Siavash Shekarian is an immigration lawyer in Toronto, and the Executive Member & Public Affairs Liaison of the Ontario Bar Association.

Deanna and Steven discuss Canada’s caregiver programs, including the Live-in Caregiver Program (1992 to 2014), the Caring for Children and Caring for People with High Medical Needs pilots (2014 to 2019), the Interim Pathway for Caregivers (March 4 to July 8, 2019), the Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker Pilots (June 18, 2019 – June 18 2024), and the new proposed program.

Topics include whether Canada needs caregiver programs, open work permits, permanent residence right away, caregivers leaving the occupation after getting permanent residence, processing delays and more.

Eoin Logan is a lawyer at Meridian Law Group. Fifty percent of his practice is suing immigration consultants and lawyers for professional negligence.

A discussion of the Open Work Permit for Vulnerable Workers program, a program which provides ppen work permit for vulnerable foreign workers who are victims of abuse. We also discuss access to justice issues.

Jonathan Braun and Amanda Aziz are lawyers who work at the Migrant Workers Centre, an organization in Vancouver that promotes and advances access to justice for migrant workers by providing legal services, advocacy, research, public education and engaging in law and policy reform initiatives.

Juliana Dalley is a lawyer at the Immigration and Refugee Legal Clinic, the only legal clinic in British Columbia specializing in immigration and refugee maters.