5 Best Cities For Nurses in Canada {2024}

Nursing in Canada is a noble, well-paid career. There are over 300,000 registered nurses in the Great White North, but the officials predict that in the next 10 years, 191,000 job opportunities for registered nurses will emerge.

The COVID-19 pandemic showed Canada, and the rest of the world, how important nurses are. As the country recovers from the impact of the pandemic, the need for nurses in Canada has risen. While nursing schools receive many applications, it may not be enough to fill the nursing shortage.

To battle this crisis, the Canadian government encourages nurses from all over the world to go live and work in Canada.

Although there are registered nurses all over the country, working in both the private and public sector, there are four stand-out regions in Canada where registered nurses should seriously consider immigrating to.

Making a big decision like this is never easy; that’s why we’ve set you up with the four best places to live and work in Canada as a registered nurse.

1. Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia calls on healthcare workers and skilled tradespeople to assist in keeping up the high standard of service and strong economy that the province enjoys. Nurses in Nova Scotia can earn up to $93,500 a year! That’s a $45 hourly wage. The average salary is $38,42 per hour, but it’s always dependent on your expectations and responsibilities.

Nursing in Nova Scotia is about to get even better. Over $200 million is being pumped into the health sector to build new medical infrastructure in Halifax. Overly $22 million goes toward paying for tuition for nurses in the continued care sector. There are a variety of nursing jobs in Canada; from working in emergency, patient care assistance to operating and monitoring equipment; the province has over 457 jobs available!

Nova Scotia is also a great place to develop your nursing career. The province is home to the Nova Scotia College of Nursing. The college oversees the practice of over 15,000 nurses in the province, ensuring that the community can trust the quality of the nurses working with people.

2. Ontario

When you think “Ontario,” you think, “Toronto”, and while there are plenty of job opportunities to work as a nurse in the big, bustling city, there are a lot of nursing jobs in the surrounding areas. Altogether, there are a whopping 7,996 nursing jobs available in Ontario. If you prefer a more quiet lifestyle, you can choose to live outside the city and benefit from The Ontario Regional Immigration Pilot, which allows skilled workers like nurses to move more efficiently to rural areas in Ontario.

While the average salary in the province is $36.60 an hour, you could be making up to $51.33 an hour in Ontario.

Much like in Nova Scotia, Ontario has its organization, The College of Nurse of Ontario, that oversees the practice and regulation of all nurses in the province to ensure that a high standard of care is maintained.

3. New Brunswick

In New Brunswick, registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and personal support workers are in high demand, with job possibilities available in either official language (English or French). Attracting, supporting, and retaining these important healthcare workers is a top concern for the province of New Brunswick. The province is also collaborating with several private organizations and hospitals to fill nursing job openings.

Because New Brunswick is a dual-language province, knowing at least basic French will go a long way if you decide to move to this region. Nurses in New Brunswick make $35.60 on average per hour but can go up to $49.13 for certain companies and hospitals.

Nurses have been required in the province since before the start of the pandemic. With a choice of over 800 job posts in the area, New Brunswick’s population is spread out, and jobs can’t only be found in the province’s main sea-side attraction of Saint John, but smaller cities like Moncton, Doulhassie and Woodstock. Each place has its own needs and its charm.

4. Manitoba

Search for nursing jobs in Manitoba and find more than 1,000 open opportunities. The average salary for a Registered Nurse in Manitoba is $37.36 but that can go up to $49,85 in some cases.

The Manitoba Nurses Union (MNU) is Manitoba’s largest healthcare union, representing all licensed nursing professionals. Over 95 percent of all unionized nurses in the province are members of The Manitoba Nurses Union. MNU is not a governing entity but assists nurses working in Manitoba to ensure fair treatment.

5. Quebec

Nurses are also in high demand in the province of Quebec. The province is working hand in hand with work permit programs to encourage immigrants to work in Quebec as a nurse in the new year.

There are currently thousands of nursing jobs available across Canada. Salaries are extremely competitive. Below are the average annual salaries by occupation title:

Average Annual Salaries for Nurses in Canada
Occupation	Average Salary (CAD)
Nursing co-ordinators and supervisors	$86,609 – $59,963
Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses	$75,712 – $75,680
Allied primary health practitioners	$80,950
Dental hygienists and therapists (dental nurse)	$39,975
Licensed practical nurses	$49,837
Nurse aides, orderlies, and patient service associates	$24,375