Continuing Care Assistant Certificate Program (CCA)

The Continuing Care Assistant program allows international students to qualify for work as a caregiver in Nova Scotia.

Applicants may have had previous experience providing care to seniors in their home country, possibly professionally or perhaps caring for a relative. So, many applicants will already know that this work can be both physically and emotionally demanding and requires dedication to those in their care. To meet Government eligibility requirements, applicants are likely to be between 19 and 53 years of age.

The program requires both academic study and practical vocational training. Applicants will need a High School diploma, or their home country’s equivalent; a licence that allows them to drive a vehicle in Canada; a good level of English language; and they will need to show that they have basic computer skills to enable them to keep records about seniors in their care. It’s likely that successful applicants will have already had some experience of international travel before they apply for the program.

If you aren’t sure that your background is right for the program, we’d encourage you to talk to us before you make your application. By making an application, we can look at your individual circumstances and give you a definite answer.

The most accurate and updated information regarding program fees for our 40-week Continuing Care Assistant (CCA) Certificate program (2024) can be found on our program fees page. 

Salaries in Nova Scotia for caregivers are extremely good. Latest surveys show that on average, caregivers are paid somewhere between $39,000-$40,000 (Canadian Dollars) every year. This means that you should be able to comfortably support yourself and your family once you start work, as well as recover the cost of any investment in program fees very quickly.

There are a number of scholarships available for domestic and international students. Please read the full details found in the “I want to know about available scholarships” section.

Scholarships Available for Domestic Students

The Government of Nova Scotia is offering free tuition for domestic students* who wish to earn their Continuing Care Assistant Certificate with Oxford International and work as a CCA in Nova Scotia!

Domestic students who begin the Oxford International Continuing Care Assistant (CCA) Certificate program throughout the remainder of 2024 – 2025 fiscal year (end March 2025) will qualify for free tuition! Students who benefit from this scholarship program will be required to work within the publicly funded Nova Scotia continuing care sector (long-term care or home care) for two years (4,160 hours) following their graduation. This scholarship covers the entire cost of domestic students’ application fees, tuition, and course materials, but does not include the cost of uniforms ($200 CAD). Please contact Oxford International College Halifax directly to learn more. 

*Domestic students = Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and refugees.

Scholarships Available for International Students

There are a number of scholarships available for international students. Please contact your agent or local Oxford International representative for more information. 

Halifax is a vibrant and growing city with a variety of accommodation options.

With a large number of students, there’s a great choice of accommodation in Halifax designed to fit the unique needs of students. But the large student population also means that the best accommodation can get booked fast. So it’s important to start looking at least two months in advance of a program start date.

Many students choose the college’s homestay program. This offers a room with a hosting family and meals. At just $1040 (Canadian Dollars) a month, this is a great solution for students who are traveling to Canada by themselves, rather than bringing their family with them.

Students wanting their own space, or who are bringing a family with them, could look at furnished and unfurnished rental apartments, available at a range of prices. Typically, they might rent privately from well-known names such as Air B&B (Airbnb.ca) or Kijiji (kijiji.ca). They may also consider furnished and serviced apartments from a provider like Premier Suites Halifax (premiersuites.com).

Getting your visa sorted is an important part of your journey to Halifax. 

The Canadian Government sets the rules for visa applications, acceptance, and costs. Because you’ll need to be in Canada at the start of your program, you should apply for a visa to study as soon as you can. Your family will probably need tourist visas if they want to travel to Canada with you. 

You will be working in the healthcare field in the CCA program. This means that regardless of which country you live in or apply from, you must submit a medical report with your visa application. If you do not submit a medical, you will be excluded from working in the healthcare field and will not be able to take the CCA program.

Your visa determines when you can enter the country, how long you can stay after you graduate and how many hours you can work while you are in Canada. To support your visa application, we will issue you a formal letter of admission showing that you intend to join our program as a Continuing Care Assistant in Nova Scotia. Oxford International College Halifax (formerly East Coast International College) is recognised as a Designated Learning Institute (DLI), and you may need to quote our DLI number of O267638647882 on your visa application. 

You should consult a qualified Canadian immigration consultant if you are not clear about what you must do when you apply for a visa. We ask all our scholarship students to attend an immigration interview so that they have the best advice before they make a visa application. We recommend you use the Canadian Government’s Student Direct Scheme if you can, since this can produce faster and better results than other application options.  

