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Licensed practical nurse jobs: where to apply in Quebec

Santé Québec hires the licensed practical nurses of the public network. Where to apply, what it takes to be hired and the official job prospects.

October 10, 2026 · Lire en français

Jobs

In Quebec's public network, licensed practical nurse jobs come from a single employer: Santé Québec. A licensed practical nurse (nursing assistant in Quebec) applies region by region, on the recruitment site of each institution.

Who hires in the public network

Santé Québec has been the single employer of the staff of the health and social services network since December 1, 2024, according to Québec.ca. The seniority of transferred staff is maintained.

Where to apply

The starting point is the page sante.quebec/carrieres/travailler-avec-nous. Under the heading « Voyez où des postes sont offerts partout au Québec » (see where positions are offered across Quebec), it lists institutions by region. On October 10, 2026, the page lists 16 regions and 30 institutions.

Open the page and scroll down to your region
Click the name of the institution, which leads to its recruitment site
Search for « infirmière auxiliaire » in that institution's job postings

Santé Québec also runs a job site, emplois.sante.quebec. The careers page sends visitors there for head office jobs. Searches use two fields, « Votre recherche » (your search) and « Où » (where).

In the private sector, the application goes directly to the operator of the residence or clinic.

What it takes to be hired

The network's job title nomenclature sets two requirements for the licensed practical nurse title (title 3455):

Hold a DEP (diploma of vocational studies) in Santé, assistance et soins infirmiers from a recognized school
Be a member of the Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers auxiliaires du Québec (OIIAQ), Quebec's order of nursing assistants

The OIIAQ states that the DEP lasts 1,800 hours and that the professional exam must be passed to obtain the licence. The program is described in our article on the DEP in Santé, assistance et soins infirmiers.

Working before the licence: CEPIA status

The OIIAQ issues a certificate of candidate to the practical nursing profession (CEPIA) to a person who has passed the DEP or obtained an equivalence. A request is filed for each employer.

The CEPIA performs all the professional activities of a licensed practical nurse
She works under the supervision of a nurse or a licensed practical nurse present on the care unit
She works in a centre operated by a public institution or a subsidized private institution
Private seniors' residences, private medical clinics and staffing agencies are excluded

The status ends at the first of four events, according to the OIIAQ: the exam is not passed within the set time, three failures, 30 days after the licence is issued, or four years after the first exam notice. Without a certificate, the person cannot perform any activity of a licensed practical nurse.

Hourly rates are in our article on licensed practical nurse salary.

Workplaces

Québec.ca, in its profile of the profession updated on June 19, 2026, writes that these workers practise in home care or in the following settings:

Hospital centres
CHSLDs (long-term care centres)
Rehabilitation centres
Doctors' offices and medical clinics
Private seniors' residences

According to Canada's Job Bank, 60% of people in the profession in Quebec work in hospitals, 23% in nursing and residential care facilities and 10% in ambulatory health care services. For daily life in long-term care, read Working in a CHSLD. The role is described in The role of the licensed practical nurse.

Full time, part time, availability list

The licensed practical nurse title provides for 37.50 hours a week, according to the nomenclature. The FIQ 2024-2028 collective agreement, in force from December 15, 2024 to March 31, 2028, defines the statuses of the employees it covers:

Full time: the employee works the number of hours set for her job title
Part time: the employee works fewer hours, in a position of at least 14 shifts per 28 days. This minimum does not apply to the CEPIA
Availability list: by local arrangement, an employee on this list assigned to a full-time assignment of six months or more is considered full time for that period, at her request

The FSSS-CSN agreement uses the term « liste de rappel » (recall list).

Job prospects

Québec.ca rates the prospects of the profession (NOC code 32101) « Excellentes » (excellent) for Quebec as a whole in 2025-2029, and counts 21,000 people employed in 2024.

Canada's Job Bank rates them « Modérées » (moderate) in Quebec for 2025 to 2027, in an assessment updated on December 10, 2025. It counts about 22,450 people in the profession. Five regions are rated « Bonnes » (good): Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Chaudière-Appalaches, Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Mauricie and Outaouais. The others are rated « Modérées ».

The Job Bank adds that institutions must gradually reduce their use of private agency staff, which could create other job opportunities. The last deadline of the regulation falls on October 18, 2026. See our article on staffing agencies in health care.

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Frequently asked questions

How do you become a licensed practical nurse?

According to the OIIAQ, you must hold the DEP in Santé, assistance et soins infirmiers, which lasts 1,800 hours, or a recognized diploma or training. You must then pass the Order's professional exam, obtain the licence and register on the Order's roll. An attendant aiming for this job can read From attendant to licensed practical nurse.

Where can a licensed practical nurse work?

Québec.ca names home care, hospital centres, CHSLDs, rehabilitation centres, medical clinics and private seniors' residences. According to the Job Bank, 60% of people in the profession in Quebec work in hospitals.

Can you work as a licensed practical nurse before getting your licence?

Yes, with the CEPIA certificate issued by the OIIAQ. It is valid for a public or subsidized private institution, under the supervision of a nurse or a licensed practical nurse present on the care unit. Private seniors' residences, private medical clinics and staffing agencies are excluded.

Are there jobs for licensed practical nurses in Quebec?

Québec.ca rates the prospects « Excellentes » for Quebec as a whole in 2025-2029. Canada's Job Bank rates them « Modérées » for 2025 to 2027, and « Bonnes » in five regions.