The Process

Application process

If you are a nurse, nanny or care worker, qualified to independently take care of children, elderly, challenged or disabled people and you satisfy the eligibility criteria, then you can follow the steps of the application process.

1. The first step is to contact us by e-mail or fax. We will then provide you with information on our partner agencies and on the specific requirements for your country. If we don't have a partner agency in your country, we will work directly with you.

2. After the first step, you will receive an information package on what you need to qualify for our Live-in Caregiver Program, to accept an offer of employment from a Canadian family, to come to Canada as a Caregiver, and to extend your stay so you may continue working in Canada. The package also includes an application form, two childcare reference forms and a character reference form. In order to receive the package from one of our partners, you have to pay a "good faith" deposit. If you prefer to download our application forms and references at no cost, click here and the links above. To read the majority of these forms, you will need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader.

3. If you decide that the program is for you, you will have to schedule an appointment for an interview with one of our local representatives. At the interview you will have to bring the application form that needs to be neatly filled out and signed by you, a "Dear Host Family" letter both neatly hand written in English, two pages long and typed, three not family related references, a photo collage with children you cared for and that includes you, documentation of school completion, criminal check report or authorization for criminal check. Please click here for a check list. You can include the checklist with your application.

4. Once you are accepted in the program you will correspond with the families that we find for you until a perfect mach is found. After that we will guide you through the entire process until your arrival in Canada.

5. Once you are here you will receive our Welcome Hand-book, designed to welcome you by providing guidelines to help you get the most of your year around stay and help you transition smoothly and effectively to live in Canada.

You will be asked about your diplomas, school certificates or transcripts that lists the courses you have taken. Be honest about your education, training and experience because you could be disqualified from the program if you are not. Your marital status and the number of children you have will not affect the outcome of your application; you must be honest in providing this information.

Because of the existence of an agreement between the federal government and the province of Quebec, there are differences in the way the Program operates for Caregivers who will be working in Quebec.

Services we offer to Caregivers

As a specialized Au Pair agency, we offer services both to the families and Caregivers, as a perfect fit is our goal.

Once you have applied, your application is screened, your references checked and your file completed and presented to different Canadian families. After we find you a family, we assess your compatibility and if it looks like a perfect fit, the family and you will have a correspondence period to get to know each other.

If you and the family decide that you would like to work together, we can negotiate the contract for you and do the paperwork for the Work Permit.

Once you are here you may be required to attend a training course, such as First Aid or CPR within the first month following your arrival.

If you decide to find another contract after a year, we can find you a host family and negotiate another contract for you.

Program costs

If you want to participate in the program, you will basically have three categories of costs: agency costs, governmental costs and miscellaneous costs.

1. Agency:

We have a system of good faith deposits and customized placement fees according to your experience, country you are from and period of time you want to stay. After receiving your application we'll let you know the amounts in your case. Sometimes you might be required to pay a part of your "good faith deposit" before starting the placement procedure. There is no fee to apply or to assess your application.

2. Governmental:
-      Application processing fee paid to the Canadian Government (currently this fee is CAD$150.00; however the fee may vary from time to time). The fee includes a first Visa for Canada, if required.
-      Medical exam fee (approximately CAD$125.00).
-      Canadian visitor visa fee (if applicable; CAD$75.00 for a single entry visa, or CAD$150.00 for a multiple entry visa). Whether or not you are required to have a visitor visa to re-enter Canada depends on the country you are from and the valability of your first visa.

3. Miscellaneous:
-      Medical insurance for the first 3 months (even if it is optional, we highly recommend it). The price is around CAD$328 / 3 months.
-      Transportation costs - please check with your local travel agents for the best airfare to Canada.
-      Baggage insurance (even if it is optional, we highly recommend it).