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An OIIQ nursing licence is not enough to practise: registration on the 2026-2027 Tableau costs $579.00 in total, including a $466.34 annual fee, according to the Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec (OIIQ, Quebec's order of nurses). Here are the nursing licence, the exam, the Tableau (the Order's register of members) and the OIIQ fees that come on top, for the nurse who registers or renews. To look for a position, see the article on nurse jobs. The word "nurse" applies to women and men. This text is not legal advice.

The nursing licence

The OIIQ's board of directors issues the licence (section 46 of the Professional Code, chapter C-26, current to October 15, 2026). According to the OIIQ, the person who passes the professional exam receives the licence, which is valid for the whole professional life. The exam is held every six months and costs $638.11 per attempt: the details are in our article on the OIIQ professional exam. A nurse trained outside Quebec follows a different path, described on oiiq.org.

Registration on the Tableau

The Tableau is the register of members in good standing. Section 1 of the Nurses Act (chapter I-8) calls a nurse anyone who is registered on it. Section 32 of the Professional Code forbids claiming to be a nurse or carrying out a reserved activity without a valid licence and without registration on the Tableau. Registration is done online in "Mon compte" and takes two steps: the annual declaration filled out and attested, then the payment. It covers April 1 to March 31.

First registration

The candidate to the nursing profession (CEPI) who wants to practise as a nurse has 30 days after the exam results are announced in "Mon compte." After that, she can no longer practise as a CEPI. First registration benefits from a reduced rate of the regular fee. The OIIQ's table of steps for graduates from outside Canada showed $295.50 for 2025-2026. No page consulted gives the 2026-2027 amount: it appears in "Mon compte."

Annual registration

For 2026-2027, the registration period ran from February 4 to March 31, 2026. The payment deadline was March 15, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. The period from March 16 to 31 lets employers check that their staff is registered. A $50 late fee applies from March 16, except for people who were not members of the Tableau the previous year. The nurse also declares her continuing education hours: see the training to keep up to date.

The 2026-2027 fee

The OIIQ offers payment in three equal instalments by Visa or Mastercard, with a $7.50 enrolment fee. This option does not exist at first registration. The invoice serves as a tax receipt and does not prove registration. Part of the cost may be reimbursed under certain conditions. The OIIQ refers to the employer or the union for the details. For 2027-2028, the OIIQ proposes a fee of $485 before taxes and other charges. The final amount will be communicated in February 2027.

Checking the right to practise

The OIIQ's Verify the right to practise tool (Vérifier le droit d'exercice) is open to everyone, at any time. It searches by first and last name or by licence number. The right to prescribe in wound care, public health and common health problems is described on the OIIQ's Droit de prescrire page.

Frequently asked questions

When do you pay the OIIQ licence?

At first registration, the CEPI has 30 days after the exam results are announced in "Mon compte." After that, she can no longer practise as a CEPI.

What is the price of the OIIQ licence in 2026?

What is paid every year is the registration on the Tableau, which is $579.00 in 2026-2027, taxes and fees included. The licence itself is valid for the whole professional life. The OIIQ steps table lists it as free of charge, issued with the exam result. The exam costs $638.11 per attempt.

How do I get an OIIQ licence to practise?

You must pass the professional exam and complete the file, including proof of an appropriate knowledge of French. The OIIQ then assigns a licence number. The graduate from outside Canada starts with an application for recognition of equivalence, described on oiiq.org.

What is the price of the OIIQ annual fee?

The 2026-2027 fee is $466.34. Added to it are $69.84 in GST and QST, $37.60 for the Office des professions and $5.22 in professional liability insurance. The amount is the same for all members, whatever the number of hours worked.

What is the deadline to pay the OIIQ fee for the year 2026?

For the 2026-2027 Tableau, the deadline was March 15, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. The next Tableau will cover April 1, 2027 to March 31, 2028.

How do you check whether a nurse is registered on the Tableau?

The OIIQ's tool, Vérifier le droit d'exercice, is public. The fee invoice does not serve as proof of registration.

What does a person risk by practising without being registered on the Tableau?

The OIIQ states that the person commits an offence and is liable to penal prosecution for impersonation or illegal practice. Section 188 of the Professional Code sets, for an individual, a fine of at least $2,500 and at most $62,500.

Sources

• Cotisation : la cotisation annuelle de l'OIIQ 2026-2027, OIIQ, consulted on November 9, 2026
• Paiement de l'inscription au Tableau, OIIQ, consulted on November 9, 2026
• S'inscrire au Tableau de l'Ordre, OIIQ, consulted on November 9, 2026
• Étape 6 : première inscription au Tableau, OIIQ, consulted on November 9, 2026
• Étape 5 : permis d'exercice, OIIQ, consulted on November 9, 2026
• Infirmière diplômée ou infirmier diplômé hors Canada, OIIQ, consulted on November 9, 2026
• Consultation auprès des membres, 2027-2028 fee, OIIQ, consulted on November 9, 2026
• Questions les plus fréquentes, OIIQ, consulted on November 9, 2026
• Vérifier le droit d'exercice, OIIQ, consulted on November 9, 2026
• Droit de prescrire, OIIQ, consulted on November 9, 2026
• Code des professions, chapter C-26, sections 32, 46 and 188, LégisQuébec, current to October 15, 2026
• Loi sur les infirmières et les infirmiers, chapter I-8, section 1, LégisQuébec, current to October 15, 2026

In the 10 Quebec facilities whose full list of codes was reviewed on October 28, 2026, code orange signals the arrival of casualties or disaster victims. It is one of the hospital colour codes. Quebec's health department describes it as the situation where reception resources no longer match the number of victims.

What code orange means

The Guide de gestion des urgences (emergency management guide) of the ministère de la Santé, de la Prévention et des Aînés says that code orange is used to signal "the mass arrival of patients or disaster victims exceeding the regular capacity of a facility" (translation of « l'arrivée massive d'usagers ou de sinistrés provoquant le dépassement des capacités régulières d'une installation »).

The guide also defines it as a situation where the resources normally available to receive patients are inadequate, given the number of victims and the severity of their condition. It gives as examples an earthquake, an armed person or a road accident with many victims.

Each facility designs its own plan according to its resources, its geography and the risks in its territory.

What code orange means by facility

All ten facilities whose full list was reviewed define code orange. All of them link it to the arrival of casualties or disaster victims.

Sources: documents published by each facility, reviewed on October 28, 2026. The full list of links is at the bottom of the page.

The CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale gives the same meaning in its July 2019 leaflet: mass reception of casualties. The CHUM adds a code orange-brûlé (burn), the mass reception of victims of severe burns.

What staff do when the code is announced

The CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale gives four instructions:

• Return to your workstation when the code is triggered
• Apply the internal protocol
• Listen to the instructions of the responding manager
• Stay alert and available

The CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal asks staff to get to their workplace as quickly as possible and wait for instructions from the head of their area. Staff's role is to return to their usual work area and suspend non-essential activities. Physicians at the hospital go to the emergency waiting room.

The CIUSSS de l'Est-de-l'Île-de-Montréal repeats these instructions. In a CLSC (local community service centre) or a CHSLD (long-term care centre), code orange means receiving disaster victims.

In the hospitals of the CIUSSS du Centre-Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, emergency patients are moved to the units or sent home to free up space. Unit staff get ready to receive patients. Employees return to their workstation and wait for instructions from their supervisor.

Who triggers code orange

According to the department, the decision to activate code orange affects the whole operation of the hospital. It follows a strict, pre-established protocol and involves pre-authorized people. A facility can set alert levels, such as a level 1 or 2 pre-alert, that mobilize only part of the resources.

At the CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, any call announcing the probable or imminent arrival of disaster victims is sent to the emergency department. The person in charge of the emergency department on site must validate the call.

What the hospital's plan covers

The department's guide asks that the plan mobilize the whole hospital. Each department must have its own plan to support the emergency department. The plan covers access management, communications, a command centre, security and an up-to-date staff call-back list.

In the emergency department, staff are divided into three teams: patients already present, new patients and the administrative management of the code. After the code, the return to normal activities must include a debriefing with staff.

The patient care attendant and code orange

In the documents consulted, the instruction that applies to all staff is to return to your workstation and wait for instructions from the head of your area. Your facility's plan then sets out your role.

The other codes

Our articles on the other codes: code white, code blue, code pink, code purple, code yellow and code red.

Frequently asked questions

What is code orange?

It is the code that signals the mass arrival of casualties or disaster victims. According to Quebec's health department, the facility's regular capacity is then exceeded. The 10 facilities whose full list was reviewed on October 28, 2026 define it this way.

What do the codes in hospitals mean?

The CISSS des Laurentides lists eleven in its March 2024 sheet: white, blue, brown, grey, yellow, silver, black, orange, pink, red and green. Red signals a fire, green an evacuation and orange disaster victims. The list and the definitions vary from one facility to another.

Who triggers a code orange?

The department writes that activation follows a strict, pre-established protocol and involves pre-authorized people. Each facility defines its own measures. At the CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, the person in charge of the emergency department validates the call announcing the arrival of disaster victims.

What do staff do during a code orange?

Staff return to their workstation and wait for instructions from their manager or the head of their area. They suspend non-essential activities. The CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale also asks staff to stay alert and available.

What is the difference between a code orange and a code red?

Code orange covers the arrival of casualties or disaster victims from outside. Code red signals a fire, at the CISSS des Laurentides as at the CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal. Our article on code red in the hospital covers that case.

Are there different kinds of code orange?

At the CHUM, code orange-brûlé (burn) means the mass reception of victims of severe burns. At the CIUSSS du Centre-Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, code orange has two phases depending on the number of seriously injured people. The department says a facility can also set alert levels.

Sources

• Ministère de la Santé, de la Prévention et des Aînés, Guide de gestion des urgences, Mesures d'urgence : plan d'urgence, code orange, last updated July 31, 2025, consulted on November 2, 2026
• CISSS de Chaudière-Appalaches, Codes d'urgence, hôpitaux, 2024, consulted on November 2, 2026
• CISSS de la Gaspésie, Codes de couleur en mesures d'urgence, poster, consulted on November 2, 2026
• CISSS des Laurentides, Mesures d'urgence, quality sheet, March 2024, consulted on November 2, 2026
• CISSS de Laval, Guide du stagiaire, working version of June 15, 2018, consulted on November 2, 2026
• CHUM, Guide des services et des ressources, July 2026, consulted on November 2, 2026
• CUSM, Guide des bénévoles de l'Hôpital général de Montréal, consulted on November 2, 2026
• CIUSSS de l'Est-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Mesures d'urgence, updated October 18, 2021, consulted on November 2, 2026
• CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Présentation des codes de couleur, consulted on November 2, 2026
• CIUSSS du Centre-Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Guide des mesures d'urgence, sites ambulatoires, 2022-2023, consulted on November 2, 2026
• CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Introduction aux mesures d'urgence, consulted on November 2, 2026
• CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale, Mesures d'urgence, leaflet, July 2019, consulted on November 2, 2026

EVAQ, the Programme d'évacuations aéromédicales du Québec (Quebec's air medical evacuation program), evacuates about 2,600 people a year in emergencies, according to the Service aérien gouvernemental page on Québec.ca updated July 13, 2026. This program links remote regions to the hospitals of Quebec City and Montreal by hospital plane, shuttle flight and, since June 15, 2026, by helicopter. This text applies to nurses and to all network staff who prepare a transfer. For ground transport and its cost, see the ambulance cost page of Agent Ambulancier. In an emergency, call 911.

What EVAQ is

The guide of Quebec's health ministry (updated July 31, 2025) describes EVAQ as a transport service between facilities. It is for people hospitalized in a remote region who need specialized care offered in Quebec City or Montreal. The program has existed for more than 40 years.

Official pages write ÉVAQ or EVAQ. The program reports to the CHU de Québec-Université Laval for the clinical side. The Service aérien gouvernemental, attached to the Ministère des Transports, runs the flight operations.

