Karygiannis disappointed over LCP changes

Karygiannis disappointed over LCP changes

OTTAWA–The Honourable Jim Karygiannis, Member of Parliament for Scarborough-Agincourt, expressed his disappointment in the changes to the live-in Caregiver Program announced today by the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Jason Kenney.

“While I agree that changes are needed, the Minister has not gone far enough.” said Mr. Karygiannis. “Kenney is tinkering with the program instead of making changes that will help foreign caregivers become permanent residents and be reunited with their families.”

In a recent report to the Minister, the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration recommended that the Government of Canada amend the live-in Caregiver Program to mirror the program for economic immigrants. The program would grant live-in caregivers permanent resident status, once they had fulfilled certain conditions. In order to retain permanent resident status, a caregiver must accumulate 24 months of work as a live-in caregiver during the first three years in Canada. Caregivers would provide evidence to Citizenship and Immigration Canada and the conditions would be lifted.

“Offering permanent resident status to caregivers would allow them to bring their families with them and help them become Canadian citizens sooner.” Mr. Karygiannis stated. “Kenney has ensured that families will be separated for six years or more. It is not fair to ask the people we ask to look after our loved ones, to be separated from their loved ones for so long.”

The changes announced by the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration include:

• caregivers will be eligible to apply for permanent residence after 3,900 work hours and any overtime will count toward the total number of hours;

• employers must pay for travel costs to come to Canada, medical insurance until the caregivers become eligible for provincial health coverage and workplace safety insurance and any recruiting fees owed to third parties;

• employment contracts must spell out these employer-paid benefits and include clauses clearly outlining job duties, hours of work, overtime and holidays, sick leave and termination and resignation terms;

• the establishment of a dedicated live-in caregiver hotline; and,

• emergency processing of work permits and new authorization requests from employers to help caregivers when they need to change employers urgently.

“Once again, Kenney is showing that the family values he and his Party say are so important, apply only to Canadians and immigrants with money.” Mr. Karygiannis commented. “Instead of taking a bold step to tackle this problem, Kenney took baby steps.”

(PRESS RELEASE)