Canada Requirements for a Nursing Assistant

The Canadian equivalent to a nursing assistant is known by a number of titles, including personal support worker, resident care worker, nursing assistant or health care aide. In literature discussing the profession on a national scale, they are called unregulated healthcare workers, or UHWs.



Like nursing assistants, they work in hospitals and other medical facilities under the supervision of certified nurses. Unlike nursing assistants, they are not nationally regulated. Though the profession is not nationally regulated, many of the provinces have provincial requirements, however, and most employers strongly prefer a UHW that has completed a related college program.

College Diploma in Related Program

• Many Canadian colleges and universities also offer short programs that will prepare you for a career as a UHW, and, regulated or not, completing such a program is likely the best way to get the job. The names of these programs vary by region. The programs are generally between three and 12 months long, and most provide training in personal care, body mechanics and communication.

Provincial Certification

• In some provinces, personal support workers, or PSWs must complete a provincial exam to earn their certification, in addition to completing an educational progam. The exam may be taken by graduates of PSW programs, or PSWs who began work in the field before the requirement for certification was established. Note that PSWs in the field are not required to upgrade to this certification.

Language Requirement

• English and French are Canada's two national languages, and fluency in at least one of them is required for employment with any hospital or health care firm. In Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec, fluency in both languages is a definite asset, as the French speaking population in those provinces is greater than in most other areas of Canada.