Hospital plane and shuttle flights

The program has two types of flights.

• The hospital plane, available at all times, with a physician on board
• Two multi-patient shuttles for non-urgent situations, each with two nursing resources

For a shuttle, the facility sends a transport request to EVAQ. When a ground transfer exceeds 250 kilometres, air transport is given priority if it is available, according to the ministry's guide.

The Service aérien gouvernemental page gives two figures. About 2,600 people benefit from evacuations each year. About 5,000 people use the shuttle. The same page counts about 40 pilots, about a dozen flight attendants and about a dozen flight regulators.

The helicopter since June 2026

A Government of Québec news release dated June 17, 2026 announces that helicopter missions began on June 15 in the Capitale-Nationale. The service covers regions located between 75 and 250 kilometres from the major centres, when the helicopter is faster than the ambulance.

The Service aérien gouvernemental page speaks of three Bell 412 helicopters spread over two bases. The news release states that the service first runs 12 hours a day, 7 days a week. Transfers are overseen by the Centre de coordination provincial des transports aéromédicaux (the provincial air medical transport coordination centre), with the treating team.

The ministry also published an addendum on parental accompaniment during helicopter medical transports. Its page shows a last modification on August 24, 2026.

Who is on board

EVAQ's on-board teams are made up of physicians and nurses. The Québec.ca page on the emergency air medical service states that specialized clinical staff (physician, nurse) are on board. The ministry's guide specifies that the hospital plane's nurses are accompanied by the escort physician. The shuttle's nurses refer to the regulating physician at the coordination centre. On the helicopter, a specialized clinical team from the EVAQ program maintains critical care, according to the October 19, 2026 news release.

The nursing staff of the coordination centre notifies the receiving facility of the arrival of a patient transferred by EVAQ, according to the guide. For the duration of the transport, responsibility rests with EVAQ.

Ambulance, helicopter or plane: distance decides

The Québec.ca page sets the means of transport according to the distance between the departure facility and the specialized centre.

• From 0 to 75 km: ambulance transport
• From 75 to 250 km: helicopter, when it is faster than the ambulance or the hospital plane
• Beyond 250 km: hospital plane or shuttle flight

Requests are assessed by a specialized clinical team of the Centre de coordination provincial des transports aéromédicaux, with the treating team. None of the official pages read describes the ambulance trip before or after a flight.

Who pays

The Québec.ca page on the cost of ambulance transport (updated August 20, 2024) states that, for a person transported between two facilities of the health and social services network, the cost is covered by the two facilities. That page does not mention air transport. No official page read gives a fee for an EVAQ flight. This text is not legal advice.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Programme d'évacuations aéromédicales du Québec (EVAQ)?

It is a transport service between facilities, offered for more than 40 years to people hospitalized in a remote region. It reports to the CHU de Québec-Université Laval for the clinical side. The Service aérien gouvernemental runs the planes and helicopters.

What is a medical evacuation?

Québec.ca describes medical evacuations as air transports for urgent cases, by plane or helicopter. They are supplemented by scheduled shuttle flights that return stabilized patients to their region. In EVAQ, the departure and the arrival are health facilities.

Are ambulances free in Quebec?

No. According to Québec.ca, taking charge of a patient costs $125 and each kilometre travelled $1.75. The government pays the full amount in some cases, for example for a person transported between two facilities or for a person aged 65 or over with the approval of the responsible physician. The details are in our page on ambulance cost.

Who makes the transport request to EVAQ?

The pages read describe a request made by the health facility. For a shuttle, it sends a transport request to EVAQ. No page read describes a request made by an individual.

Where are the EVAQ helicopter bases?

A first base is near Jean-Lesage International Airport in Quebec City, since June 15, 2026. The second, at Mirabel Airport, is operational according to a Government of Québec news release of October 19, 2026. It serves Lanaudière, the Laurentides and, since October 19, Mauricie, Centre-du-Québec and Estrie.

Are there paramedics on board EVAQ flights?

No. According to Québec.ca and the ministry of Health's guide, on-board teams are made up of physicians and nurses. Ambulance transport covers trips of less than 75 km between the departure facility and the specialized centre.

How many people does EVAQ transport each year?

About 2,600 people benefit from evacuations each year and about 5,000 use the shuttle, according to the Service aérien gouvernemental page updated July 13, 2026.

Can a parent accompany a child transported by helicopter?

The ministry published an addendum to the Cadre de référence sur l'accompagnement parental for EVAQ's helicopter medical transports. It aims to meet families' expectations while ensuring everyone's safety. The specific rules are in that document.

Sources

• Services d'évacuations aéromédicales, Urgences guide, Quebec health ministry (msss.gouv.qc.ca), last updated July 31, 2025, consulted October 27, 2026
• Transports aériens d'évacuation sanitaire, Service aérien gouvernemental, Québec.ca, last updated July 13, 2026, consulted October 27, 2026
• Nouveau service de transport médical héliporté, Government of Québec news release, June 17, 2026, consulted October 27, 2026
• Service aéromédical d'urgence (Emergency air medical service), Government of Québec, last updated June 9, 2026, consulted on October 27, 2026
• Transport médical héliporté : plusieurs nouvelles régions ont désormais accès au service (Helicopter medical transport: several new regions now have access), Government of Québec news release, October 19, 2026, consulted on October 27, 2026
• Accompagnement parental dans le cadre des transports médicaux héliportés, Quebec health ministry (msss.gouv.qc.ca), last modified August 24, 2026, consulted October 27, 2026
• Coût du transport en ambulance, Government of Québec, last updated August 20, 2024, consulted October 27, 2026

The 2026-2027 fee of the Ordre professionnel des inhalothérapeutes du Québec (OPIQ, Quebec's order of respiratory therapists) is $504.00 before taxes for an active member, according to the fee grid of its licence application form. The Order's regulation also requires 30 hours of continuing education per 2-year period. Here are the licence, the annual fees and the hours, for the respiratory therapist who registers or renews. The text applies to women and men. It is neither legal advice nor union advice.

Getting the licence

A graduate of a Quebec respiratory therapy technology program applies to the OPIQ. The admission page, updated July 28, 2026, asks the applicant to have met the program requirements. The 2026-2027 form brings together the following items:

• A passport-style photo
• A copy of the birth certificate or passport
• The official transcript, sent by the CEGEP
• A cheque, money order or credit card payment for the file-opening fee and registration on the Tableau des membres (the Order's register of members)

The form states a processing time of at least 5 days once all the information is received.

The 2026-2027 fees

The licence form's fee grid gives three categories. The amounts include the 5% GST, the 9.975% QST and a mandatory contribution of $37.60 to the financing of the Office des professions du Québec. Professional liability insurance is added in the two categories of active members.

These totals include the $100.00 file-opening fee of a first application. The form specifies that a non-active member is not authorized to carry out professional activities.

The OPIQ's payment page, updated January 7, 2026, states that the fee is non-refundable. It accepts credit card, Visa or Mastercard debit card, prepaid card, cheque and money order. From March 4, only credit card is accepted.

Renewing the registration every year

Renewal is done online only, through the annual declaration and the payment. For 2026-2027, the deadline was March 31, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. The invitations went out by email the week of February 9, 2026. The licence form reminds members to renew before April 1.

The OPIQ page, updated January 30, 2026, states that failing to re-register and pay leads to removal from the Tableau des membres.

Professional liability insurance

According to the OPIQ, every active respiratory therapist must hold professional liability insurance, whether full-time, part-time or occasional. Active members join the program the Order holds with Beneva. Non-active members do not have this insurance. These rules appear on the page updated July 17, 2026.

Changing status or leaving the Tableau

A member whose situation changes during the year notifies the Order immediately. A non-active member who returns to work pays the difference between the two fees before returning. Working without updating one's status leaves the member without insurance, the OPIQ wrote on July 17, 2026. To leave the Tableau, through retirement or otherwise, the member informs the Order in writing. The OPIQ grants no refund of fees during the year.

Mandatory continuing education

Section 2 of the Regulation respecting mandatory continuing education for OPIQ members (chapter C-26, r. 172, current to July 1, 2026) states that the respiratory therapist must devote 30 hours per reference period to continuing education activities related to professional practice. The period lasts 2 years and begins on April 1 of an even-numbered year. The OPIQ posts the current period: April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2028.

• Eligible activities (section 4): courses given by the Order, CEGEP and university courses, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, symposiums and conferences, seminars and research projects
• Declaration (section 7): at each annual renewal, the number of hours from the past year
• Supporting documents (section 7): to be kept until 4 years after the declaration
• Exemptions (section 3): a full year as a non-active member within the period, or a registration after April 1 of an odd-numbered year

In case of default, the Order's secretary sends a notice. The deadline to comply is 60 days from the notice (section 8). After that deadline, the board of directors suspends the right to practise, after giving the member a chance to submit written observations. The suspension lasts until proof of the remedy (sections 10 and 11). See also the training to keep up to date and the respiratory therapist's salary.

Frequently asked questions

How much does registration on the OPIQ's Tableau cost?

The 2026-2027 fee is $504.00 before taxes for an active member and $285.00 for a non-active member. A first application adds a $100.00 file-opening fee. The total then comes to $747.13 in the public sector and $796.18 in the private sector.

What is the deadline to renew one's registration?

For 2026-2027, the deadline was March 31, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. The licence form asks members to renew before April 1. The OPIQ sends the invitation by email in February.

How many hours of continuing education must the respiratory therapist complete?

Thirty hours per 2-year period, according to section 2 of regulation C-26, r. 172. The current period runs from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2028. The hours are declared at the annual renewal.

What happens if the continuing education hours are not completed?

The Order's secretary sends a notice and the member has 60 days to comply. Without a remedy, the board of directors suspends the right to practise. The suspension lasts until proof of the remedy.

Is professional liability insurance mandatory?

Yes for active members, according to the OPIQ, whether they work full-time, part-time or occasionally. They join the program the Order holds with Beneva. The non-active member does not have this insurance.

Is the fee refunded on retirement?

No. The OPIQ states that no refund of fees is granted in case of resignation or retirement during the year. The member must inform the Order in writing with the form for resignation from the Tableau.

What documents are needed to obtain the licence?

A passport-style photo, a copy of the birth certificate or passport, the transcript sent by the CEGEP and the payment. The qualifying diploma is that of the respiratory therapy technology program. The Order issues the licence after a processing time of at least 5 days.

Sources

• Formulaire de demande d'obtention de permis, année 2026-2027, fee grid on page 4, OPIQ, consulted on October 27, 2026
• Diplômé(e) au Québec, OPIQ, updated July 28, 2026
• Modalité de paiement de la cotisation, OPIQ, updated January 7, 2026
• Renouvellement de l'inscription annuelle au Tableau des membres et cotisation, OPIQ, updated January 30, 2026
• Assurance responsabilité professionnelle, OPIQ, updated July 17, 2026
• Changement de statut en cours d'année, OPIQ, updated July 17, 2026
• Retrait du Tableau, OPIQ, updated July 17, 2026
• Formation continue, OPIQ, updated July 22, 2026
• Règlement sur la formation continue obligatoire des membres de l'Ordre professionnel des inhalothérapeutes du Québec, chapter C-26, r. 172, LégisQuébec, current to July 1, 2026

The intervention agent in a Quebec hospital now has another name: specialized pacification and security worker (intervenant spécialisé en pacification et en sécurité, ISPS). It is job title 3547 of the health network. The pay is $26.18 to $31.09 an hour as of April 1, 2026. Here are the role, the pay and the training. Here is also who really keeps Quebec hospitals safe: network employees or private agencies.

Intervention agent or ISPS: the same job

The CPNSSS list of job titles, in its June 9, 2026 version, no longer contains the title "agent d'intervention". The current title is "intervenant spécialisé ou intervenante spécialisée en pacification et en sécurité", number 3547. The team leader has a separate title, 3557.

