Careers in long-term care
Learn about building a rewarding career in long-term care.
Overview
Working in long-term care is more than just a job. It is an opportunity to develop a broad skillset to meet the growing needs of Ontario’s seniors, work as part of a highly specialized team, and develop long-lasting relationships with both residents and their families.
Professions in long-term care are in high demand across Ontario: thousands of health care workers are needed in the sector to meet the province’s growing demands in senior care.
Personal support workers
Help residents with their daily needs
Registered practical nurses
Care for residents with stable and more predictable medical needs
Registered nurses
Care for residents with more complex conditions
Grow your career
Build on your existing knowledge and skills to move to the next stage of your career and find possible financial supports to help get you there
Internationally educated nurses
Programs designed to help you become eligible to practice in Ontario
Other careers in long-term care
Provide other health-related services, such as dieticians, physiotherapists and social workers
Look for a long-term care job or see what opportunities are available for your future career.
Become a personal support worker
Personal support workers are the backbone of the long-term care sector. On a day-to-day basis, they are able to make the biggest difference to the residents’ quality of life and are involved in every single aspect of care-planning, including:
- personal care
- social and emotional well-being
- housekeeping
- culturally-specific supports
Given the support they provide across a spectrum of needs, becoming a personal support worker in long-term care is a great opportunity to develop a wide range of valued skills like interpersonal communications, teamwork, adaptability and collaboration.
It is also a much-in-demand role, with the long-term care sector alone looking to employ thousands of personal support workers over the next four years.
In long-term care, you get the opportunity to provide holistic care, and build long-term bonds with residents and their families. I really value that.
Personal support worker, Ottawa
Job requirements
To become a personal support worker, you will need:
- a high school diploma or equivalent (such as mature student status)
- a personal support worker program certificate
Education
Personal support worker education programs are offered by:
Programs take from five months to a year to complete.
Financial aid may be available. Find more information about:
- Financial support for PSW courses offered by District School Boards
- Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP)
- Better Jobs Ontario, formerly Second Career
Become a registered practical nurse
In long-term care, registered practical nurses (RPNs) play a vital role in creating individualized care plans that meet the unique needs of each resident. They work as an integral member of an interdisciplinary team that includes physicians, social workers, dieticians, speech language pathologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, pharmacists, and more.
Registered practical nurses care for residents with stable and more predictable medical needs. However, the varied demands on registered practical nurses in long-term care means they not only exercise a wide range of skills, but also have the opportunity to pursue different medical specializations. Caring for residents over a long period of time, registered practical nurses not only become indispensable members of their care teams, but also develop strong, personal relationships with residents and their families.
You can grow no matter what program or department you come into in long-term care. There are growth opportunities 100% through across the board.
Registered practical nurse, Windsor
Job requirements
To become a registered practical nurse, you must:
- complete an approved program of practical nursing
- complete the national registration examination
- be registered and in good standing with the College of Nurses of Ontario
Education
Registered practical nurse programs approved by the College of Nurses of Ontario, are offered at publicly-assisted colleges, as well as some Indigenous institutes in partnership with publicly-assisted colleges.
Admission generally requires:
- Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent academic achievement
- individual college or program prerequisites
Programs are two-years long and lead to an Ontario college diploma.
Financial aid may be available. Find more information about:
- Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP)
- Tuition Support Program for Nurses
- Nursing Education Initiative
- WeRPN bursaries
- Canadian Nurses Foundation scholarship program
- Registered Nurses Foundation of Ontario Annual Awards
Next steps
- Apply directly to colleges or Indigenous institutes offering the practical nurse program or through the Ontario Colleges Application Service (OCAS).
- Find information about the Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Examination.
- Nursing Graduate Guarantee - If you are within 12 months of registering with the College of Nurses of Ontario, and approved to participate in this program, Ontario will guarantee you have the opportunity for full time employment.
- Community Commitment Program for Nurses - Newly graduated nurses may be eligible to receive $10,000 in exchange for a one-year commitment to an employer.
Become a registered nurse
Registered nurses working in long-term care provide comprehensive care to residents with ever-increasing levels of complex needs.