International students in Canada need a permit to enroll in a program. 

You’ll need to have two permits for the Continuing Care Assistant program at Oxford International College Halifax. A Study permit covers your academic learning, and you’ll also need a Co-op Work permit so that you can take part in the regular work placements that are embedded into your program. These permits are in addition to any travel visa that you may have applied for to enter Canada. 

You must apply for your Study permit and your Co-op Work permit using your letter of admission before you leave your home country. Because you need to have both permits before your program starts, make sure that you are issued with both a Study permit and a Co-op Work permit when you enter Canada at the border. Oxford International College Halifax is recognised as a Designated Learning Institute (DLI), and you should quote our DLI number of O267638647882 when you apply for a permit. 

Classes are normally from 8:30am to 4:30pm AST Monday to Friday.

We are very proud of the quality of our Continuing Care Assistant program, which has resulted in a graduation rate of more than 95% and employment for almost all our students. In addition, the demand for qualified caregivers in Nova Scotia is very high. We are confident that you will receive an offer of employment once you graduate.

We are so confident in our quality assurance that we commit to refunding your tuition fees in full if you successfully complete the CCA program and pass the provincial certification exam, but do not receive an offer of employment. To be eligible, your Oxford International College Halifax instructor will need to confirm that you:

• Maintained required attendance during the program, including at your co-op work placement.
• Received passing grades in both written and practical elements of the program.
• Received satisfactory reports from your co-op work placement provider.
• Worked respectfully and professionally with Senior residents from varied ethnic backgrounds, genders and sexes.
• Attended and positively participated in your job and interview skills classes.
• Attended interviews with at least 3 potential employers in addition to your co-op work placement provider.
• Demonstrated a strong desire to attain the position of a caregiver in Nova Scotia.
• Successfully passed the Nova Scotia provincial licensing exam, which you are able to take up to 3 times.

Please note that an offer of employment does not guarantee approval for the Nova Scotia Nominee Program, Graduates in Demand stream, or any other Nova Scotia Immigration stream, and is just one of the conditions that must be met. Some of the other conditions include sufficient settlement funds and a salary that will support your family. You can review all conditions on the International Graduates in Demand (novascotiaimmigration.com) website. Acceptance to the Nova Scotia Nominee Program does not guarantee that a work permit will be issued by IRCC or that you will be approved for Permanent Residency. 

English language proficiency is demonstrated through one of the following:

• Academic IELTS 6.0 (no band below 6.0)
• The Canadian Language Benchmarks Placement Test (CLBPT) 8
• TOEFL IBT 78
• ELLT Level 6 overall (no band below 6)
• Halifax’s in-person UCP Level 400

• Alternatively, applicants who are able to demonstrate 2 years of full-time academic study in the following countries where the language of instruction was English, are exempt from supplying an English proficiency exam for admission into OICH’s CCA program.

Antigua, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, Canada, England, Gambia, Ghana, Grand Cayman Islands, Grenada, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, New Zealand, Nigeria, Northern Marianas, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Scotland, Sierra Leone, South Africa, St Kitts, St Lucia, St Vincent & Grenadines, Swaziland, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States, Virgin Islands, Wales, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Previous academic achievement demonstrated through one of the following:

• Canadian Grade 12 Certificate, Diploma, or GED
• Or International Grade 12 or higher

Students should be between the ages of 19 and 53 to apply for the program.

Clear Criminal Record Check or Police Clearance Certificate and vaccinations required by healthcare facilities

Well done. You’ve taken your first step towards a bright new future as a Continuing Care Assistant in Canada.  

We’ll now look through your application and any supporting documents. We know that you are keen to hear back from us, so we’ll do this as quickly as we can. We need to make sure that we only make conditional offers to the right applicants because we want every student who starts to get the best from their program. 

We aim to let you know if you have been successful within seven days of receiving your application. 

Read your conditional offer letter carefully – and keep it safe! You’ll see what you need to do to start your program in Halifax. Please remember that it is your responsibility to meet any requirements or conditions shown in your conditional offer letter. 

We’ve tried to be clear about the start date that we’ve offered to you, what fees you need to pay, and any additional conditions that you need to meet before you enroll. But if we haven’t been clear enough, or you don’t think that you’ll be able to meet the deadlines, get in touch with us. We’ll always try to help. 

