Education · 1 of 5

The path

The shortest road to a health care job in Canada.

1. 1

   High school or equivalent

   Grade 12

   Grade 12, or mature student status if you are older.

2. 2

   PSW (personal support worker) certificate

   6 to 12 months

   6 to 12 months at a college, a school board or a private career college. Classroom plus several hundred hours of placement in long-term care and the community.

3. 3

   Police check, immunizations, CPR

   Before placement

   Required before placement and before hiring.

4. 4

   Register where required

   A few weeks

   BC requires the Health Care Assistant registry to work for publicly funded employers. Alberta has a directory. Ontario's registry is voluntary. No exam in any of them.