They are clinical leaders in assessment, care planning, carrying out care and measuring what’s working or not for all residents in a long-term care home. Registered nurses are also responsible for leading residents’ care teams, which can include a number of different designations and practitioners. Due to the wide scope of their role in the sector, registered nurses with experience in long-term care can achieve leadership roles in their careers much sooner, than in other sectors.
As a nurse, if you are looking to develop leadership skills while also working to your full scope of practice, long-term care is a terrific place to be.
Registered nurse, Toronto
Job requirements
To become a registered nurse, you must:
- complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree offered by a university, college, or through a college-university partnership
- complete the national registration examination
- be registered and in good standing with the College of Nurses of Ontario
Education
In Ontario, Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs are provided by:
- six university stand-alone programs (Queen’s University, Brock University, Nipissing University, University of Ottawa, York University and University of Toronto)
- eleven collaborative university-college programs
- eight college stand-alone programs (Humber, St. Lawrence, Seneca Georgian, Sault, Canadore, Loyalist, and Cambrian colleges)
- University and Indigenous Institutes collaborative programs (Seven Generation Education Institute)
Admission generally requires:
- Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent
- minimum academic achievement average
- individual college or university program prerequisites
Programs are typically four years in length. However, some compressed and accelerated options are available for students with prior education and experience.
Financial aid may be available. Find more information about:
- Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP)
- Tuition Support Program for Nurses
- Canadian Nurses Foundation Scholarship program
- Registered Nurses Foundation of Ontario Annual Awards and Scholarships
Next steps
- Apply directly to an approved nursing program, the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC) or the Ontario Colleges Application Service (OCAS).
- Find information on the NCLEX-RN examination.
- Nursing Graduate Guarantee - If you are within 12 months of registering with the College of Nurses of Ontario, and approved to participate in this program, Ontario will guarantee you have the opportunity for full time employment.
- Community Commitment Program for Nurses - Newly graduated nurses may be eligible to receive $10,000 in exchange for a one-year commitment to an employer.
Grow your career
Learn more about opportunities and programs that will help you build on your existing knowledge, skills and educational credentials, and move to the next stage of your career.
In this section:
- Grow from a health care aide or residential care aide to personal support worker
- Grow from a personal support worker to a registered practical nurse
- Grow from a registered practical nurse to a registered nurse
- Support programs for career advancement
Grow from a health care aide or residential care aide to personal support worker
PSW Prior Learning Program
A pilot project at Confederation College to determine demand for personal support worker bridging opportunities. The program seeks to shorten the pathway to a personal support worker certificate for people with prior education and health care experience, such as a:
- developmental service worker
- social service worker
- recreation therapist
For further information, email Confederation College at de@confederationcollege.ca.
Accelerated Personal Support Worker Program for Resident Aides
A pilot project at Durham Catholic District School Board that supports health care aids working at local long-term care homes to upgrade their education and complete their personal support worker certificate. For more information, please visit Accelerated Personal Support Worker Program.
District school board PSW programs also provide recognition for prior learning and work experience in the health care field, which may shorten the pathway to a personal support worker certificate.
Grow from a personal support worker to a registered practical nurse
Bridging programs are available at the following publicly-assisted colleges across Ontario. Bridging refers to specialized short-term programs that prepare students for entry into the next education program level.
