The Canadian Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Chris Alexander, today announced anticipated changes to the live-in caregiver program. The main reform see the dropping of ‘live-in’ from the name, with caregivers no longer being required to reside with their employers.

"I'm pleased to announce reforms that will improve the lives of caregivers seeking to make Canada their permanent home," Alexander said during a news conference in Toronto on Friday. "These reforms show the valuable role caregivers play in all of our lives."

Changes to the caregiver program include:

• Making it optional for caregivers to live with their employers.
• Reducing a backlog of 60,000 applications from caregivers for permanent residence.
• Creating two new categories whereby caregivers can seek permanent residency. One pathway will be for child-care providers. The second will be for caregivers who take care of the elderly or those with high medical needs. The government aims to have applications under both streams processed within six months.

The majority of immigrants who came to Canada under the program in its previous form are from the Philippines.