We now need you to pay your $1,000 (Canadian Dollars) Application Fee. Make sure that you are prepared to meet all the requirements shown in your conditional offer letter before you pay your Application Fee. In some cases we may be able to refund part, but not all, of this Application Fee.

After you have paid your Application Fee, you’ll need to book an interview with one of the admissions team as soon as you can. This is so that we can make sure that you are suitable to start the program – and it’s a great chance to ask any questions that you might have, and to find out what it’s like to study and work in Canada. Your conditional offer letter will show you how to book this interview. 

Congratulations – you’ve now met one of the major requirements shown on your conditional offer letter! Only those applicants who are a good fit for the Continuing Care Assistant program pass their admissions interview. You can be proud that you are one of these successful applicants and look forward to starting your program. 

We may also ask you to make a $10,000 (Canadian Dollars) Deposit against your program fees by a specific date. This Deposit is to secure your place in the Continuing Care Assistant program. We will deduct the value of any Deposit you pay against the total cost of your program fees. 

You are there now. Your letter of admission confirms that we will sponsor you as a student for the Continuing Care Assistant program in Nova Scotia.  

Now it’s time to organise your study visa. You’ll need to send a copy of your letter of admission when you make your visa application, and the Government will ask you to pay an application fee.  

Don’t wait to make your visa application – do it as soon as possible – and use the Student Direct Stream if you can to make your application. Government processing times can vary, and you cannot enter Canada until you have been granted a study visa. If you apply too late, you could miss the start of your program, and if that happens, you will need to make another visa application.  

We have no influence over the visa process, application costs or even if a visa is granted. These are all managed by the visa authorities in the Government. It’s important that you show the Government that you are intending to come into Canada to study, that you have enough money to support yourself, and that you could return to your home country when you graduate if asked to do so. 

At last! You are now ready to come into Canada and start your program. 

Read your documents carefully because they will say when you are able to travel. Do not travel before this date, because you may be turned back at the border, and this could affect your ability to enter Canada later. Do not book your flights or make travel arrangements until you have received confirmation from the college that you have been given a seat in the program. The college will tell you if there is still space for the program start date you have selected. 

It’s important that you arrive in time for the start of your program. With such an intensive program, we do not allow students to start late. Late starters would miss valuable learning and experience and not get the best from their time on the Continuing Care Assistant program. If you think that you will not be in Canada in time for the start of your program, let us know immediately. 

You can apply to bring your spouse and dependent children with you while you study and work on the Continuing Care Assistant program. 

We recommend anyone who wishes to accompany you enters Canada on a tourist visa, so would not be eligible to work in Canada unless they apply successfully for a work permit. Traveling on a tourist visa means that your family members have the best chance of being able to share their experiences in Canada. It’s particularly important that you and your family comply with any visa restrictions to protect your long-term chances to work and settle in Canada. We recommend that you take advice during your application from a licensed Canadian immigration consultant to consider your family’s specific visa requirements. 

Please remember that you’ll need to show that you have enough money to support any family you bring. Guidelines can change, but be prepared to budget for $20,635 for yourself and another $5,000 to $6,000 for each extra person in the household (Canadian Dollars).  

Nova Scotia will also offer free schooling for primary-age children at a suitable public school. This is a wonderful opportunity for your children to improve their language skills, experience a vastly different culture – and help you to make an informed choice about all your futures in Canada. If your child is not ready for primary school yet, and because Co-op work placement is an integral part of the CCA program, you may need make additional childcare provision to cover shift rosters, illness or school holidays.

Once your application has been assessed by Nova Scotia Immigration, and if you are successful, you can apply for a work permit from the Canadian Government.  You will then have the opportunity to apply to settle in Canada through the Canadian Government’s Permanent Residency process, which is often called ‘applying for PR’. 

Your qualification as a Continuing Care Assistant gives you an extremely compelling case to make an application for Permanent Residency to the Government. You’ll boost this by maintaining a good work history, and by showing that you have complied with any visa restrictions since you entered Canada. Your application for Permanent Residency can take some time – possibly up to 24 months – so be prepared to wait. Your work permit will allow you to support yourself, and your family, as a caregiver while the Government considers your application. 

After some time as a Permanent Resident, you would be eligible to apply for full Canadian citizenship.