- Centennial College
- Conestoga College
- Fleming College
- George Brown College
- Sheridan College
- Lambton College
- Niagara College
Grow from a registered practical nurse to a registered nurse
Bridging programs are available at some publicly assisted colleges and universities:
- Canadore College (Nipissing University)
- Mohawk College (McMaster University)
- Conestoga College (McMaster University)
- Georgian College (Ontario Tech University)
- Durham College (Ontario Tech University)
- Algonquin College - Woodroffe Campus (Ottawa University)
- Algonquin College - Pembrooke Campus (Ottawa University)
- George Brown (Trent University)
- Centennial College (Ryerson University)
- Collège La Cité (Ottawa University) [in French only]
- Humber College
- Lambton College (University of Windsor)
- Loyalist College
- Seneca College
- St Lawrence College
- Sault College
- Toronto Metropolitan University (formally Ryerson)
Support programs for career advancement
- PSW Education Fund for Long-Term Care
Provides funds to long-term care homes for supporting personal support workers to participating in continuing education and professional development initiatives. - The BEGIN initiative
Tuition supports for PSWs and RPNs to pursue further education to become RPNs and RNs. - The Nursing Program Transformation in Ontario’s Colleges
Supporting increased access to bridging programs for the 2022–2023 academic year. Bridging refers to specialized short-term programs that prepare students for entry into the next education program or career level. - Nursing Education Initiative
An education and training fund that provides nurses with access to continuing education and professional development opportunities through education grants. - Community Commitment Program for Nurses
Offers registered nurses, registered practical nurses and nurse practitioners a $25,000 incentive in return for a two-year commitment to practice in an Ontario hospital, long-term care home or home and community care employer in an area of high need, and an education grant of $1,500 to employers for each nurse they hire through the program. - Micro-credentials programs supported by Ontario Student Assistance Program
Micro-credential programs to help learners swiftly develop skills for in-demand jobs, supported by loans and grants.
Pathways for internationally educated nurses
If you are an internationally educated nurse, Ontario offers programs designed to help you become eligible to practice here in a short time.
Learn more about nursing in Ontario:
- College of Nurses of Ontario: Become a Nurse
- Registered Nurses Association of Ontario - Careers in nursing: Tips for internationally educated nurses
- National Nursing Assessment Service - Registering as a nurse in Canada: Before you get started
- College of Nurses of Ontario - Requirements for becoming a registered nurse in Ontario
Education
The following postsecondary institutions offer programs to help internationally educated nurses address any gaps in competencies in order to work as a nurse in Ontario.
- Algonquin College
- Durham College
- Centennial College
- Conestoga College
- Fanshawe College
- George Brown College
- Mohawk College
- York University
- University of Windsor
- Sault College
- Trent University - Ontario Internationally Educated Nurses Course Consortium
- Toronto Metropolitan University (formally Ryerson)
Other supports for internationally educated nurses
- Care Centre for Internationally Educated Nurses
- one-on-one case management
- language and communication skills development
- exam preparation
- professional development
- mentoring
- networking support
- Health Force Ontario Access Centre
Offers free services to support newcomers through the registration process. - Ontario Bridging Participant Assistance Program
A one-time bursary of up to $5,000 that helps internationally educated professionals pay for bridge training that helps them enter the Ontario workforce. - Ontario Bridge Training Program
Helps internationally trained highly-skilled immigrants get employment in the field in which they were trained or in a related field without duplicating existing skills and education. - The Nursing Program Transformation in Ontario’s Colleges
Provides up to $6,000 a year in financial support to internationally trained nurses to gain the credentials required to work in Ontario; expected to begin in September 2022. - Nursing Graduate Guarantee Program
Support to find full time employment opportunity for eligible internationally trained nurses. - Supervised Practice Experience Partnership (SPEP)
Provides eligible internationally educated nurses with the opportunity to meet their evidence of practice and language proficiency requirements to qualify for registration to practice as a nursing professional.
Other careers in long-term care
Close to 10,000 professionals provide other health-related services in long-term care. These include:
- nurse practitioners
- dietitians
- physiotherapists
- social workers
- occupational therapists
- recreational therapists
These specialists promote residents’ quality of life through services that:
- assess, diagnose, treat and monitor a wide range of health problems
- improve strength and mobility
- reduce risk of falls
- improve medical outcomes
- improve sleep, diet and emotional well-being
Job requirements and education
All these professions have unique education and training paths.
For more information:
- Nurse Practitioners - What is a nurse practitioner
- Dietitians of Canada - How to become a dietitian
- College of Physiotherapists of Ontario - How to become a physiotherapist
- Canadian Association of Social Workers - How to become a social worker
- College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario - How to become an occupational therapist
- Recreational therapists - Postsecondary programs in Ontario