Institutions still use the old name. The CISSS de la Côte-Nord writes "ISPS or intervention agent" in its June 3, 2026 news release.

The network has no job title for security guards. The CISSS de la Montérégie-Est says so in an access to information response dated June 11, 2026: the comparable functions are ISPS (3547) and ISPS team leader (3557).

What an intervention agent does

According to the CPNSSS list, the ISPS:

• supports, supervises, disciplines, accompanies and leads activities for the users in their care
• welcomes users of all intervention services
• intervenes with a user in crisis or in disorganization
• supports the staff in the services
• may give basic care, such as help with hygiene and eating
• intervenes physically when the situation requires it
• searches users or premises on request
• reports observations in writing

The job is found mostly in psychiatric emergency rooms, psychiatric units and youth rehabilitation centres. The intervention agent is often part of the team that responds to a code white, when a person becomes violent or threatening.

Intervention agent pay

Title 3547 is at ranking 10 of category 2 (paratechnical, auxiliary services and trades staff). The work week is 35 to 38.75 hours.

Source: CPNSSS, list of job titles, June 9, 2026. Hourly rates, before evening, night and weekend premiums. As of April 1, 2027, the scale will run from $27.10 to $32.18.

At 37.5 hours a week, the first step comes to about $51,200 a year and the last to about $60,800. The team leader (3557) earns $26.54 to $30.83 an hour at the first seven steps.

Intervention agent or agency security guard?

Both work in hospitals. They do not have the same employer or the same pay.

The minimum for an agency guard in health care is therefore $22.60 an hour, compared with $26.18 for an ISPS at the first step. Agency guard pay is detailed on Agent de sécurité Québec, our sister site.

Who keeps hospitals safe?

On April 1, 2026, the same access to information request was sent to every institution in the network. It asked about contracts with private security agencies and the amounts paid to them. Here is what the published responses show.

One agency contract for almost the whole network

The Centre d'acquisitions gouvernementales (CAG) signed contract 2024-8023-50, "Agence de sécurité – Secteur santé". It is divided into 17 regional lots. Lot 06 covers Montreal and lot 03 covers the Capitale-Nationale. The contract ends on October 31, 2027 and can be renewed for two years.

The CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal sums it up in its April 29, 2026 response: the contract covers the whole health sector.

Institution by institution

The names of the agencies chosen for the Montreal and Capitale-Nationale lots do not appear in the documents published by the CAG.

In Abitibi-Témiscamingue, the bill fell from $5,023,434 in 2022 to $1,805,972 in 2026. In Montérégie-Est, the institution writes that its recall list meets its needs, notably by hiring students.

The CHUL psychiatric emergency room

The CHUL is part of the CHU de Québec. Its psychiatric emergency room is run by the CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale. According to the CSN, the intervention agent position dedicated to that emergency room was abolished in November 2024.

In a news release published during the 2026 Occupational Health and Safety Week, the unions report that a patient care attendant was injured in an assault on August 17, 2026. They call for a continuous presence of qualified intervention agents and for security work given to private agencies to be brought back in-house.

The request is not new. On February 3, 2023, the CSN unions of the CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale and the CHU de Québec were already calling for intervention agents at all times in the CHUL emergency rooms. According to them, private firm guards are not trained to intervene in psychiatry.

These facts come from union news releases. No public response from Santé Québec or the CHU de Québec was found.

Becoming an intervention agent

The CPNSSS list sets no schooling requirement for title 3547. Each institution sets its own. In 2026, the CISSS de la Côte-Nord asks for:

• a high school diploma or equivalent, or six months of experience as an ISPS or intervention agent
• a physical test passed at hiring

The same CISSS offers its ISPS in Baie-Comeau and Sept-Îles a paid 72-hour training with the Cégep de Baie-Comeau. It is taken online and has four blocks: helping relationship and intervention techniques, communication and emotional decoding, intervention in specific settings, protection of physical and psychological integrity and ethics.

In the network, the ASSTSAS Oméga training teaches how to prevent and manage aggressive situations. Our article on code white describes it.

Frequently asked questions

What is an intervention agent?

An employee of the health network who supports, supervises and accompanies users. The intervention agent steps in when a user is in crisis. The official title is now specialized pacification and security worker (ISPS), number 3547.

How much does an intervention agent earn?

$26.18 to $31.09 an hour as of April 1, 2026, depending on the step. The rate goes from $27.10 to $32.18 as of April 1, 2027.

What training do you need to become an intervention agent?

The job list requires no diploma. Institutions often ask for a high school diploma or experience. They also require a physical test. Part of the training is given after hiring.

What is the difference between an intervention agent and a security guard?

The intervention agent is an employee of the institution who works with users. The security guard works for a private agency under contract and watches the premises. The network has no security guard job title.

Who keeps Quebec hospitals safe?

Both at once. ISPS employed by the institution work with users. Private agencies supply security guards, mostly through contract 2024-8023-50 of the Centre d'acquisitions gouvernementales.

Where does an intervention agent work?

Mostly in psychiatric emergency rooms, psychiatric units and rehabilitation centres for youth in difficulty. The Institut Pinel has its own title, 6500.

Sources

• CPNSSS, Nomenclature des titres d'emploi, des libellés, des taux et des échelles de salaire, June 9, 2026
• CISSS de la Côte-Nord, Formation des ISPS, news release, June 3, 2026
• CISSS de la Montérégie-Est, Demande d'accès à l'information, agents de sécurité, June 11, 2026
• Centre d'acquisitions gouvernementales, Access request DA2026-2027-02, contract 2024-8023-50, May 28, 2026
• MUHC, Response AI2026-001, April 20, 2026
• CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Access response 2026.062-1791, 2026
• CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Response A2026-049, April 29, 2026
• CISSS de l'Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Response 2026-002-002-ML, April 21, 2026
• CSN, Violence à l'urgence psychiatrique du CHUL, 2026
• CSN, Urgences du CHUL : la sécurité n'est pas assurée, February 3, 2023
• Decree respecting security guards, LégisQuébec

Quebec has 1,616 private seniors' residences (RPA), according to the regulatory impact analysis of the Department of Health and Social Services (MSSS) and Santé Québec dated February 3, 2026. Working in a private seniors' residence in Quebec means working for the residence operator, a private employer. The patient care attendant who works there must meet the requirements below.

What an RPA is

The Act respecting the governance of the health and social services system (section 557) requires an authorization from Santé Québec to operate a private seniors' residence. It rents rooms or apartments to a clientele mainly made up of people aged 65 and over. The operator also offers services from at least two categories: meals, personal assistance, nursing care, domestic help, security or recreation.

The February 3, 2026 impact analysis places the 1,616 residences in 1,339 buildings.

The four categories of residences

The Regulation respecting the certification of private seniors' residences (section 1) sorts residences into four categories. The work of the staff changes from one category to the next.

Source: Regulation respecting the certification of private seniors' residences, section 1, up to date as of July 1, 2026.

Under section 2, personal assistance services include help with eating, hygiene care, dressing or bathing, as well as the administration of medication.

The personal assistance attendant

The patient care attendant goes by another name here. Section 27 calls any person who provides these services in the residence a "personal assistance attendant", except a member of a professional order in the health field.

Before starting work, this attendant must meet one of the conditions of section 29:

• Hold a DEP in assistance to persons in health care facilities or at home
• Have completed an attendant training from a school service centre and obtained an official document confirming five competencies
• Have obtained from a school service centre a document confirming one year of full-time studies in nursing or practical nursing, or 3 years of full-time experience as an attendant

For the experience count, one full-time year equals 1,664 paid working hours. The network diploma is described in our article on the DEP in assistance to persons.

Training in the first year

Section 28 gives the attendant 1 year after starting work to pass two training courses and hold the certificates:

• A first aid course given by an organization recognized by the CNESST (Quebec's labour standards and workplace safety board), or a course of at least 16 hours that meets the CSA Z1210-17 standard
• The safe patient handling training recognized by the ASSTSAS (the joint health and safety association of the health and social services sector)

The attendant must then keep these certificates up to date. The second course is described in our article on the PDSB training.

Section 27.1 requires the operator of a category 2, 3 or 4 residence to offer an onboarding process to new employees. It covers the fire safety plan, the code of ethics and the procedures in Schedule III of the regulation.

Criminal record checks

Under section 31, anyone who wants to work in an RPA gives the operator, before starting work, a declaration of their criminal record and a written consent to its verification. The check covers all Canadian provinces. Section 34 requires an operator who uses a staffing agency to obtain from it a guarantee of the same check.

Staff present at all times

Sections 17 to 20 set the minimum number of adults present day and night for supervision. It varies by category and number of rental units. In category 4, at least 1 staff member is required under 50 units, 2 from 50 to 99, 3 from 100 to 199 and 4 from 200 units.

A new regulation in preparation

The February 3, 2026 impact analysis covers a draft Regulation respecting the operation of private seniors' residences. It would replace the current regulation, adopted under the former act. In residences for semi-independent seniors, employees who provide personal care would no longer need a DEP, an AEP or an equivalent. They would take a 14-hour course on the administration of medication and invasive care activities. As of October 20, 2026, LégisQuébec still shows the certification regulation.

Frequently asked questions

What is the regulation on the certification of RPAs?

It sets the operating rules of private seniors' residences: categories, supervision, staff training, criminal record checks. Its version up to date as of July 1, 2026 can be read on LégisQuébec. A draft regulation on the operation of RPAs, described in an analysis dated February 3, 2026, is to replace it.

Where can I find RPA training?

Attestation of vocational studies (AEP) 4257, "Assistance à la personne en résidence privée pour personnes aînées autonomes et semi-autonomes", has 180 hours over about 2 months, according to Inforoute FPT. The school service centres that offer it and their start dates appear on the program page.

What is the salary of a patient care attendant in 2026?

In the public network, the CPNSSS (the bargaining committee for the health and social services network) job title nomenclature of September 15, 2026 sets the rate of title 3480 at $29.40 an hour as of April 1, 2026. In an RPA, no public scale applies: the employer sets the wage, which cannot be lower than the minimum wage of $16.60 an hour in force since May 1, 2026. For its calculations, the February 3, 2026 analysis uses an hourly employer cost of $34.30 for a supervision employee in a residence for semi-independent seniors, based on a Santé Québec compilation from December 2025. The details are in the attendant's salary.

Who is eligible for an RPA?

The act describes a clientele mainly made up of people aged 65 and over. The category of the residence then shows who its services are for: independent, semi-independent or with a moderate to severe loss of autonomy. To look for a job in this setting, see where to apply.

This article explains official texts. It is not legal advice.

Sources

• Règlement sur la certification des résidences privées pour aînés, CQLR, chapter S-4.2, r. 0.01, LégisQuébec, up to date as of July 1, 2026
• Loi sur la gouvernance du système de santé et de services sociaux, CQLR, chapter G-1.021, section 557, LégisQuébec, up to date as of August 12, 2026
• Analyse d'impact réglementaire préliminaire, Règlement sur l'exploitation des résidences privées pour aînés, MSSS and Santé Québec, February 3, 2026
• Assistance à la personne en résidence privée pour personnes aînées autonomes et semi-autonomes (AEP 4257), Inforoute FPT, consulted on October 20, 2026
• Nomenclature des titres d'emploi, des libellés, des taux et des échelles de salaire, CPNSSS, September 15, 2026, title 3480, column 2026-04-01
• Le taux général du salaire minimum passera à 16,60 $ l'heure le 1er mai 2026, Quebec's Department of Labour, Québec.ca, January 22, 2026

The RREGOP is the pension plan of most employees in the health and social services network. Retraite Québec administers it. This guide to the RREGOP pension sums up its basic rules: the 8.63% contribution in 2026, the retirement age, the pension calculation and what happens at 65. It applies to patient care attendants, nurses, licensed practical nurses and all unionized job titles in the network.

