The Future of Canada’s Immigration System Must Prioritize Home and Community Care

The Forum of Ministers Responsible for Immigration (FMRI) recently met to discuss sustainable immigration and the future of Canada’s immigration system. Many of the priorities raised are directly relevant to home and community care and should remain central to ongoing policy discussions.

Home and community care must be protected and prioritized as immigration policy evolves. Canada already faces significant shortages of home support workers, family/unpaid caregivers, and related occupations (NOC 44101), and the sector relies on international talent to meet growing workforce needs. Domestic recruitment alone cannot close the workforce gap quickly enough to keep pace with rising demand.

Recent immigration policy changes are creating uncertainty for many care workers already contributing to the sector. In a June 2026 flash survey conducted by SEIU Healthcare, nearly 30% of health care workers reported that their visas were set to expire, and we expect this proportion to be even higher in the home and community care sector, where many workers face limited pathways to extend their work permits or transition to permanent residency. Without action, about 7 million home care visits delivered by more than 8,000 temporary foreign workers could be at risk in Ontario alone by 2029, disrupting care for more than 30,000 people.

The priorities discussed at FMRI — including regional, rural, and northern labour needs, persistent workforce shortages, and support for key economic sectors — reflect the realities facing home and community care across Canada.

We support strengthening Provincial Nominee Programs and modernizing economic immigration programs, including Express Entry, to better respond to labour market needs. Home and community care should be explicitly recognized within these pathways.

The Home Care Worker Immigration Pilot should be positioned as a core part of Canada’s economic immigration strategy, with faster processing for applicants. Addressing classification barriers, including the exclusion of NOC 44101 from Express Entry, and recognizing personal care providers (e.g. personal support workers and health care aides) as TEER 3 occupations would improve pathways to permanent residence.

We also support improved foreign credential recognition, stronger transitions from temporary to permanent residence, and adequate funding for settlement supports, including targeted language training.

As policy evolves, home and community care must remain central to the conversation. Changes in immigration policy must not come at the expense of a strong home and community care system.

For more on the workforce challenges facing home and community care and our recommendations to address them, visit our Building Workforce Capacity webpage.

Read the federal government’s news release on the Forum of Ministers Responsible for Immigration meeting and their discussions on sustainable immigration planning here