Authors: Abida Abbasi (Immigration Case Worker at Ansari Immigration Law) and Yameena Ansari (Founder at Ansari Immigration Law)
Introduction
In Canada, the caregiver program has long been a vital avenue for families seeking support in child-rearing and home care. The landscape of this program has undergone significant changes over the years, often leaving working mothers, particularly, grappling with uncertainty and frustration. This article delves into the background and history of caregiver programs in Canada, explores the reasons for the cessation of the last program, and examines the implications of the current lack of a robust caregiver solution, especially for women.
Canadian Caregiver Programs Have Existed in Some Flawed Form Since 1992
Historically, caregiver programs in Canada have aimed to support families needing in-home assistance, beginning with the Live-In Caregiver Program (LCP) established in the 1990s, which allowed families to hire caregivers from abroad to live in their homes, thereby enabling many working mothers to balance careers and family responsibilities with essential childcare and elderly care support. In 2014, the LCP was replaced by the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) and the International Mobility Program (IMP), which imposed stricter requirements and limited pathways for caregivers to transition to permanent residency, inadvertently creating barriers for families and leading to confusion about caregiver availability. This forced many mothers to seek alternative arrangements that often did not meet their needs. The last formal caregiver initiative, the Caregiver Pilot, was introduced in 2019 to provide more clarity and support. Still, it faced significant challenges, including long processing times and a limited number of spots, ultimately concluding in 2024 without a clear plan for renewal or replacement.
Lack of Clarity in Current Caregiver Program Leads to Overwhelmed Mothers
In June 2024, Canada announced a new pilot program aimed at providing home care workers with permanent residency upon arrival, which could potentially address labour shortages in the sector. However, the announcement raised many questions, as the government has not specified the program’s duration or the application process for prospective participants. This lack of clarity creates uncertainty for both workers and families in need of essential services, particularly challenging for mothers who feel pressured to take on additional caregiving responsibilities.
The abrupt end of the caregiver program has left many families in limbo, facing a pressing need for caregivers while grappling with a lack of communication from the government about future initiatives. As families seek guidance on qualifications and pathways to bring caregivers to Canada, they face the disappointing reality that no functioning program currently exists. This absence of a sustainable caregiver solution has fostered confusion and frustration, particularly for working mothers who are left to balance professional obligations with domestic responsibilities, often feeling overwhelmed in their precarious situations.
Women Shoulder the Burden of Caregiving Responsibilities
The implications of these changes are particularly severe for working mothers in Canada. Women already face significant challenges in the workforce, including wage disparities and limited career advancement opportunities. Moreover, women are more likely to shoulder the burden of domestic labour, which often intensifies after childbirth. In households where both partners work, women continue to perform a disproportionate share of domestic responsibilities.
The lack of a sustainable caregiver program exacerbates this issue. A 2021 report from the Canadian Women’s Foundation indicated that the gap between fathers and mothers going back to work goes from 0.8 to 7.3 percentage points for parents of school-aged children. Nearly 60% of mothers felt their careers had been negatively impacted by their caregiving responsibilities during the pandemic. When caregivers are unavailable, the responsibility for child-rearing and elder care falls primarily on women, stunting their career growth and impacting their financial stability.
Furthermore, a 2019 study revealed that 25% of women in dual-income households were forced to reduce their work hours due to caregiving responsibilities, compared to only 8% of men. According to a survey conducted in 2020, 71% of Canadian women report feeling more anxious, depressed, isolated, overworked or ill because of increased unpaid care work. This persistent disparity highlights the direct link between caregiver availability and women’s workforce participation.
Canada Must Act to Support Working Mothers
The discontinuation of effective caregiver programs in Canada has created significant challenges for working mothers. The lack of clarity and information surrounding potential future initiatives only heightens the sense of uncertainty. As families navigate this complex landscape, it becomes increasingly evident that the absence of a sustainable caregiver solution is not just a policy issue; it is a gender equality issue. Addressing the needs of caregivers and families must be a priority, as the decisions made today will have lasting consequences for the workforce of tomorrow, particularly for women who already face systemic barriers in their careers. It is time for the Canadian government to take decisive action and provide the support that working mothers so desperately need. Only then can Canada ensure that working mothers are not left to shoulder the caregiving burden alone, enabling them to thrive both at home and in their professional lives. As we move forward, prioritising sustainable solutions will help families flourish while advancing gender equality in the workforce.