Who participates in the RREGOP

The Retraite Québec bulletin on the RREGOP says it in one sentence: the plan covers regular and casual employees, full time or part time, in the health and social services network, the education network and the public service. Participation is mandatory. The legal framework is the Act respecting the Government and Public Employees Retirement Plan (chapter R-10).

You accumulate at most 40 years of service. Participation ends no later than December 30 of the year you turn 71.

Part-time work counts in two ways. For the pension calculation, Retraite Québec credits part of a year based on your hours, without overtime. For pension eligibility, a part-time year can count as a full year. The bulletin's example: a person working 17½ hours out of 35 receives half a year for the calculation and a full year for eligibility.

The contribution in 2026

The RREGOP contribution rate is 8.63% in 2026. It does not apply to the whole salary. An exemption of 25% of the maximum pensionable earnings (MPE) is removed first. The 2026 MPE is $74,600, so the exemption is $18,650 for a full-time person.

The Retraite Québec bulletin gives this example for a pensionable salary of $80,000:

The pension is still calculated on the whole pensionable salary, not only on the contributory portion. No contribution is due if the pensionable salary is less than or equal to 35% of the MPE, which is $26,110 in 2026. Part time, the exemption follows the percentage of your hours.

During a disability that gives the right to salary insurance, you do not pay contributions. They are credited as if you had paid them, for a period of up to three years, except for exceptions set out in the plan.

The retirement age

According to Retraite Québec, you are generally entitled to a pension without reduction if you meet one of these three conditions at the end of your participation:

• be at least 61 years old
• have at least 35 years of service for eligibility
• be at least 60 years old and reach factor 90 (age and years of service added together)

From age 55, a reduced pension is possible. The reduction is 0.5% per month of early retirement, or 6% per year, and it is permanent. In the bulletin's example, a person who leaves at 59 when she would have been entitled to the full pension at 61 has 24 months of early retirement, so a 12% reduction.

The pension calculation

The Retraite Québec formula has three terms: years of service (40 at most) × 2% × average pensionable salary of the 5 best paid years. A part-time salary is converted to the salary you would have received full time.

The pension is paid on the 15th of each month by direct deposit. Retraite Québec deducts federal and Quebec income taxes.

What changes at 65

The RREGOP pension is coordinated with the Québec Pension Plan (QPP). Starting the month after your 65th birthday, it decreases, even if you applied for the QPP pension at 60. The decrease is calculated as follows: years of service since 1966 (35 at most) × 0.7% × the lesser of your average salary for the last 5 years and the average MPE for those same years. It is the flip side of the contribution exemption received throughout your career.

The pension is also indexed every January 1. The part tied to service since January 1, 2000 follows the more advantageous of 50% of the pension index rate (TAIR) and the TAIR minus 3%. The 2026 TAIR is 2.00%.

This guide is neither legal advice nor financial advice. Your participation statement, in Mon dossier at Retraite Québec, gives your own figures. For the salaries used in the calculation, see the nurse salary and the patient care attendant salary.

Frequently asked questions

At what age can you retire under the RREGOP without a penalty?

Generally, at 61, or after 35 years of service, or at 60 with factor 90. Before these thresholds, a reduced pension is possible from age 55, with a permanent reduction of 6% per year of early retirement. Your participation statement shows the date when you will meet one of the conditions.

How much does the RREGOP cost on your pay?

In 2026, the contribution is 8.63% of the pensionable salary above $18,650 full time. For a salary of $80,000, Retraite Québec calculates $5,294.51 for the year. Overtime is not part of the pensionable salary.

What happens to the RREGOP if I leave the network before retirement?

Before 55 and with less than two years of service for eligibility, you can get a refund of your contributions with interest. Before 55, with at least two years and less than 35, you choose between a deferred pension and the transfer of the value of your benefits to a locked-in retirement account (LIRA) or a life income fund (LIF). The request is made at least 210 days after the end of employment.

Can you buy back years in the RREGOP?

Yes, some periods of absence without pay, including parental leave, can be bought back while you still participate in the plan. The days you can buy back appear in your participation statement. Retraite Québec sends a buyback proposal valid for 60 days.

Sources

• Retraite Québec, Le RREGOP, bulletin on the main provisions of the plan, 2026 data, consulted on October 14, 2026
• Retraite Québec, Montants des prestations et données de base 2026, public sector pension plans section, consulted on October 14, 2026
• Retraite Québec, Vous participez à un régime de retraite du secteur public (RREGOP, RRPE, etc.), consulted on October 14, 2026
• LégisQuébec, Act respecting the Government and Public Employees Retirement Plan, chapter R-10, up to date as of August 12, 2026

Private healthcare agencies in Quebec bill at most $71.87 an hour for a nurse, $47.65 for a licensed practical nurse (nursing assistant in Quebec), $41.96 for a patient care attendant and $80.00 for a respiratory therapist. These caps come from the government regulation, which also ends the use of agencies region by region, until October 18, 2026. This text applies to women and men. It is not legal advice.

Agency and independent labour

The Règlement sur le recours aux services des agences de placement de personnel et à de la main-d'œuvre indépendante dans le domaine de la santé et des services sociaux defines both terms in section 2.

• A staffing agency rents out staff: it provides its employees to a provider to fill labour needs
• Independent labour (MOI) is a natural person who, without being a member of the provider's staff, provides a service to it under its direction or control

The provider is Santé Québec, an institution or another setting covered by the law. The agency is the employer: section 9 prohibits it from providing a person who is not bound to it by an employment contract. The provider pays the agency an hourly rate set in a written contract (section 18). The agency then pays a salary to its employee. Section 7 requires it to show on its invoice the normal hourly wage paid to each rented person.

Maximum hourly rates

Schedule I of the regulation sets the maximum hourly rate by job title. It is the amount billed by the agency to the provider. It is not the person's salary. The right column gives the scale for the same title in the public network since April 1, 2026, according to the nomenclature of September 15, 2026.

Sources: regulation, Schedule I, LégisQuébec version up to date as of June 1, 2026, consulted on October 10, 2026. Network salaries: job title nomenclature of September 15, 2026.

The detailed scales are in our articles on the salary of the nurse, the licensed practical nurse, the patient care attendant and the respiratory therapist.

Schedule I of the regulation also caps the rate for other titles, from the institution monitor ($41.23) to the psychologist ($80.28).

Three rules govern these caps:

• No increase for overtime for a title in Schedule I (section 19)
• An increase of 20% from October 20, 2025 to October 18, 2026 in the remote locations named in section 20, after an increase of 35% until October 19, 2025 (Schedule I)
• No cap in Nord-du-Québec, Nunavik and the territory of the CLSC Naskapi (section 18)

Section 21 prohibits any other payment: file opening, parking or meal fees, and billing for the orientation period.

The end of agency use, region by region

Section 33 of the regulation sets three deadlines.

Agency use remains allowed after October 18, 2026 for a few providers named in section 4, including family-type resources, palliative care homes and small residences of 15 units or fewer, as well as for staff who work exclusively in Nord-du-Québec or Nunavik (section 5). The details of the exceptions and penalties are in our article on staffing agencies and the law.

The scale, in official figures

The Minister of Health's brief to the Conseil des ministres, dated August 20, 2024, puts the use of agencies and independent labour in the network at about $1.5 billion for 2022-2023. The total reaches 23 million hours, including 17.8 million without security guards. Without security guards, the agency use rate is then 4.14%. It is 9.24% among patient care attendants, 5.34% among licensed practical nurses and 4.96% among nurses.

Santé Québec, Quebec's health agency, in a response to an access to information request dated June 2, 2026, gives the follow-up:

• Independent labour spending in 2024-2025: $758,768,789, including $417,498,129 for four titles (technical nurse, clinical nurse, licensed practical nurse, patient care attendant)
• Hours worked in the 14 day pay period ended November 4, 2023: 834,992
• Hours worked in the pay period ended April 18, 2026: 46,713, a drop of nearly 95% according to Santé Québec

Returning to the public network

Section 9 of the regulation prohibits an agency from providing a person who, less than a year earlier, was employed by a provider in the same health region or in a neighbouring region. The reverse path is open. Section 10 prohibits the agency from enforcing a non-compete clause against a person who wants to be hired by a provider.

For salary, article 8 of the FIQ collective agreement places the employee according to her previous experience: one year of work in the profession equals one year of experience, on written proof.

For seniority, letter of agreement no. 32 of the same agreement provides a single recognition process, within six months of joining Santé Québec. The employee hired since March 19, 2024 is credited with the time worked in network institutions for an agency or as independent labour, between March 13, 2020 and her hiring. This recognition has no retroactive effect. The letter ends on March 30, 2028. It applies to employees covered by the FIQ agreement. The other agreements were not checked for this article.

Positions are posted by institution: see where to apply as a nurse, licensed practical nurse or patient care attendant.

The CNESST licence and register

Section 92.5 of the Act respecting labour standards prohibits operating a staffing agency without a licence from the CNESST (Quebec's labour standards and workplace safety board), which publishes the register of licence holders. The protections of agency employees are described in our other article.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average salary at a healthcare staffing agency?

No official source consulted publishes the average salary paid by agencies to their staff. The regulation caps the rate billed to the provider, not the salary. This cap ranges from $41.23 to $80.28 an hour depending on the job title in Schedule I.

How does a staffing agency work?

The agency hires the person under an employment contract and rents out their services to a provider, which directs the work. The provider pays the agency the hourly rate in the contract, and the agency pays the salary. The agency must hold a CNESST licence and civil liability insurance of $2,000,000, and have a police force check the criminal record of its staff (regulation, section 6).

Where can I find information on Santé Québec staffing agencies?

Santé Québec operates no staffing agency: it is the provider that rented this staff. The Québec.ca page Fin du recours aux services des agences de placement de personnel sums up the rules and deadlines. The text of the regulation is on LégisQuébec, and the register of licensed agencies is on the CNESST website.

What is an agency nurse's salary?

No official source consulted publishes it. The agency bills at most $71.87 an hour for a nurse and $74.36 for a clinical nurse, and the nurse's normal hourly wage appears on the invoice given to the provider. In the public network, the nurse earns from $29.61 to $47.48 an hour since April 1, 2026.

What is the new law on staffing agencies?

It is the Loi limitant le recours aux services d'une agence de placement de personnel et à de la main-d'œuvre indépendante dans le secteur de la santé et des services sociaux (2023, chapter 8), assented to on April 20, 2023. Its rule is found in section 668 of the Act respecting the governance of the health and social services system. The regulation under order in council 1485-2024 sets out the details, including the maximum rates and the deadlines by region.

Sources

• Règlement sur le recours aux services des agences de placement de personnel et à de la main-d'œuvre indépendante dans le domaine de la santé et des services sociaux, chapter G-1.021, r. 2 (order in council 1485-2024), sections 2, 4 to 10, 18 to 21 and 33, Schedule I, LégisQuébec, up to date as of June 1, 2026, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Act respecting the governance of the health and social services system, section 668, LégisQuébec, up to date as of August 12, 2026
• Loi limitant le recours aux services d'une agence de placement de personnel et à de la main-d'œuvre indépendante dans le secteur de la santé et des services sociaux, 2023, chapter 8, Éditeur officiel du Québec, assented to on April 20, 2023
• Mémoire au Conseil des ministres, projet de second règlement sur le recours aux agences de placement de personnel et à de la main-d'œuvre indépendante, Minister of Health, section 9, August 20, 2024
• Réponse à la demande d'accès 26-SQ-0001-214, Santé Québec, June 2, 2026
• Fin du recours aux services des agences de placement de personnel dans le réseau de la santé et des services sociaux, Gouvernement du Québec, updated July 13, 2026
• CPNSSS and FIQ, Convention collective, version administrative, article 8 and letter of agreement no. 32, in force from December 15, 2024 to March 31, 2028
• 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, titles 2471, 1911, 1915, 2244, 3455 and 3480, September 15, 2026
• Act respecting labour standards, section 92.5, LégisQuébec, up to date as of August 12, 2026
• Registre des titulaires de permis d'agence, CNESST, consulted on October 10, 2026

A public nurse practitioner clinic (IPS clinic) is a primary care clinic in the public network, run by specialized nurse practitioners. Access is free and goes through an appointment or a referral. On July 16, 2026, Quebec had 18 of them. This article gives no medical advice: for a health question, dial 811, and 911 in an emergency. This text also applies to male nurses.

