If you are interested in working as a Registered Nurse and Registered Psychiatric Nurse in Canada, you will be pleased to know that the job outlook for your occupation in Canada is extremely positive. You can use this overview of the Canadian employment prospects in your field to start planning your immigration and settlement in Canada.
Registered Nurses and Registered Psychiatric Nurses are on the list of 29 eligible occupations under the Federal Skilled Worker program. A maximum of 500 applications will be accepted for processing in each of the 29 occupations, with an overall cap of 10,000 applications.- To view current number of applications received toward the cap, click here.
To find out if you qualify for a Canadian immigration (permanent resident) visa please fill out our free eligibility assessment.
Why your job prospects in Canada are excellent:
- Changes in the economy have a minimal impact on the health care industry, because healthcare occupations such as nursing generally provide essential services to the public and thus are always in demand.
- The healthcare industry is mainly affected by demographics and government policy, and given that Canada’s population is aging, demand for healthcare workers including registered nurses is growing rapidly.
- A nation-wide critical shortage of registered nurses, which the Canadian Nurses Association predicts to increase to 60,000 by 2022, means that prospects in this field for immigrants are excellent.
- Canada needs more registered nurses than its schools are currently producing. This is compounded by the fact that nurses in Canada are retiring in large numbers in the next few years.
- As well, experienced registered nurses are also needed to educate students and train new graduates.
- The Canadian government is increasing funding for healthcare services, which will contribute to an increase in nursing jobs.
| Find out about the salary ranges for Registered Nurses and Registered Psychiatric Nurses in different Canadian cities with our Canada Salary Calculator |
Some areas in Canada where your occupation is most in demand:
Registered Nurses and Registered Psychiatric Nurses are in demand all over the country, but some areas to consider include:Ontario in general:
- In 2004-05, the Government of Ontario committed $10 million for PhD nursing programs over four years, which will increase the supply of nurses with PhDs and help educate the next generation of nurses to meet long term needs.
- In Ontario employment for Nurses is expected to grow more rapidly than the average for all occupations.
Kingston, Ontario:
- According to the national census, more one-third of the RNs in the Kingston-Quinte-Pembroke area are of 50 years of age and older. The need to replace them as they retire will create job opportunities.
- Demand for RNs in nursing homes has increased since legislation requiring at least one RN to be on duty at all times was introduced in 2005.
Muskoka, Ontario:
- Hospitals are consistently operating with 12 to 18 vacancies in the nursing department, but this trend is reflected across the whole country.
British Columbia:
- There is currently strong demand for nurses in all regions and settings in the province and the current supply of nurses and new graduates is not enough to meet this demand, particularly in northern and rural regions.
- Projected new for registered nurses jobs in the next 5 years in the province is 6,900.
- To address this situation, the provincial government has created additional training spaces in public post-secondary institutions, and has offered loan forgiveness to nursing graduates who commit to work in under-served regions of the province.
Alberta:
- During a 2005 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey, 43 per cent of employers reported having hiring difficulties when looking to hire registered nurses. This may be partly due to the fact that many nurses are expected to leave their positions due to retirement.
You can start looking for a job in Canada as a Registered Nurse or Registered Psychiatric Nurse by using our Canada Job Search Tool.
