From patient care attendant to licensed practical nurse: the path, the length, what changes
A second DEP of 1,800 hours, the OIIAQ exam, a $20,000 bursary and a scale of $27.78 to $37.08 an hour. No bridge with credited hours is published.
A patient care attendant (PAB) who wants to become a licensed practical nurse (nursing assistant in Quebec) must earn a second diploma of vocational studies, of 1,800 hours, and then the Order's licence. No bridge with credited hours is published between the two diplomas.
Two jobs, two diplomas
| Patient care attendant | Licensed practical nurse | |
|---|---|---|
| Job title | 3480 | 3455 |
| Staff category | 2, paratechnical, auxiliary services and trades | 1, nursing and cardiorespiratory care |
| Diploma | DEP 5405, 705 hours | DEP 5325, 1,800 hours |
| Professional order | None in the job description | Member of the OIIAQ |
Sources: nomenclature of September 15, 2026, pages II.93 and II.96, and Inforoute FPT for both DEPs.
The licensed practical nurse DEP is called Santé, assistance et soins infirmiers (SASI). According to Inforoute FPT, it bears number 5325, lasts 1,800 hours, or about 20 months, and is worth 120 units. See the role of the licensed practical nurse and the DEP in detail.
No bridge with credited hours
The program of studies for DEP 5405, published by the Department of Education in 2025, notes competencies shared with other programs and refers to its harmonization tables. We did not find these tables online. No official source consulted says how many hours of DEP 5325 are credited to a holder of DEP 5405.
Recognition of prior learning and competencies (RAC) exists for DEP 5325. CFP Pozer, of the Centre de services scolaire de la Beauce-Etchemin, offers it part time, with continuous entry, to a person who keeps their job. The training centre tells you which competencies it recognizes.
Admission requirements
According to Inforoute FPT, you must meet one of these conditions:
- Hold a secondary school diploma, a recognized equivalent or a higher education diploma
- Be at least 16 on September 30 and have the Secondary 5 units in the language of instruction and the Secondary 4 units in second language and mathematics
- Be at least 18, pass the general development test and have the Secondary 5 units in the language of instruction
- Have the Secondary 3 units and take the missing general education courses at the same time as the DEP
The attendant DEP asks for less: Secondary 3 is enough at age 16. See patient care attendant training.
Studying while keeping your job
On October 10, 2026, Admission FP lists evening groups of DEP 5325 in four school service centres: Laval, Montréal, Marie-Victorin and Marguerite-Bourgeoys.
The FSSS-CSN collective agreement, in force until March 31, 2028, deals with unpaid leave for studies in paragraph 18.03. If a vocational training course requires unpaid leave of 62 weeks or less, the employee accumulates seniority. From the 63rd week, the employee keeps seniority without accumulating it. The employee may work part time during this leave.
Paragraph 18.03 does not say how to obtain the leave. Ask your local union.
The $20,000 bursary
Quebec's Department of Health and Social Services (MSSS) offers 200 bursaries of $20,000 to DEP 5325 students for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, according to its descriptive sheet. You must:
- Be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident and live in Quebec
- Be registered and accepted full time in DEP 5325
- Be selected by an eligible institution and commit to working there as a licensed practical nurse
The bursary holder commits to working two years in an eligible institution, starting at the end of their studies.
After the diploma: the exam and the licence
The Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers auxiliaires du Québec (OIIAQ), Quebec's order of nursing assistants, issues the licence after its professional exam is passed.
In the meantime, the graduate can apply for the status of candidate to the profession (CEPIA). According to the OIIAQ, the CEPIA works only in a public or subsidized private institution. The status ends after three exam failures or four years after the first exam notice.
The salary gap
| Job title | Hourly rate on April 1, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Patient care attendant (3480), single rate | $29.40 |
| CEPIA (3456), single rate | $25.28 |
| Licensed practical nurse (3455), step 1 | $27.78 |
| Licensed practical nurse (3455), step 3 | $29.46 |
| Licensed practical nurse (3455), step 12 | $37.08 |
Source: job title nomenclature, pages III.130 and III.132, version of September 15, 2026.
The first two steps of the licensed practical nurse scale are below the attendant's rate. A letter of agreement pays a lump sum that raises them to that rate. Under paragraph 8.04 of the FSSS-CSN agreement, a promoted person receives, in the new scale, the salary immediately above the one they were receiving. Have your employer confirm your step. See patient care attendant salary and licensed practical nurse salary.
Seniority
The two titles are not in the same staff category. Under paragraph 12.02 of the FSSS-CSN agreement, seniority applies to the jobs included in the bargaining unit. Paragraph 12.17 allows the local parties to agree to use seniority across all bargaining units. We found no paragraph in this agreement that governs the move from one unit to another. Ask your union for the local rule.
Did you like this article?
Thank you. It is anonymous, and it tells us what to write next.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a licensed practical nurse and a patient care attendant?
According to the nomenclature of September 15, 2026, the attendant provides assistance care related to activities of daily living. The licensed practical nurse takes part in nursing care and contributes to assessing the user's health. She holds DEP 5325 and must be a member of the OIIAQ.
Is there paid training to become a licensed practical nurse?
No official source consulted describes training where the student receives a salary. The MSSS offers a $20,000 bursary for DEP 5325 in 2026-2027. It requires full-time studies and two years of work in an eligible institution.
Can you work as an attendant during the licensed practical nurse DEP?
Admission FP lists evening groups on October 10, 2026. Paragraph 18.03 of the FSSS-CSN agreement allows part-time work during unpaid leave for studies. The department's bursary, however, requires full-time registration.
Did you like this article?
Thank you. It is anonymous, and it tells us what to write next.
Sources
- Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, Nomenclature des titres d'emploi, des libellés, des taux et des échelles de salaire du réseau de la santé et des services sociaux, pages II.93, II.96, III.130 and III.132, September 15, 2026
- Inforoute FPT, Santé, assistance et soins infirmiers (DEP 5325), consulted on October 10, 2026
- Ministère de l'Éducation, Programme d'études, Soutien aux services d'assistance en établissement de santé et de services sociaux (DEP 5405), 2025
- Centre de services scolaire de la Beauce-Etchemin, CFP Pozer, DEP en santé, assistance et soins infirmiers, consulted on October 10, 2026
- Admission FP, Santé, assistance et soins infirmiers, groupes offerts, consulted on October 10, 2026
- Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, Fiche descriptive, Programme de bourses offert dans le cadre du programme d'études professionnelles en santé, assistance et soins infirmiers (SASI), specific terms 2026-2027
- Québec.ca, Bourses offertes dans le cadre du programme d'études professionnelles en santé, assistance et soins infirmiers (SASI), updated July 29, 2026
- OIIAQ, Examen professionnel and Candidat à l'exercice de la profession (CEPIA), consulted on October 10, 2026
- CPNSSS and FSSS-CSN, Convention collective, version administrative, in force from June 16, 2024 to March 31, 2028, paragraphs 8.04, 12.02, 12.17 and 18.03