What a public nurse practitioner clinic is

Québec.ca (page up to date as of April 15, 2024) describes it as a new model of health clinic that gives additional free access to primary care. In most cases, it is located inside a CLSC (local community service centre).

The reference framework of the MSSS, Quebec's Department of Health and Social Services (2024), requires that it report to a network institution and that it be located outside hospital centres. The minister announced the creation of these clinics on November 1, 2022, according to the same document.

Services offered

Québec.ca lists the consultations offered. The range varies from one institution to another.

• Consultation for minor emergencies
• Care and follow-up of patients waiting at the Guichet d'accès à un médecin de famille (GAMF), the family doctor waiting list
• Sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBI) and access to contraception
• Disease prevention and promotion of healthy lifestyle habits
• Telephone consultation or teleconsultation
• Screening
• Palliative care

The page also names follow-ups: chronic health problems, newborns and children, women's health and pregnancy, episode of care after a workplace accident (CNESST).

How to get an appointment

According to Québec.ca, anyone with a common or chronic health problem, a minor emergency or a need for local care can get an appointment at a public nurse practitioner clinic. The page names the ways in.

Sources: Québec.ca, pages on the public nurse practitioner clinic (April 15, 2024), the GAP (April 21, 2026) and Info-Santé 811 (December 7, 2022).

Québec.ca never says you can walk in without an appointment. The ministry's reference framework lists walk-in consultation or consultation for minor emergencies among the needs these clinics should meet. Check with the clinic before you go.

The same framework requires the clinic to open 7 days a week, with appointment slots after 6 p.m. from Monday to Friday and coverage of at least 4 hours on weekend days and statutory holidays, except for exceptions set out in the document.

How many clinics and where

The Government of Quebec news release of July 16, 2026 counts 18 public nurse practitioner clinics and 7 active satellite sites, for 25 service points.

Two official targets are in circulation. Québec.ca still says the government plans 23 clinics by 2028. The July 16, 2026 news release states that the target was raised in March 2026 to 26 clinics by 2030, with openings to come in Estrie, Lanaudière, Chaudière-Appalaches, the Laurentides, Gaspésie, Bas-Saint-Laurent and Montérégie.

Québec.ca does not publish a list. To find a clinic or its opening hours, the page refers you to the website of your CISSS or CIUSSS (integrated health and social services centre), through the directory Votre CISSS ou votre CIUSSS.

What the law allows the nurse practitioner to do

Section 36.1 of the Nurses Act reserves nine activities for the nurse practitioner (IPS), including diagnosing diseases and prescribing medication. The list is in our article on the nurse practitioner. Since April 15, 2024, according to Québec.ca, primary care nurse practitioners in IPS clinics can directly take charge of people without a family doctor who are registered with the GAMF. This article is not legal advice.

Who works there

Québec.ca sets a minimum team.

• Primary care nurse practitioners (IPSPL)
• One or more clinical nurses
• A social worker

Depending on the needs of the population, the team can add: a nurse practitioner from another class, such as mental health, a licensed practical nurse (nursing assistant in Quebec), a physiotherapist or a kinesiologist, a nutritionist, a pharmacist, a family doctor or specialist.

The ministry's reference framework adds the administrative officer to its staffing guidelines. It classifies clinics into five levels according to the number of nurse practitioners. It prohibits independent labour (MOI) for the professionals in these clinics.

For these jobs, read Become a primary care nurse practitioner, The clinical nurse, The role of the licensed practical nurse and Nurse jobs: where to apply.

Public clinic and private clinic

Private nurse practitioner clinics also exist. The public clinic is free. Check the conditions of a private clinic with the clinic itself.

Frequently asked questions

What does the abbreviation IPS mean?

IPS stands for infirmière praticienne spécialisée or infirmier praticien spécialisé, a specialized nurse practitioner. According to Québec.ca, she can provide medical care and advanced nursing care. IPSPL refers to the primary care nurse practitioner, the one in IPS clinics.

How does Rendez-vous santé Québec work?

According to its official website, Rendez-vous santé Québec lets you book a family medicine appointment online, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You enter your personal information with your health insurance card in hand, choose the date and time in the calendar, then confirm. Reminders arrive by email, automated call or text message. The service is free.

Is a nurse practitioner clinic free?

Yes for the public clinic. Québec.ca writes that it gives additional free access to primary care. Check the conditions of a private clinic with the clinic itself.

Do you need an appointment to go to a nurse practitioner clinic?

Québec.ca talks about getting an appointment or being referred by the GAP, 811, RVSQ, the emergency room or a pharmacy. The page does not mention walk-in access. Check the website of your CISSS or CIUSSS.

Sources

• Clinique publique d'infirmières praticiennes spécialisées (IPS), Québec.ca, up to date as of April 15, 2024
• Services offerts par les infirmières praticiennes spécialisées, Québec.ca, up to date as of April 15, 2024
• Pour un meilleur accès aux services de première ligne, bilan du déploiement des cliniques IPS, news release from the Office of the Minister of Health, July 16, 2026, corrected July 21, 2026
• Clinique d'infirmières praticiennes spécialisées, cadre de référence à l'intention des établissements de santé et de services sociaux, ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, publication 24-945-06W, 2024
• Guichet d'accès à la première ligne, Québec.ca, up to date as of April 21, 2026
• Info-Santé 811, Québec.ca, up to date as of December 7, 2022
• Rendez-vous santé Québec, Gouvernement du Québec, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Infirmières praticiennes spécialisées, information pour les professionnels de la santé et des services sociaux, Québec.ca, up to date as of September 23, 2025

IPSPL means primary care nurse practitioner. To become a primary care nurse practitioner (IPSPL), the path is: a bachelor's degree, the licence of the Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec (OIIQ), Quebec's order of nurses, 3,360 hours of experience, 75 graduate credits and a specialty exam. This text also applies to male nurses.

What sets the "primary care" class apart

Section 27 of the Regulation respecting specialized nurse practitioners (chapter I-8, r. 15.1.1.1, up to date as of June 1, 2026) defines the class: the primary care specialized nurse practitioner carries out the activities referred to in section 36.1 of the Nurses Act (chapter I-8) with clients of all ages who require local care, including those with mental health problems.

Under section 2, local care addresses common and varied health problems and relies on light infrastructure. The neonatology, adult care and pediatric care classes address specialized or highly specialized care (sections 23, 25 and 26). The role and the nine activities of the nurse practitioner are in our article on the nurse practitioner. This article is neither legal advice nor union advice.

The path, step by step

OIIQ: page "Parcours académique et professionnel", consulted on October 10, 2026.

For the start of the path, see the CEPI and the clinical nurse.

The experience required for admission

Université Laval requires, as of March 1, 3,360 hours of direct care in the last five years, including 1,680 hours in primary care. The Université du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR) requires the same 3,360 hours, acquired in Quebec, including 1,680 hours in a CLSC (local community service centre), medical clinic, GMF (family medicine group), emergency room or CHSLD (long-term care centre). It does not count CEPI experience.

The studies: 75 credits

Pages of both universities, consulted on October 10, 2026.

Both admit in the fall. At Laval, the last year is full time because of the internships. At UQAR, six months of internship follow the theory. Université de Sherbrooke also offers this path, in Sherbrooke and Longueuil (page of September 8, 2026).

IPS candidate, then the exam

Section 30 of the regulation allows the IPS candidate (CIPS) who holds a practice certificate to carry out the activities of a nurse practitioner. A nurse practitioner or a physician in the same field is designated as supervisor and remains available at all times.

Section 13 requires at least one exam session per year for each class. The OIIQ usually offers two, in November and May. The registration fee posted on October 10, 2026 is $770.33. The next session takes place on November 2, 2026. Section 10 allows an extra delay of up to 1 year for a serious reason.

The ministry scholarship: $60,000 for 6,000 hours

The Department of Health's ministerial scholarship program (July 2023) pays $60,000 in two payments of $30,000. The second arrives at the start of the second year. Its conditions:

• be a member in good standing of the OIIQ
• be admitted without conditions to a nurse practitioner program in Quebec, full time or part time
• graduate within a maximum of five years
• then work 6,000 hours in a public institution targeted by the ministry

Leaves do not count toward the 6,000 hours. The program requires repayment of the whole scholarship for a voluntary withdrawal in the first year or a move to the private sector, regardless of hours worked. Someone who stops practising as a nurse practitioner repays on a prorated basis. Nothing is required after three exam failures.

The ministry's page was modified on May 12, 2026. The list of scholarship programs on Québec.ca, up to date as of July 29, 2026, does not name this scholarship. Confirm that it is offered: Bourses_IPS@msss.gouv.qc.ca.

What changes on the pay

The network nomenclature, version of September 15, 2026, places the clinical nurse (title 1911) from $31.06 to $55.04 an hour. The nurse practitioner (title 1915) earns from $34.86 to $73.20, over 40 hours a week. See the article on the nurse practitioner and the nurse salary.

How many IPSPL

The OIIQ 2024-2025 annual report counts 1,836 members on the Roll who hold a nurse practitioner certificate. It does not break this total down by class. The Order issued 299 certificates during the year, including 181 in primary care. Some IPSPL work in nurse practitioner clinics.

Frequently asked questions

How do you become an IPSPL?

According to the OIIQ, you need a bachelor's degree in nursing, the Order's licence and at least two years of practice, including one year with the target clientele. Then come the master's degree, the complementary diploma and the specialty exam, which leads to the specialist certificate.

What is a nurse practitioner's salary?

In the public network, the nurse practitioner (title 1915) earns from $34.86 to $73.20 an hour since April 1, 2026, over 40 hours a week. These rates come from the nomenclature of September 15, 2026.

How long are the studies to become an IPSPL?

Université Laval estimates 2 years full time for the 75 credits. The bachelor's degree and the 3,360 hours of experience come first.

Can you do the IPSPL training part time?

Université Laval allows it over 3 years, with the last year full time. UQAR offers the program full time only.

Sources

• LégisQuébec, Regulation respecting specialized nurse practitioners, chapter I-8, r. 15.1.1.1, sections 2, 4, 7, 10, 13, 15, 17, 23 to 27 and 30, up to date as of June 1, 2026
• OIIQ, Parcours académique et professionnel, Rôle de l'IPS, Candidate infirmière praticienne spécialisée and Examen de spécialité IPS, consulted on October 10, 2026
• OIIQ, Rapport annuel 2024-2025, fiscal year ended March 31, 2025
• Université Laval, Maîtrise en sciences infirmières, soins de première ligne, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Université du Québec à Rimouski, Maîtrise en sciences infirmières (IPS soins de première ligne), program 2259, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Université de Sherbrooke, Maîtrise en sciences infirmières, updated September 8, 2026
• Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, Programme ministériel de bourses d'études, infirmières praticiennes spécialisées, summary (23-945-10W) and full program (23-945-08W), July 2023, page modified May 12, 2026
• Gouvernement du Québec, À propos des programmes de bourses d'études du ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, up to date as of July 29, 2026
• 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 III.63 and III.67, September 15, 2026

In the public network, the respiratory therapist salary ranges from $29.12 to $45.20 an hour since April 1, 2026. The scale has 12 steps.

Job title 2244

The job title nomenclature of the health and social services network, updated on September 15, 2026, classifies the respiratory therapist under number 2244, at ranking 18. The title requires a DEC (CEGEP diploma) in respiratory therapy technology and membership in the Ordre professionnel des inhalothérapeutes du Québec (OPIQ), Quebec's order of respiratory therapists. The normal work week is 37.5 hours. Our article on the respiratory therapist job describes the role.

