HRSDC Assessment for Offers to Foreign Live-In Caregivers in British Columbia

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To assist you in the application process for live-in caregivers, below is a description of the factors that HRSDC takes into consideration when reviewing your job offer. Submitting a complete application and providing information on these factors can result in faster decisions by HRSDC and CIC officers and reduce delays in the recruitment of your foreign worker.

When assessing your job offer, HRSDC will primarily review :

the occupation and duties required from the live-in caregiver;
the wages and working conditions offered; and

You should also be aware of :

information related to hiring agencies; and
requirements related to the LCP employer-employee contract.

Occupation

A live-in caregiver is someone who provides care to children, the elderly or the disabled in a private household.

** Please note that the foreign live-in caregiver must be employed on a full-time basis (40 hours per week in BC).

Wages and Working Conditions

In British Columbia, the following table details the regionally set wage rates for employers hiring live-in caregivers in the province of BC.

Number of people in the home	Minimum hourly wage

4 or less	$8.00
5	$8.38
6	$8.76
7	$9.14
8	$9.52

For each additional person in the household beyond eight, add $3.00 per day.

BC employers must also adhere to provincial labour standards as well as provisions governing Room and Board rates, noting that in BC, the maximum deduction permitted for room and board is $325 per month.

Please refer to the following website for more information on provincial legislation related to the employment of live-in caregivers:

http://www.labour.gov.bc.ca/esb/domestics

Hiring Agencies

If you choose to appoint a third-party recruiter or hiring agency to act on your behalf, please make sure that the agency you select is reputable. It is your responsibility to obtain information from the agency and be clear about the services that the agency is offering. Please be aware that a hiring agency may act on your behalf for the purpose of obtaining an HRSDC confirmation, but cannot sign the employer-employee contract for you.

Employer-Employee Contract

Before CIC allows the entry of a live-in caregiver, please note that CIC expects the live-in caregiver to present a copy of an employer-employee contract signed by you, the employer, and the live-in caregiver. Please note that employer-employee contracts cannot be signed by third party recruiters or hiring agencies. In case of differences between the employer and the caregiver, the contract will guide the resolution of disputes.

Please be aware that in addition to the employer-employee contract, foreign live-in caregivers, like Canadians, are also covered by provincial labour and workplace safety legislation.