I'm on a 4-year study visa in Canada, but I left school to do a prior learning assessment and recognition program for a CCA course here in Nova Scotia. Although it's not an institution, I have completed it. I've also secured a full-time job at a home care facility that is willing to sponsor me for whichever pathway I choose. Can you help me find the best pathway or stream to follow based on my situation here in Canada?
Homecare/caregiver pathway
- Thread starter PrinceJay05
- Start date
So if on a study permit, did you complete program and eligible for PGWP? Do you have an approved LMIA? Work experience in the NOC? Google - NS PNP and do some research.
Like I said, I left school to do a prior learning assessment and recognition program, which isn't an official institution but is recognized here in Nova Scotia. I'm done with the program now, and I've gotten a full-time job that is willing to help me apply for a stream to get my full work permit and PR.
So go on the NS PNP site and research if you anre eligible for any PR program based on age, education (ECA), language skills and work experience. Look at AIP too. If not eligible then your employer must file for a LMIA proving no Canadian has the work experience, education and language experience to do the job. The LMIA takes about 8-10 months to process. Then with LMIA you apply for a closed work permit but if not a student or worker at the time of LMIA approval then you can not apply inside Canada but home country.
What is your status now?
I have up to 1 year of experience in caregiving here in Canada. I left school to do the program, but I still have a valid study visa and CO-OP work permit until 2027.
If not attending school you don’t have a valid study permit. Not sure how you are working.
You’ve yet to state how you’re eligible for this full time job
Plus if you’re not studying , the 2027 date you mentioned is irrelevant in the whole scheme of things
Kinda goes hand in hand. Study permit = you study
You don’t study = study permit is invalid
Your study permit conditions
As a study permit holder, you need to meet a number of conditions. If you don’t meet these conditions, you may lose your student status and study permit. You may also have to leave Canada.
As a study permit holder, you must:
- be enrolled at a designated learning institution (DLI), unless you’re exempt
- show you’re actively pursuing your studies, unless you’re exempt, by
- being enrolled full-time or part-time during each academic semester (excluding regularly scheduled breaks)
- making progress towards completing your program’s courses and
- not taking authorized leaves longer than 150 daysfrom your study program
- apply to extend your study permit to change post-secondary schools
- end your studies if you no longer meet the requirements of being a student and
- leave Canada when your permit expires
Last edited:
If program is completed, it expires 90 days after completion. Co-op permit is just to work for program completion. So you cannot work if not attending school. You need to change status to visitor if no longer a student to stay legally in Canada.
You are not eligible for a work permit unless you have LMIA. PR is only an option if eligible for AIP or NS PNP pathways, but it doesn’t allow you to work until PR. Job offer means nothing.
Would add you may have been working illegally up to this point. It’s unclear on what grounds you have been able to work up to this point but if not studying you weren’t legally able to work.
I work because my course is a study and learn program, specifically the Personal Support Worker program. I got the CO-OP work permit, which I was given an open work permit specifically on my permit, and my specific employer is my school. So, I’m legally allowed to work in healthcare. If I wasn't allowed to work, my employer wouldn't have hired me.
You are not allowed to work legally at all if you completed your program. Your co-op work permit is only to work to complete the requirements of your program. Your study and co-op permits expire 90 days after program completion. You cannot work on your co-op work permit if program is completed Does employer know you don’t have a valid work permit? You have to tell them that your co-op work permit expires 90 days after completion. They may not know that.
You said you left school. If your study permit is that long it must have been for another program. Did you change your DLI? When did this program start? Employer typically have no idea when it comes to immigration so if you tell them you have a valid permit and a valid SIN card they assume you can legally work.
