that come to Canada tend to be women who are leaving their homes after leaving their children to care for our children,&quot; he said. &quot;I can assure you that these sacrifices are not going unnoticed.&quot;The government aims to launch the pilot program as early as fall or at the start of 2025.This will also allow caregivers to work for private organizations that care for people recovering from an injury or illness.Migrant workers advocate Darla Tomeldan said with the one-step process, the separation of families will be eliminated.&quot;We&#x27;ve witnessed migrant care workers primarily women, often from the Philippines and their families,&quot; said the registered immigrant consultant, &quot;severely  impacted, if not devastated by a program that while very popular in Canada, has had effects on  their lives and well-being, particularly their psychological and mental health.&quot;Thousands of Filipino caregivers and their families have paid a high price for their years of separation.One of them is Liberty de Vera, who was just two years old when her mother left to work as a caregiver in Canada.The spokesperson of Pinoy Festival Alliance said their separation left an irreparable tear on their relationship and they can never bring back the years that they’ve lost.&quot;One of the questions that we want to ask the government is how come it took this long?&quot; said De Vera. &quot;If you were to speak to my mom about this and to other parents and elders who have come here before us, there&#x27;s a lot of anger because of the pain that we had to go through.&quot;Like De Vera, many children of caregivers feel alienated from their mothers once they are reunited here.The Migrant Rights Network, former caregivers and their families, as well as caregiver advocates also lauded the historic decision.But Tomeldan said there are still a lot of concerns that have to be clarified about the status of caregivers who are already in Canada and those whose papers remain in limbo.&quot;Some caregivers have lost their status due to not being able to fulfill the PR requirements or due to abuse or exploitation or falling out of status. What&#x27;s going to happen to them?&quot; she said.Tomeldan added: &quot;And then, another one too is aligning the current program that we have with the newly announced pilot and addressing the long-standing PR stream concerns.&quot;De Vera, meanwhile, thanked Miller for acknowledging their trauma and pain.She hailed the decision as a victory for all the caregivers and their families, who have gone through so much suffering.&quot;Perhaps this is justice for all,&quot; said De Vera. &quot;It is something that we needed. For my mom, for me, and for the rest, thousands of people who have gone through.&quot;

Groups believe this would help prevent the separation of caregivers with their families.

Groups hail Canada move to grant permanent residency to incoming caregivers

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Groups hail Canada move to grant permanent residency to incoming caregivers

Rowena Papasin,

TFC News

Published Jun 08, 2024 11:26 PM PHT

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Canada

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Immigration

Caregivers

TFC News

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