The current salary scale

Source: job title nomenclature, part III, page III.86, title 2244, version of September 15, 2026. Hourly rates.

The annual salary

The FIQ collective agreement, in paragraph 7.29, counts 52.18 weeks in a year.

Our own calculation, full time, without premiums or overtime.

Related titles

Hourly rates as of April 1, 2026. Titles 2246 and 2247 are at ranking 19, title 2248 at ranking 20. Each has 18 steps.

Progression and experience

Paragraph 7.23 of the FIQ agreement moves the employee up one step each time she completes a year of experience. Advancement every six months in the first eight steps applies to titles at ranking 19 or higher. The respiratory therapist, at ranking 18, therefore moves up one step per year and reaches step 12 after eleven years.

At hiring, paragraph 8.01 counts one year of experience for each year of work in the profession. Someone who left more than five years ago is placed no higher than the second last step. Paragraph 8.02 requires the employer to ask for written proof of this experience.

Letter of agreement no. 15 pays a lump sum to the respiratory therapist whose rate is below the single rate of ranking 9. That rate is $29.40, the rate of the patient care attendant. The gap is $0.28 an hour at the first step, according to our own calculation.

Premiums

The following rates come from article 9 of the FIQ agreement and the premium table of the CPNSSS, for the period from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.

The increased evening, night and weekend premiums go to the employee who has 70 or more paid hours per 14 day pay period. The weekend premium also requires a service open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Paragraph 9.06 names the respiratory therapist among the titles that receive the CHSLD premium.

The critical care premium in paragraph 9.10 applies to the employee who works in the emergency room, intensive care, the neonatal unit, the coronary unit or the burn unit. It is 15% for 70 or more paid hours per 14 day period, 14% from 42 hours and 10% under 42 hours. In the operating room, recovery room included, the specific premium in paragraph 9.11 is 10%, 7% or 6% according to the same thresholds. Neither paragraph lists job titles.

One premium names title 2244. Paragraph 9.08 pays the respiratory therapist 5% of the hourly wage for each hour she handles the orientation and clinical training of employees and interns.

Overtime

Paragraph 19.03 of the FIQ agreement pays overtime at time and a half of the regular wage, which is $43.68 an hour at step 1 and $67.80 at step 12. Double time applies on a statutory holiday and, under the conditions of paragraph 19.04, to a full weekend shift in a service open 24 hours a day. See our article on mandatory overtime.

Respiratory therapist, nurse and licensed practical nurse

The same nomenclature pays the nurse, title 2471, from $29.61 to $47.48 an hour and the licensed practical nurse (nursing assistant in Quebec), title 3455, from $27.78 to $37.08. See the nurse salary, the licensed practical nurse salary and our guide to the FIQ collective agreement.

In the private sector, no public scale exists. The employer sets the salary.

This text summarizes the nomenclature and the collective agreement. It is neither legal advice nor union advice.

Frequently asked questions

What is a respiratory therapist's salary?

Since April 1, 2026, the scale for title 2244 ranges from $29.12 to $45.20 an hour in the public network. Full time, that gives $56,981 a year at the first step and $88,445 at the twelfth. For Quebec as a whole, the Government of Canada Job Bank gives group 32103 a low wage of $30.00, a median wage of $39.40 and a high wage of $50.39 an hour, for the 2023-2024 reference period (updated November 19, 2025).

What is a perfusionist's salary in Quebec?

The clinical perfusionist has a separate job title, number 1116, at ranking 23. Since April 1, 2026, the scale ranges from $31.51 to $57.81 an hour over 18 steps, for a 37.5 hour week. The title requires a certificate or a graduate diploma (DESS) in extracorporeal perfusion.

What is the salary of a new respiratory therapist?

A respiratory therapist with no experience starts at the first step: $29.12 an hour, or $56,981 a year at 37.5 hours a week. The respiratory therapy extern, title 4002, receives a single rate of $23.30 an hour.

What raise is planned for respiratory therapists in 2027?

Paragraph 7.27 of the FIQ agreement raises each scale by 3.50% on April 1, 2027. In the nomenclature, the first step then goes from $29.12 to $30.14 and the twelfth from $45.20 to $46.78.

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, titles 2244, 2246, 2247, 2248, 4002 and 1116, pages II.51 to II.53, III.8 and III.86 to III.89, September 15, 2026
• CPNSSS, Primes des conventions collectives nationales 2024-2028, consulted on October 10, 2026
• CPNSSS and FIQ, Convention collective, version administrative, in force from December 15, 2024 to March 31, 2028, articles 7, 8, 9 and 19, letter of agreement no. 15
• Government of Canada, Job Bank, Salaires, inhalothérapeute au Québec (CNP 32103), updated November 19, 2025

IPS stands for infirmière praticienne spécialisée, a nurse practitioner in Quebec. The Nurses Act reserves nine activities for her, including diagnosing diseases and prescribing medications. In the public network, she has earned from $34.86 to $73.20 an hour since April 1, 2026. This text applies to male nurse practitioners too.

What the law allows the IPS to do

Section 36.1 of the Nurses Act (chapter I-8, up to date as of August 12, 2026) lists the activities of the nurse practitioner. She performs them according to her specialty class, under the conditions of the Règlement sur les infirmières praticiennes spécialisées (chapter I-8, r. 15.1.1.1).

• diagnosing diseases
• prescribing diagnostic examinations
• using diagnostic techniques that are invasive or entail risks of harm
• determining medical treatments
• prescribing medications and other substances
• prescribing medical treatments
• using techniques or applying medical treatments that are invasive or entail risks of harm
• monitoring pregnancies
• administering the medication or substance allowing a person to obtain medical aid in dying under the Act respecting end-of-life care

According to the Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec (OIIQ), Quebec's order of nurses, Bill 6 and the regulation came into force on January 25, 2021. Since that date, the IPS can diagnose diseases, determine medical treatments and monitor pregnancies. "Super nurse" is a nickname, not an official title. This article is neither legal advice nor union advice.

The five specialty classes

Section 3 of the regulation, up to date as of June 1, 2026, sets five classes.

Source: Règlement sur les infirmières praticiennes spécialisées, sections 3 and 23 to 27.

Training and the specialist certificate

The OIIQ first requires being a nurse and having practised for at least two years, including one year with the clientele of the specialty. The training is at the graduate level: a master's in nursing and a complementary diploma in medical sciences, with at least 510 hours of theory and at least 950 hours of internships.

Avenir en santé names nine universities: Montréal, Sherbrooke, Laval, McGill, UQAC, UQAR, UQTR, UQAT and UQO. For the start of the path, see the CEPI and nurse jobs.

The graduate becomes a nurse practitioner candidate (CIPS). With a practice attestation from the OIIQ, she performs the activities of the IPS under the supervision of an IPS or a physician available at all times, under section 30 of the regulation. Section 4 issues the specialist certificate to the candidate who passes the specialty exam. Section 10 gives her three years to pass it and section 17, two retakes. The next session takes place on November 2, 2026.

The Programme ministériel de bourses d'études of the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (July 2023, fact sheet amended May 12, 2026) pays $60,000 in two instalments of $30,000. The recipient agrees to work 6,000 hours in a public network institution targeted by the ministry.

The IPS's salary

The network's job title nomenclature, version of September 15, 2026, places the IPS under title 1915, ranking 28, at 40 hours per week. The scale has 18 steps.

Source: nomenclature, pages II.33 and III.67. Annual salary: our calculation, full time, without premiums or overtime.

The same nomenclature places the nurse, title 2471, at $29.61 to $47.48 an hour and the clinical nurse, title 1911, at $31.06 to $55.04. See the nurse's salary and the FIQ collective agreement. The IPS candidate has her own title, 1914, at 40 hours per week.

Where the IPS works and what an IPS clinic is

Québec.ca (page up to date as of April 15, 2024) names the settings of the primary care nurse practitioner: public IPS clinic, GMF (family medicine group), CLSC (local community service centre), home support, CHSLD (long-term care centre). The other classes work mostly in hospital centres and outpatient clinics.

The public IPS clinic is a model launched in November 2022. It offers free access to primary care and is most often housed in a CLSC. Its team includes at least IPSPLs, one or more clinical nurses and a social worker. According to a press release of July 16, 2026, the goal is 26 clinics by 2030. Our article on IPS clinics gives the details.

People reach them through the Guichet d'accès à la première ligne (GAP), 811, Rendez-vous santé Québec, the local emergency room or a pharmacy, among others. Since April 15, 2024, the IPSPLs in these clinics take charge of people registered with the Guichet d'accès à un médecin de famille.

IPS, clinical nurse, physician

The IPS is a nurse who is a member of the OIIQ and holds a specialist certificate. This certificate alone opens the activities of section 36.1, within the limits of her class. Our article on the clinical nurse describes that title. Section 28 of the regulation applies to the IPS's prescriptions the standards for prescriptions made by a physician.

Frequently asked questions

What does the abbreviation IPS mean?

IPS means infirmière praticienne spécialisée or infirmier praticien spécialisé, a nurse practitioner. The abbreviation grows longer according to the specialty class. IPSPL refers to the primary care nurse practitioner (IPSPL).

What is the role of a nurse practitioner?

According to the OIIQ, her role combines advanced nursing practice and the nine activities of section 36.1 of the Act. The network nomenclature describes her as responsible for nursing care and medical professional activities in a specialty field.

How many nurse practitioners are there in Quebec?

The OIIQ counted 1,890 on the Tableau, entitled to practise, in its press release of June 5, 2025. The press release of December 10, 2024 counted 1,829.

What is a mental health nurse practitioner?

She is the IPS of the mental health class, abbreviated IPSSM. Section 24 of the regulation assigns her a clientele of all ages, in community-based, specialized or ultra-specialized care. Section 22 allows her to diagnose mental disorders, except intellectual disability.

Which nurse is the best paid?

Of the three scales compared here, the IPS scale is the highest: $73.20 an hour at the top step, compared with $55.04 for the clinical nurse and $47.48 for the nurse. These are public network rates as of April 1, 2026.

Sources

• LégisQuébec, Nurses Act, chapter I-8, section 36.1, up to date as of August 12, 2026
• LégisQuébec, Règlement sur les infirmières praticiennes spécialisées, chapter I-8, r. 15.1.1.1, up to date as of June 1, 2026
• OIIQ, Rôle de l'IPS, Parcours académique et professionnel, Candidate infirmière praticienne spécialisée and Examen de spécialité IPS, consulted on October 10, 2026
• OIIQ, 98 candidates et candidats IPS ont réussi le dernier examen de spécialité de l'OIIQ, press release of June 5, 2025, and 138 candidates et candidats IPS ont réussi le dernier examen de spécialité de l'OIIQ, press release of December 10, 2024
• Gouvernement du Québec, Services offerts par les infirmières praticiennes spécialisées and Clinique publique d'infirmières praticiennes spécialisées (IPS), up to date as of April 15, 2024
• Gouvernement du Québec, Infirmières praticiennes spécialisées, information pour les professionnels de la santé et des services sociaux, up to date as of September 23, 2025
• Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, Programme ministériel de bourses d'études, infirmières praticiennes spécialisées, program summary, July 2023, fact sheet amended May 12, 2026
• Gouvernement du Québec, Avenir en santé, Infirmière praticienne spécialisée ou infirmier praticien spécialisé, consulted on October 10, 2026
• 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.32, II.33 and III.67, September 15, 2026

Mandatory training for healthcare workers varies by job. A nurse owes 20 hours of continuing education per year. A licensed practical nurse (nursing assistant in Quebec) owes 10 per two-year period. A patient care attendant (PAB) has no hour quota set by a professional order. Here are the training requirements to keep up to date, how often, and where to check. The word "nurse" covers male nurses too. This text is neither legal advice nor union advice.

