Canada's need for skilled workers in the healthcare industry is growing. Our population is expanding at a record pace, and "greying" quickly, according to Statistics Canada. Now, more than ever, Canada's in need of healthcare workers.
If you take a healthcare program at a Canadian college or university, you may be able to do a "co-op" placement — a short-term experience in a real healthcare setting, working directly alongside professionals. Co-op is fantastic for earning work experience, and may help you secure a job after your placement concludes.
If your program doesn't offer co-op, though, or you don't get offered a permanent position after your placement ends, how do you find a job in Canadian healthcare?
1. Your school's career services office
This might seem like a no-brainer, but you might be surprised how many students skip the visit to their school's career services team. These teams are staffed with experts who can help you understand the job market, develop your resumé and offer practice interviews. You should be sure to visit while you can, even if you're feeling confident about your career path.
Many career centres continue to offer support to alumni for a couple years after graduation, but check in with your school's team to get the specifics.
2. HealthCareCAN.ca
HealthCareCAN.ca is a national organization supporting Canadian healthcare, and they offer an external job board with frequently-updated opportunities.
Some of these roles are high level, and the listings are not easy to search and filter, but it's a good idea to check in now and then to see the latest openings across the country.
Explore HealthCareCAN's external job board.
3. SchoolFinder's job opportunities page
SchoolFinder offers a built-in job opportunities tool, powered by ZipRecruiter and LinkedIn, for all sorts of roles. It's worth looking at now and then to see what's new.
Explore the SchoolFinder job opportunities page.
4. Government of Canada Job Bank
The Job Bank is supported by the Government of Canada and offers listings for positions across the country, for all sorts of employers in all sorts of industries.
The search and filter tools are great, or you can browse by healthcare category if there's a specific title you're looking for.
Explore the Government of Canada's Job Bank.
5. Canadian Public Health Association Job Board
The CPHA advocates for public health initiatives across the country, and they offer an external job board. Organizations pay a small fee to list their healthcare jobs on this page: as a result, the open roles tend to be higher level — not exactly suitable for breaking into the healthcare industry. Still, it may be worth having an occasional look at the listings.
Explore the CPHA external job board.
6. Health Careers Canada
Health Careers Canada is an independent job board aimed at people interested in the healthcare industry. At time of writing, the site's focused only on Saskatchewan and Ontario, so if you're in these provinces, give it a look.
Explore the Health Careers Canada website.
Bonus: Health Canada
Health Canada, the national body that oversees healthcare in this country, also hires new employees occasionally. They have nation-wide job openings, as well as opportunities for students and for nurses specifically.
Explore open roles with Health Canada.
Bonus: Your Provincial or Territorial Health Authority
Each province and territory in Canada is responsible for administering its own healthcare regime, with support from the federal government. As a result, each province and territory has its own need for healthcare workers. Here's a quick list of links to get you started:
These links and resources should help you get a sense of the landscape for healthcare careers in Canada. This list isn't the end of the story, though!
You should also check with your local hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, and doctors' offices, in case they have openings that haven't been widely publicized. Your town or city government might have a public health department, as well, so think broadly about where your education could take you. You might be surprised!
Explore healthcare programs in Canada