 Caregiver Information
Nannies - Au Pairs - Babysitters - Companions
Providing care to children, persons with disabilities or the elderly
in Canada may be for you if:
- You love children and have lots of patience.
- You are a hard working person.
- You are in good health.
- You have a good command of English or French.
- You have completed your high school education.
- You have a clean criminal record.
- You have some training and/or experience in education or
health care.
Previous experience working with children, persons with disabilities
or the elderly is helpful, but not necessary.
Different types of employment suit different candidates. The
following will answer some of your early questions:
-
Live-in or live-out?
-
Live-in. This option is available to
Canadian residents as well as international applicants.
You live with the family, which is a good
way to improve
your spoken English and learn about Canadians. Your
employment is full
time, so it provides a stable source of income. You
take care of one or
more children or other family members for about eight
hours a day on
average. You may be asked to join the family on their
vacation trips so you may continue to provide care for
their children, etc., while away from home. International
applicants can only work for one family.
-
Live-out. This option is only
available to Canadian residents. You are responsible
for your own place to stay. Your employment may be full
time or part time, which may allow you to take on other
pursuits,
such as attending
courses.
-
Who do you take care of?
-
Babies or children. Babies may require feeding, changing,
walking, playing, reading books, etc. You may also find
yourself helping older children with
schoolwork. You may be asked to walk or drive children
to school and activities.
-
Persons with disabilities. Your family
may need your help with providing care to a family member
with
a physical
disability (e.g., a person in a wheelchair), mental
disability, or special learning needs (a child
who needs extra help with schoolwork). Caregivers who are
always
positive and have lots of patience can be a great help
to such
families.
-
Elderly persons. Some families need
help caring for an elderly person. Your responsibilities
may include preparing
meals, giving medications, being a companion for conversations
and walks, doing shopping.
-
What other duties do you have?
- Every family's needs are different. However, the following
are common functions that caregivers may be asked to
serve: go shopping, prepare and serve
meals, do dishes, do laundry, iron clothes, vacuum and
dust, tidy up.
- Many families prefer caregivers with
a driver's licence, so they may do some shopping or
give children rides to and from school.
- Some families have pets, such as a dog or a cat, and you
may be asked to help care for them as well.
- What if you need help?
- We continue
to provide support, answer questions, and resolve any
problems that you may encounter. If things do not work
out for any reason, we can help you find a family that
is a better fit.
- What will your compensation be?
- Your salary is based on experience and the number of persons
in the household. Please refer to the table below for
minimum rates. The monthly rate is based on 22 working
days per month and 8 working hours per day.
|
Houseold Members |
Hourly rate |
Monthly rate |
|
4 |
$8.00 |
$1,408.00 |
|
5 |
$8.38 |
$1,474.88 |
|
6 |
$8.76 |
$1,541.76 |
|
7 |
$9.14 |
$1,608.64 |
|
8 |
$9.52 |
$1,675.52 |
The following are deducted from your salary: Income tax,
Employment Insurance, your Canada Pension Plan contribution,
and, for "live-in caregivers," room and board. (Maximum
allowable deduction for room and board is $325.00 per
month.)
If you are interested in working for a family in Canada,
or would like more information, please complete the
Caregiver
Application Form. We will review your information and contact
you by email or phone, usually in 1-2 business days |