The summary table

Nurse: the OIIQ standard

The professional standard of the Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec (OIIQ), Quebec's order of nurses, has applied since January 2012:

• Take part in at least 20 hours of continuing education activities, at least seven of them accredited
• Complete these hours between January 1 and December 31 of each year
• Keep an annual record of activities and retain it for five years

The hours are declared at registration on the Tableau the following year. Training given by the OIIQ counts as accredited hours.

The standard document names no sanction. Compliance is checked during professional inspection.

Registration on the Tableau

According to the OIIQ, the deadline to pay the annual fee is March 15 at 11:59 p.m. From March 16, a $50 late penalty is added. The total payable for 2026-2027 is $579.00, including $5.22 for professional liability insurance.

The right to prescribe

A nurse who prescribes must hold an OIIQ attestation confirming she passed a 2-hour training, under section 8 of regulation M-9, r. 12.001. This regulation, up to date as of June 1, 2026, sets no expiry date for this attestation. See also the CEPI and the clinical nurse.

Licensed practical nurse: the OIIAQ regulation

Section 2 of the Règlement sur la formation continue obligatoire des infirmières et infirmiers auxiliaires du Québec reads: "Every member is required to devote 10 hours per reference period to continuing education activities directly related to his or her professional practice." The reference period lasts 2 years. The Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers auxiliaires du Québec (OIIAQ), Quebec's order of nursing assistants, shows the current period: April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2027.

• Eligible activities (section 6): courses from the Ordre, employer training, CEGEP and university courses, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), symposiums and conferences
• Declaration (section 9): no later than 30 days after the end of the period
• Exemptions (section 3): among others, a person who registers on the Tableau 51 weeks or less before the end of the period
• Default (sections 10 to 13): the Ordre sends a notice. The member has 60 days to complete the hours and 30 days to file the declaration. After these deadlines, the executive committee strikes the member off the Tableau

The deadline for the 2026-2027 annual declaration and fee was March 31, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. The permit is renewed on April 1 of each year.

Two trainings required by regulation

Regulation I-8, r. 3 requires an OIIAQ attestation for two sections: a training of at least 7 hours for "entretien d'une trachéostomie reliée à un ventilateur" (care of a tracheostomy connected to a ventilator), and of at least 21 hours for "contribution à la thérapie intraveineuse" (contribution to intravenous therapy). The role is described in The role of the licensed practical nurse.

Patient care attendant

The job profile on Québec.ca, updated June 19, 2026, mentions no professional order. None of the texts read for this page sets a number of continuing education hours for the attendant. See Patient care attendant training.

• PDSP (formerly PDSB, safe patient handling principles): "La carte PDSP ne comporte pas de date d'expiration" (the PDSP card has no expiry date), writes the ASSTSAS (the joint health and safety association of the health and social services sector) in its February 2022 management guide. The instructor, however, takes part in a reaccreditation activity every three years. Details in our article on PDSB
• CPR and first aid: Québec.ca writes that first aid and CPR training is "often required" for the job. No official Quebec source read sets how long a CPR card is valid
• Oméga training: the 2026 ASSTSAS summary shows no refresher for workers. The training is presented in Code white at the hospital

The workplace first aid certificate

Section 2.1 of the Règlement sur les normes minimales de premiers secours et de premiers soins: "The first aid certificate is valid for a maximum period of 3 years from the date of issue." The CNESST (Quebec's labour standards and workplace safety board) specifies that the first aider renews it by taking the training again every 3 years. Section 2 of the same regulation excludes network institutions where medical or nursing staff are qualified to give first aid to workers.

What the employer owes

Section 51 of the Act respecting occupational health and safety requires the employer, in paragraph 9, to "inform the worker adequately as to the risks connected with his work and give him the appropriate training, training assistance and supervision".

An institution can make a training mandatory. The CISSS des Laurentides (integrated health and social services centre) writes in a March 2024 fact sheet: "Formation ENA 14246 sur les mesures d'urgence obligatoire pour tout le personnel" (ENA 14246 emergency measures training mandatory for all staff). Check what yours requires.

Frequently asked questions

How many hours of continuing education are mandatory for a nurse?

The OIIQ standard requires at least 20 hours per year, at least seven of them accredited. They are done between January 1 and December 31. According to the standard document, dated September 2011, extra hours do not carry over.

What continuing education is mandatory for nurses under the OIIQ?

The OIIQ does not impose a specific course. Its standard sets a number of hours, a share of accredited hours, a record kept for five years and a declaration at registration on the Tableau.

Where can I find free continuing education for nurses?

For licensed practical nurses, the OIIAQ writes that many trainings are offered online and free of charge on its professional development portal. The OIIQ presents its offer on its continuing education platform, where the price of each activity is shown.

How long is CPR certification valid?

The length depends on the certifying body and on what the employer requires. No official Quebec source read for this page sets a length for CPR. Only the workplace first aid certificate has a length set in a regulation: 3 years at most.

Sources

• Norme de formation continue, OIIQ, consulted on October 10, 2026
• La formation continue pour la profession infirmière au Québec, norme professionnelle, OIIQ, September 2011
• Je souhaite m'inscrire au Tableau, quelle est la date limite?, OIIQ, consulted on October 10, 2026
• La cotisation annuelle de l'OIIQ 2026-2027, OIIQ, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Règlement sur certaines activités professionnelles qui peuvent être exercées par une infirmière et un infirmier, chapter M-9, r. 12.001, LégisQuébec, up to date as of June 1, 2026
• Règlement sur la formation continue obligatoire des infirmières et infirmiers auxiliaires du Québec, chapter C-26, r. 159, LégisQuébec, up to date as of June 1, 2026
• Formation continue, foire aux questions, OIIAQ, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Déclaration annuelle et renouvellement de la cotisation, OIIAQ, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Règlement sur certaines activités professionnelles pouvant être exercées par une infirmière ou un infirmier auxiliaire, chapter I-8, r. 3, LégisQuébec, up to date as of June 1, 2026
• Aides-infirmiers, aides-soignants et préposés aux bénéficiaires, Québec.ca, updated June 19, 2026
• Guide de gestion du programme de formation PDSP en établissement, ASSTSAS, February 2022
• Formation Oméga travailleurs, summary, ASSTSAS, 2026
• Règlement sur les normes minimales de premiers secours et de premiers soins, chapter A-3.001, r. 10, LégisQuébec, up to date as of June 1, 2026
• Formation de secourisme en milieu de travail, CNESST, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Act respecting occupational health and safety, chapter S-2.1, section 51, LégisQuébec, up to date as of August 12, 2026
• Mesures d'urgence, fiche qualité, CISSS des Laurentides, March 2024

Mandatory overtime (TSO) for nurses is governed by three texts: the Act respecting labour standards, the collective agreement and the code of ethics. Section 59.0.1 of the Act lets a worker refuse more than 14 hours per 24-hour period or more than 50 hours per week, with exceptions. This article is neither legal advice nor union advice. The word "nurse" covers male nurses too.

The Act respecting labour standards, section 59.0.1

Section 59.0.1 of the Act respecting labour standards (chapter N-1.1), up to date as of August 12, 2026, gives the employee the right to refuse to work:

• more than two hours beyond regular daily hours or more than 14 hours per 24-hour period, whichever is shorter
• more than 12 hours per 24-hour period, if daily hours are variable or non-continuous
• more than 50 hours per week

The second paragraph sets this right aside "where there is danger to the life, health or safety of workers or the population", in case of risk of destruction or serious deterioration of property, in any other case of superior force, "or if the refusal is inconsistent with the employee's professional code of ethics".

Section 122 prohibits the employer from dismissing, suspending or transferring an employee, or taking reprisals, because the employee exercised a right under the Act.

Section 2 states that the Act binds the State. Section 93 makes its standards a matter of public order: a provision of an agreement that departs from them is null.

The FIQ 2024-2028 collective agreement, article 19

The agreement between the CPNSSS (the bargaining committee for the health and social services network) and the FIQ, in force from December 15, 2024 to March 31, 2028, deals with overtime in article 19. See the FIQ collective agreement.

• Paragraph 19.01: the employer offers overtime in rotation, first to full-time employees, so as to share it fairly
• Paragraph 19.03: overtime is paid at time and a half of the regular salary, and at double time on a statutory holiday
• Paragraph 19.14: "L'Employeur prend les moyens pour éviter de faire appel au temps supplémentaire obligatoire. Le temps supplémentaire obligatoire n'est exigé que dans les situations d'urgence et exceptionnelles qui se présentent." (The employer takes the means to avoid calling on mandatory overtime. Mandatory overtime is required only in urgent and exceptional situations that arise.)

Letter of agreement no. 28 adds a 10% premium for each hour worked as overtime from June 15 to September 15 and from December 15 to January 31. It ends on March 31, 2028.

The Code of ethics of nurses

Three sections of the Code of ethics of nurses (chapter I-8, r. 9), up to date as of June 1, 2026:

• Section 16: the nurse "must refrain from practising when in a state likely to compromise the quality of care and services"
• Section 43: "Unless a nurse has serious grounds, he may not abandon a client to whom he is providing care and treatment."
• Section 44, paragraph 4: the nurse must "take reasonable means to ensure continuity of care and treatment"

The position of the OIIQ and the OIIAQ

The Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec (OIIQ), Quebec's order of nurses, published the ethics column Les heures supplémentaires : obligations déontologiques on September 23, 2017. It repeated it on January 16, 2019. The column sets section 44, paragraph 4, against section 16.

According to this text, the nurse is the only person who can judge whether she is fit to practise. If she judges she is not, she has the duty to withdraw and refuse the overtime. Before she stops practising, she must notify her supervisor and allow a reasonable delay for a solution to be found. The refusal is "therefore not necessarily abandonment" as long as she meets these duties.

On the institution's side, the column places the use of overtime under management and labour relations. The employer must not use the code of ethics to manage a lack of resources or to apply pressure.

The Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers auxiliaires du Québec (OIIAQ), Quebec's order of nursing assistants, published an undated text by its president. In it, TSO "must be an exceptional measure and not a recurring one". Employers cannot invoke the code of ethics to force a licensed practical nurse (nursing assistant in Quebec) into it.

The official data

The methodology notes of the dashboard Performance du réseau de la santé et des services sociaux describe a rate of mandatory overtime hours, compiled manually by the institutions. The summary page of the Santé Québec dashboard, consulted on October 10, 2026, does not display it.

The remedies named in the texts

Paragraph 10.02 of the FIQ agreement gives 30 days from knowledge of the fact to file a grievance, without exceeding six months.

Section 102 of the Act respecting labour standards provides for a written complaint to the CNESST (Quebec's labour standards and workplace safety board). A person covered by a collective agreement must show that she has exhausted its remedies. A complaint about a practice prohibited by section 122 is filed within 45 days, under section 123.

Frequently asked questions

Is TSO mandatory?

The texts do not answer with a yes or a no. Paragraph 19.14 of the FIQ agreement allows TSO to be required, only "in urgent and exceptional situations". Section 59.0.1 of the Act respecting labour standards gives a right of refusal, then sets it aside in case of danger to the population. According to the OIIQ column, a nurse who judges herself unfit has the duty to refuse.

How many hours can I be forced to work?

Article 19 of the FIQ agreement sets no maximum. The thresholds in section 59.0.1 of the Act respecting labour standards are two hours beyond regular hours, 14 hours per 24-hour period and 50 hours per week. They fall away in the exceptions listed in that section.

Is TSO paid at time and a half?

Yes. Paragraph 19.03 of the FIQ agreement pays all overtime at time and a half of the regular salary, with no distinction between voluntary and mandatory. Double time applies on a statutory holiday. See the nurse's salary.

