Do the caregiver pilots have an annual intake cap that can close applications?

Yes, pathways like the caregiver pilots have historically operated with intake limits, and IRCC has paused, capped, or restructured similar programs before, sometimes with little advance notice. This means that even if you meet all the eligibility criteria on paper, an application can be affected by how much intake room remains at the time you are ready to apply, not just by whether you personally qualify.

This is one of the more frustrating realities of these federal pilot pathways: they are created and adjusted through ministerial instruction rather than fixed permanently in legislation, so terms that applied a year ago, including how intake is managed, may not be the terms in place today. Someone who spent months building qualifying work experience toward one of these pilots can find that the intake structure has changed by the time they are actually ready to submit an application.

Because of this volatility, do not assume the pathway is currently open, currently accepting new applications, or operating under the same intake terms you may have read about previously. Before making plans that depend on this pilot, confirm its current status and intake terms directly through IRCC's published guidance, or check with an immigration lawyer close to the time you intend to apply.