Why hire a caregiver?
These days, balancing a profession as well as raising a family is no easy task. The reality is that the high costs of living necessitate a dual-income family to maintain a relatively high standard of living. Thus, the professional working parent spends an average of over 100 to 120 hours a week at a career job and tending to childcare and household duties. If you happen to be a career executive who travels on business frequently, quality time with loved ones is often compromised. Simply put, a professional nanny will help look after your children and assist with varying degrees of household management, leaving you practically stress-free, with valuable time to enjoy with your family.
JM Homecare Inc. has a roster of dedicated nannies and household management professionals who are committed to practicing the highest standards of quality childcare and/or household management with the utmost of respect and discretion.
Consider the cost of daycare these days versus hiring a nanny: sending one child to daycare is approximately $900; and, if you have more than one child in daycare, the cost increases substantially. Imagine having a nanny who cares for your children as well as managing your household....all for less than the expense of sending 1.5 children to a daycare. The added benefits include not having to drop off and pick up your children, having your own private chef, housekeeper, and all of this is tax deductible if both parents are working.
The Government of Canada understands that both parents have to work these days. Parents who incur child care expenses may be entitled to the Child Care Expenses Deduction benefit. For more details, please visit the following links:
Child Care Expenses Deduction information,
visit http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pub/tp/it495r3/it495r3-e.pdf
Child Care Expenses Deduction application,
visit http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pbg/tf/t778/README.html
If you have an elderly loved one in need of living assistance or a child with special needs, our caregivers can offer compassionate care based on dignity and respect. Whether you simply need a companion or someone to help with life’s daily tasks, you can trust our caregivers to give the attentive care that your loved one deserves. You or your loved ones might even qualify for the following tax deduction benefit on your personal income tax. For more information, please visit the following link:
Medical Expense & Disability Tax Credits & Attendant Care Expense Deduction information: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pub/tp/it519r2-consolid/it519r2-consolid-e.pdf
How does the hiring process work?
To hire a caregiver can be a complex and time consuming process. JM Homecare is here to assist you every step of the way.
Step 1 Consider the following: Do you need a part time or full time caregiver? Do you want a live-in caregiver or one who lives out? Do you want someone local or would a foreign caregiver be suitable?
Locally-based Caregiver: is available on a part-time, full-time, live-in or live-out basis. We understand that every family’s needs and requirements are different and unique. Thus, based upon the information you have provided us, we study the details of your expectations and requirements, matching you with a compatible caregiver suited to your family’s needs. Therefore, we will provide you with a hand-picked selection of caregivers who are best suited for you, your family or loved ones.
Foreign Caregiver: is available when local caregivers are unavailable or do not meet your requirements and needs. Caregivers from overseas are hired only as full-time and live-in, applying under the Canadian Government’s Live-In Caregiver program. Under the program, there are certain conditions that have to be met and agreed upon by the employer in order to hire a foreign live-in caregiver.
Based on current federal regulations, if you want to hire a live-in caregiver, you must agree to the following conditions. He/she must:
- Work for you in a private home
- Live with you, the employer
- Have a private, furnished room within your home
- Be employed on a full-time basis
- Meet the requirements set by Citizenship and Immigration
Canada (CIC) for language, education and work skills
Live In Caregiver program info: http://www.rhdsc.gc.ca/en/workplaceskills/foreign_workers/lcpdir/lcpone.shtml
Step 2 Once the conditions for hiring a foreign caregiver are agreed upon, the next step is for us to help you with the application to Service Canada for a Labour Market Opinion (LMO). This is where JM Homecare steps in to assist you in the preparation of documentation for submission of your LMO application. For more details, please see the following links:
Labour Market Opinion info: http://www.rhdsc.gc.ca/en/workplaceskills/foreign_workers/lcpdir/lcptwo.shtml
Labour Market Opinion applications: http://www.rhdsc.gc.ca/en/workplaceskills/foreign_workers/lcpdir/lcpthree.shtml
Please note, a foreign live-in caregiver employed in B.C. must be registered by the employer with the B.C. Ministry of Skills Development and Labour. For registration, please visit: http://www.labour.gov.bc.ca/esb/forms/domestic_reg.htm
For those foreign live-in caregivers working in the province of Quebec, the employer must apply for a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (certificat d'acceptation du Québec) from the Ministère de l'Immigration et des Communautés culturelles.
Step 3 Once the positive Labour Market Opinion has been approved and received, a copy of the Service Canada letter is forwarded to the foreign worker who will then include it in their work permit application.
Step 4 We will provide you with a selection of 3-5 caregivers who are best suited and matched with your family profile and requirements. We will arrange an interview on your behalf with each of them, individually, either by phone or by video conferencing. If the first round of selections does not meet your criteria, we will continue the search, providing a further selection of 3-5 caregivers for consideration.
All caregivers will undergo a thorough and comprehensive two-stage screening and proficiency interview process by our in-house human resources team. In addition, the following will be completed: security clearance(s) (police checks); educational, employment reference checks; and also undergo a medical examination before they arrive. All our caregivers will be CPR and Standard Emergency First-aid certified.
Step 5 Once the foreign caregiver is selected by you, a copy of the signed employment contract along with a copy of the LMO letter is submitted to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) with the foreign caregiver’s Canadian work permit application.
Employer must adhere to Labour and Employment Standards governed by their provincial government. For more information, please see the following:
Regional Wages, Working Conditions and Advertisement Requirements for the Live-In Caregiver Program (LCP), please visit: http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/workplaceskills/foreign_workers/advertReq/wageadreq.shtml
For online payroll deduction information, please visit: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/esrvc-srvce/tx/bsnss/pdoc-eng.html
B.C. Worker s Compensation Board information: http://www.worksafebc.com/insurance/need_coverage/emp_05.asp
Step 6 Once they have submitted their application to Citizenship and Immigration Canada, the waiting process can vary from 3-4 months for some overseas countries, 4-6 months for others. For the Philippines, the approval process can take up to a year or longer.
ARRIVAL OF THE CAREGIVER
In order to expedite the application process and the arrival of your caregiver, we will assist them with the necessary work permit documentation for Citizenship and Immigration Canada. If needed, we will also assist them with travel arrangements.
Most caregivers arriving from overseas may not be trained in using western household appliances such as the clothes dryer, in-house vacuum system, or dishwasher—things we might take for granted in the necessity of daily chores. Thus, all caregivers will receive a one day work orientation session upon arrival, in order to brief them as to what is expected and to further provide the necessary tools to help them, if needed. The orientation helps to alleviate any concerns or questions which they might have in embarking on their care giving career in a new country. We will also be providing them with an earthquake/emergency preparedness training course as part of job-related skills development. If they feel they are lacking in any area of job competency, we also offer additional comprehensive industry-related courses to enhance their skills development and to further help them settle into a new country like Canada. JM Homecare is committed to ensuring that the caregiver and employer both have a positive and rewarding experience. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call us. Consultation is free and we are here to assist you in any way we can.
At JM Homecare, we truly DO care.
