Is Canadian Government shutting down Live in Caregiver program ????????????????

[LCPcaregiver]

To QuickQuestion : Are you from the Government ?

There is most certainly a plan from CIC and Minister Kenney to cut down the LCP and slow down the program. It is now also coming from the Filipino community who are 90 % of the foreign caregivers coming to Canada.
No doubt in my mind !!!!
The excuse that it is all to protect the caregivers is old and everybody knows it was just a ploy to attract Filipino - Canadian votes for the May 2 election all over Canada , nobody wants to hear it anymore !

Filipinos want to be able to come to Canada as caregivers ....
If the Government thinks that that the LCP will help Canada for its aging population, it ain't gonna happen.

I have a couple of friends in Hong Kong who have been trying to secure a family for 6 months with no success.

Why is that ????????

 

[rjessome]

Well I'm glad you have no doubt in your mind but you are wrong. In fact, the changes to the LCP effective April 1, 2011 actually IMPROVED the program. Did you even compare it to what it used to be? LICs used to have only 3 years to complete the requirements to be eligible for PR. Now they have 4 years. Some overtime is now allowed to be added to the required hours where it wasn't before. Using this overtime allowance, LICs can apply after 22 months of working instead of 24.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/backgrounders/2010/2010-08-18a.asp

There are also EXCEPTIONS to the 4 year limit that you would know about if you actually read them. If an LIC has applied for PR and received AIP, then they are NOT subject to the 4 year limit. And LICs CAN change employers if they have a new employer with an LMO (this is NOT new).

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/tfw.asp

So do YOU work for the Canadian government? I didn't think so.

 

[Bambiegirl]

I read it alright...the changes that they're making doesn't solve the problems of abusive employer and vice versa.4yrs to apply for PR in exchange of what? Longer processing time? Overtime of 390 hrs? It doesn't give an impact by the way for me...sorry but we have different points of view about it and I wouldn't agree with yours.

 

[Quickquestion]

LCP I am unable to understand your point. What is coming from the Filipino community? I'm from the Filipino community. So whatever you're listening/contributing to within your circles, you are wasting your time. And no I do not work for the government.

On the flip side, no pun intended, I sense that you suspect a conspiracy theory because it is quite common in the Philippines government to have corrupted politicians squandering the hard earned remittances they tax their expats and changing laws to help line their pockets. It's very sad to think that no govt there is able to reduce the fat corruption and lead that country towards prosperity.

And Bambiegirl, it is hard for LC's to understand their rights and respectfully challenge anything that goes against them. Especially since they are living under their employer's roof. LC's should be required to pass a multiple choice or scenario-based test that helps them understand what is lawful and what isn't. Or maybe their rights should be printed out and posted in a wall somewhere in the home, like they do for the health and safety act in some workplaces. Or they should take the time to read and comprehend the law or the govt should make it easy for them to find resources. They have the program in other languages, so this is a good start.

Mass email this to your circle LCP: http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/other/filipino/is_fn_esa.pdf

And post this in your employer's home: http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/es/pdf/is_fn_esa.pdf

 

[LCPcaregiver]

To Quick Question:

You are the typical naive Filipino who actually bought that the Canadian wants to protect Filipino caregivers.

The Government wants to gently kill the LCP this has been going on for a long time and they saw an opportunity with
the complaints from various groups.

One of the improvements was faster PR, come on, PR is taking longer than ever , in fact for most caregivers it'll feel
like doing the LCP twice.

I have many friends overseas who can't find employers in Canada, is that an improvement for our community ?

Many of friends will be apart from their husbands and kids much longer due the long processing times.
Open work permits used to be 6 months now it is 15 months.

Other friends in Manila waited 2 years at Embassy just to be denied.

No my friend, the LCP is is worse shape than ever before...no improvement in my view.

 

[rjessome]

First, the LCP is NOT designed only for the Filipino community.

Second, the wait times in Manila have to do with the volume of applications they receive and the amount of fraud and insufficient requirements that are present in many of these applications.

Third, the wait times for the OWP are because of the greatly INCREASED numbers of applicants because the program has GROWN so much in the past 5 years.

 

[Leon]

Yes, the program has grown.

In the year 2000, 1,759 LC's got their PR. In 2010 they were 7,664. These numbers are not including their families who also got PR at the same time.

In 2000, there were 7,451 LC's working in Canada and 2009, they were 38,608.

From 2000 to 2009, LC's have gone from being 1.4% of the immigrants to being 4.6%

When Canada is turning off the taps on immigration, making it harder for skilled workers to immigrate, then why would they make it easier for the low-skilled? Frankly I wouldn't be surprised if they cut this one down in the future or made it harder but so far, I have heard of no plans to do it and if they do, I hope at least they will let all those who have already entered the program continue through.

 

[rjessome]

Thanks for the stats Leon.

This is one program they WON'T be cutting. Thinking about it from an economic perspective, this program saves the government an absolute fortune in health care. LICs working in elderly care are providing a service (paid for by private citizens) that DECREASES the financial burden on the healthcare system. That's why the program has increased so much and will continue to do so as a whole generation of baby boomers are retiring. Assisted living and long term care facilities, whether publically or privately funded, cost a fortune. Having an LIC take care of the day to day needs of just one elderly person for 3 years saves hundreds of thousands of dollars for the government. And, since we have a Conservative government that is VERY committed to holding tightly to the public purse strings and reducing the deficit, this is NOT one of the low skilled programs that will be reduced, if any are, as it actually SAVES the government money!

Immigration, from a government perspective, is not so much about people. It's about MONEY. Governments want to both grow their economies and save money. There is no economic sense to cutting this program.

 

[LCPcaregiver]

Why don't you get the latest stats for 2010 and 2011 ? The program is gently shut down by the Government.
Mark my words ?

Try to get stats on how many live in caregivers are receiving work permits ....

 

[Leon]

Those stats are not available on the CIC website yet.

Only these:
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

LC's 7,451 9,463 11,997 13,880 17,403 20,386 24,392 33,627 38,189 38,608
already in Canada

LC's 2,684 4,372 4,739 5,086 6,708 7,199 9,334 13,775 12,882 9,816
arriving in Canada

So you see, there are less new work permits in 2009 but the number of LC's already in Canada has never been higher. They may not be cutting the program at all, just keeping it from growing any larger. I suppose they will have more detailed numbers for 2010 later this year.

 

[Janice Lopez]

Hi members,

I'm a newbie here. I am an Indonesian and have been working in Taiwan for the last 3 years. I have found an employer in canada. However the Canada Trade Office in Taipei has closed for the visa section since June this year. Now my LMO has been released and I am so desperate , confused how I can process my working permit while I'm still finishing my work contract here in Taiwan.

Can I send my application to Canada Embassy in HK? Will they process my application within 4 months? How should I place my application fee? I have sent emails to Canada Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia. They suggested me to apply from there, when I finish my contract in Taiwan. However, my LMO expires just when my contract finishes.

I am willing to go to HK for the interview, however I cannot wait for the interview call in HK, because I won't get holidays too long.

I really need help and I appreciate your replies. Thank you so much