Health Care Aide and PSW Jobs and Staffing in Canada
Health care aide, personal support worker, continuing care assistant: different names across provinces, the same essential role. We place care aides in every province and territory except Quebec.
- Free for candidates. Always.
- Licences verified with the regulator
- Every province and territory except Quebec
Same role, different names
What the role is called depends on where you work. Titles and program names can change, so check your province's current registry, regulator or program.
Ontario
Personal Support Worker (PSW).
Alberta
Health Care Aide (HCA).
British Columbia
Health Care Assistant (HCA) or care aide.
In other provinces and territories the title varies. Tell us what your training certificate says and we will match you to the right roles.
What care aides do
Care aides provide personal care and support with daily living, working under the direction of nurses. The role is not nursing. How it is overseen depends on the province, and in some provinces it is now regulated.
Personal care
Bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting and mobility.
Daily living support
Meals, positioning, companionship and safety.
Observe and report
Noting changes and reporting to the nurse.
Where we place care aides
Long-term care
Daily care for residents.
Long-term care staffingHome and community care
Support for clients at home.
Home and community care staffingHospital
Care aide roles on some units.
Hospital staffingPalliative and hospice
Compassionate daily support.
Palliative and hospice staffingWe also place care aides in retirement and assisted living settings.
How it works
For care aides
- Submit your profileInclude your training information.
- We checkCertificates, and registry or regulator status where required.
- We match youTo sites and shifts.
- You chooseCasual, part-time, full-time or permanent options.
For facilities
- Tell us the needSites, shifts and training requirements.
- We source and screenCandidates for your sites.
- You reviewLook over profiles and interview.
- You fill the roleThrough relief, contract or direct hire.
Learn about contract and relief staffing and direct hire.
Registration and training standards
Requirements depend on the province and the employer. Many employers also require a recognized program certificate, current first aid and CPR, a vulnerable sector or criminal record check, and immunization records.
Ontario
The Health and Supportive Care Providers Oversight Authority (HSCPOA) registers PSWs. Under Ontario's long-term care regulation, homes must hire PSWs who are registered with HSCPOA or who meet the same education and experience requirements. The transition period for homes ended in early 2026.
Alberta
Health care aides became a regulated profession on February 2, 2026. The College of LPNs and HCAs of Alberta (CLHA) now regulates them. Ask us what this means for your registration.
British Columbia
Care aides and community health workers employed by publicly funded employers must register with the BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry, which is run by the Ministry of Health.
In other provinces and territories, requirements vary. We confirm what applies with the employer. We do not currently place in Quebec.
Our verification promise: We verify certificates, registration where applicable and checks required by the facility. We do not guarantee outcomes. See our credentialing and compliance page.
Care aides and nursing roles
Care aides are not nurses. LPNs, RPNs and RNs are regulated nursing professions.
What you can expect from us
Free for candidates. Always.
Checks done up front
Certificates and required checks are confirmed before we submit anyone.
Honest shift information
We tell you what is realistic for your availability.
A named contact
You deal with a person who knows the role.
Frequently asked questions
Is a PSW the same as an HCA?
Mostly yes. The name differs by province, for example PSW in Ontario and HCA in Alberta. Training and registration standards also differ, so check what your province and your target employer require before you apply.
Do I need to be registered?
It depends on the province and employer. In BC, care aides at publicly funded employers must be on the provincial registry. In Alberta, HCAs are now regulated by the College of LPNs and HCAs of Alberta. In Ontario, long-term care homes must hire PSWs registered with HSCPOA or who meet the same requirements.
Can I work as a care aide if I trained outside Canada?
Often yes, after meeting employer and provincial requirements. Training equivalency varies by province and by employer. Tell us where and when you trained, and which province you want to work in, and we will explain what is usually needed.
Do you place permanent roles?
Yes. We offer Direct Hire as well as relief and contract placements. Tell us whether you want casual, part-time, full-time or permanent work, and we will focus on the sites and shifts that match what you are looking for.
Do I pay to work with you?
No. It is free for candidates. Facilities pay for our service. You will not be asked to pay to submit your profile, to be matched with a site or to accept a placement through us.
Can a care aide become an LPN or RN?
Yes, through nursing education. Each is a separate regulated profession with its own program and licence. See our licensed practical nurses and registered nurses pages to learn how those roles work and what each regulator expects.
Related pages
Licensed practical nurses
LPN and Ontario RPN roles.
LPN and RPN jobsRegistered nurses
RN jobs and staffing.
Registered nurse jobsCommunity health workers
Outreach and navigation roles.
Community health workersLong-term care
Staffing for long-term care homes.
Long-term care staffingHome and community care
Care in homes and communities.
Home and community care staffingCare that starts with the right people
I am a care aide or PSW
Share your profile and we will be in touch. Free for candidates. Always.
Submit your profile