Sources

• LégisQuébec, Act respecting labour standards, chapter N-1.1, sections 2, 59.0.1, 93, 102, 122 and 123, up to date as of August 12, 2026
• LégisQuébec, Code of ethics of nurses, chapter I-8, r. 9, sections 16, 43 and 44, up to date as of June 1, 2026
• CPNSSS and FIQ, Convention collective, version administrative, in force from December 15, 2024 to March 31, 2028, update of June 6, 2026, articles 10 and 19, letter of agreement no. 28
• Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec, Les heures supplémentaires : obligations déontologiques, ethics column, September 23, 2017
• Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec, Temps supplémentaire obligatoire : rappel de l'avis de la syndique, January 16, 2019
• Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers auxiliaires du Québec, Le temps supplémentaire obligatoire et les obligations déontologiques de l'infirmière auxiliaire, undated page, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Gouvernement du Québec, Performance du réseau de la santé et des services sociaux, methodology notes, human resources, last updated February 17, 2026

The CEPI is the candidate to the nursing profession (CEPI): a nursing graduate who has her diploma, is waiting for the exam of the Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec (OIIQ), Quebec's order of nurses, or for her result, and works under the supervision of a nurse. In the public network, she has earned $26.95 an hour since April 1, 2026. The text applies to male candidates too.

Who is a CEPI

Section 1 of the Règlement sur les activités professionnelles pouvant être exercées par des personnes autres que des infirmières et des infirmiers (chapter I-8, r. 2) defines the candidate: the holder of a diploma giving access to the permit, or a person to whom the Ordre has recognized an equivalent diploma or training.

According to the OIIQ, the status begins when the confirmation email from the Ordre is received.

What a CEPI can do

Section 10 of the regulation allows her to perform the professional activities of nurses, except the following:

• activities performed with a woman in labour
• activities performed with a client whose state of health is in a critical phase or requires frequent adjustments
• activities performed in community health
• initiating diagnostic and therapeutic measures, according to a prescription
• initiating diagnostic measures for screening purposes (Public Health Act)
• determining the treatment plan for wounds and alterations of the skin and teguments
• administering vaccines (Public Health Act)
• deciding to use restraint measures
• deciding to use isolation measures
• assessing a child not yet eligible for preschool education who shows signs of developmental delay
• adjusting the nursing therapeutic plan in connection with these activities

The CEPI may contribute to vaccination. The exceptions for the critical phase, community health and the assessment of a child do not apply to a holder of a university degree. This text is neither legal advice nor union advice.

The conditions for working

Section 11 sets four conditions for the CEPI, who must hold a registration certificate:

• hold the attestation of the Ordre, which the OIIQ calls AECEPI
• work for a public institution or a private institution under agreement, with a director of nursing
• have completed the institution's integration program
• practise under the supervision of a nurse present in the care unit

The attestation is requested online from the OIIQ, which allows at least ten working days. An employer is required. Registration fees went from $210 to $235, before taxes, on April 1, 2026.

How long the status lasts

Section 13 ends the right to practise at the first of these events:

• the exam is not passed within the set time
• the candidate has failed the exam 3 times
• more than 30 days have passed since the permit was issued
• more than 4 years have passed since the first exam session after the diploma

The time limit is 2 years from the first exam session after the diploma, under section 7 of the OIIQ regulation on the issuing of permits (chapter I-8, r. 13).

The OIIQ professional exam

The Ordre holds 2 exam sessions per year (section 3 of the same regulation). The candidate must sit the first session after her diploma. An absence counts as a failure. Section 11 gives the right to 2 retakes, or three attempts.

The last sitting took place on September 29, 2026. The OIIQ announces the next one on March 31, 2027. The registration fee is $638.11 per attempt. Results arrive no later than eight weeks after the exam.

The CEPI's salary

The network's job title nomenclature, version of September 15, 2026, places the candidate under number 2490. There is a single rate.

Source: job title nomenclature, part III, titles 2490 and 2471, version of September 15, 2026. Hourly rates.

The rate in force on October 10, 2026 is $26.95. Schedule 14 of the FIQ collective agreement sets it at 91% of step 1 for a nurse. Under letter of agreement no. 31, an employee of the network who earned more the day before keeps her base salary. See the nurse's salary and the FIQ collective agreement.

Moving to the nurse title

According to the OIIQ, the CEPI has 30 days after the results are announced to register on the Tableau of the Ordre.

Paragraph 7.18 of the FIQ agreement pays the nurse's salary retroactively to the exam date, or to the start date if the candidate began working after the exam. Under paragraph 7.19, a candidate who had to retake the exam receives it retroactively to the date she passed.

CEPI, CEPIA and extern

• The CEPI is waiting for the OIIQ permit, title 2490, at $26.95 an hour (nomenclature)
• The CEPIA is waiting for the permit of the Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers auxiliaires du Québec, title 3456, at $25.28 an hour (nomenclature)
• The nursing extern is still a student, title 4001, at $23.69 an hour (regulation I-8, r. 2, section 1, and nomenclature)

Frequently asked questions

What is a CEPI nurse?

She is a candidate to the nursing profession. She holds a diploma that gives access to the OIIQ permit and does not have that permit yet. Regulation I-8, r. 2 governs her work.

What is the difference between a CEPI and a nurse?

The nurse holds her permit and is registered on the Tableau of the Ordre. The CEPI practises under the supervision of a nurse, and section 10 of the regulation removes eleven activities from her. In the public network, she earns $26.95 an hour, compared with $29.61 for a nurse at the first step.

How do I work as a CEPI?

You need a registration certificate, the diploma, the OIIQ email confirming the status and an employer. The candidate then requests her practice attestation from the Ordre. Our article on nurse jobs shows where to apply.

What is the average salary of a CEPI in Canada?

No official source publishes a Canadian average: CEPI status is defined by a Quebec regulation. In the Quebec public network, the rate is $26.95 an hour since April 1, 2026 and $27.89 on April 1, 2027.

Sources

• LégisQuébec, Règlement sur les activités professionnelles pouvant être exercées par des personnes autres que des infirmières et des infirmiers, chapter I-8, r. 2, sections 1, 10, 11 and 13, up to date as of June 1, 2026
• LégisQuébec, Règlement sur les conditions et modalités de délivrance des permis de l'Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec, chapter I-8, r. 13, sections 3, 7, 8 and 11, up to date as of June 1, 2026
• OIIQ, Étape 3 : CEPI - AECEPI, consulted on October 10, 2026
• OIIQ, Examen professionnel, convocation et inscription, consulted on October 10, 2026
• OIIQ, Étape 1 : immatriculation, consulted on October 10, 2026
• OIIQ, Étape 6 : première inscription au Tableau, consulted on October 10, 2026
• 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, titles 2471, 2490, 3456 and 4001, September 15, 2026
• CPNSSS and FIQ, Convention collective, version administrative, in force from December 15, 2024 to March 31, 2028, paragraphs 7.18 and 7.19, Schedule 14, letter of agreement no. 31

The FIQ national collective agreement is in force from December 15, 2024 to March 31, 2028. The CPNSSS (the bargaining committee for the health and social services network) publishes the text. This guide tells nurses where to read it and which article to look up. It applies to male nurses too.

Where to read the official text

The CPNSSS gathers all the agreements of the network on the page Conventions collectives et ententes. Under "Conventions collectives 2024-2028", the link "La version administrative des conventions collectives nationales" leads to the FIQ PDF.

The administrative version is a document with tracked revisions. The old text and the new one sit side by side. Its first update is dated June 6, 2026 and covers article 6, on union leave. Paragraph 1.19 states that only the French version is the official text.

The parties, the signing and the term

The agreement was concluded between the CPNSSS and the Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec (FIQ). Its summary table gives three dates: signed on December 5, 2024, in force on December 15, 2024, expiring on March 31, 2028.

Who it covers

Paragraph 1.01 defines the employee as any person included in the certification unit. The text covers the category of nursing and cardio-respiratory care staff. The network's job title nomenclature, version of September 15, 2026, places the following titles, among others, in this category:

• nurse, clinical nurse and nurse practitioner (IPS)
• licensed practical nurse (nursing assistant in Quebec) and licensed practical nurse team leader
• respiratory therapist
• clinical perfusionist
• candidate to the profession and nursing extern

Other unions have their own national agreement with the CPNSSS, among them the FSSS-CSN, the SCFP, the SQEES and the APTS. Your institution and your bargaining unit determine which one applies to you.

National and local

The Act respecting the process of negotiation of the collective agreements in the public and parapublic sectors (chapter R-8.2) splits the subjects in two. Its section 44 assigns to the national level everything not reserved to the local level. Its section 58 refers to Schedule A.1, which lists 26 subjects negotiated in each institution.

Schedule A.1 includes the notion of position, the probation period, temporary assignments, voluntary transfers and the arrangement of work hours. Statutory holidays and vacation are also on it, "à l'exclusion des quanta et de la rémunération" (excluding the amounts and the pay). The number of days is therefore in the national text, and the way to take them is in the local provisions, held by your local union and your institution.

Where to find what

Source: CPNSSS and FIQ collective agreement, administrative version updated June 6, 2026.

Salary increases, year by year

Paragraph 7.28 adds an adjustment clause tied to the Quebec consumer price index. It can raise the scales by up to 1.00% on March 31, 2026, March 31, 2027 and March 31, 2028. The adjustment cannot be negative.

Hourly rates are in the nomenclature. See the nurse's salary and the licensed practical nurse's salary.

A few figures from the text

• 13 statutory holidays per year, from July 1 to June 30 (paragraph 20.01)
• 4 weeks of vacation, or 20 working days, after one year of service on April 30 (paragraph 21.03)
• A fifth week, or 25 working days, at the top of the years of service scale (paragraph 21.03)
• 0.8 day of sick leave credited per month of paid service, or 9.6 days per year (paragraphs 23.28 and 23.29)
• 21 weeks of maternity leave for an employee eligible for the Quebec Parental Insurance Plan (paragraph 22.05)

The years of service thresholds that give 21, 22, 23 and 24 vacation days change in this agreement. Read them in paragraph 21.03. Paragraph 19.14 deals with mandatory overtime, the subject of our article on TSO.

This guide is neither legal advice nor union advice. The text of the agreement prevails.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I find the FIQ collective agreement?

The CPNSSS publishes it as a PDF on cpnsss.gouv.qc.ca, on the page "Conventions collectives et ententes", under "Conventions collectives 2024-2028". The local provisions are available from the local union or the institution.

Until when is the FIQ collective agreement in force?

It is in force until March 31, 2028. It took effect on December 15, 2024. Under section 59 of Act R-8.2, the local provisions remain in effect after the national provisions expire.

Who does the FIQ collective agreement apply to?

It applies to employees in a certification unit represented by the FIQ. They are nurses, licensed practical nurses, respiratory therapists and clinical perfusionists. A nurse represented by another union falls under that union's agreement.

What salary increase does the FIQ agreement provide?

Paragraph 7.27 provides five increases: 6.00% on April 1, 2023, 2.80% in 2024, 2.60% in 2025, 2.50% in 2026 and 3.50% on April 1, 2027. They add up to 17.4%. The adjustment clause in paragraph 7.28 can add up to 1.00% three times.

Sources

• CPNSSS and FIQ, Convention collective, version administrative, in force from December 15, 2024 to March 31, 2028, update of June 6, 2026, articles 1, 7, 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23
• CPNSSS, Conventions collectives et ententes, consulted on October 10, 2026
• CPNSSS, Version administrative des conventions collectives, consulted on October 10, 2026
• 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, page I.11, September 15, 2026
• LégisQuébec, Act respecting the process of negotiation of the collective agreements in the public and parapublic sectors, chapter R-8.2, sections 44, 58 and 59 and Schedule A.1, consulted on October 10, 2026

A clinical nurse in Quebec is a nurse who holds a bachelor's degree. In the public network, she earns from $31.06 to $55.04 an hour since April 1, 2026. She has the same licence and the same professional order as a nurse. This article applies to clinical nurses of all genders.

Job title 1911

The job title nomenclature of the health and social services network, updated on September 15, 2026, classifies the clinical nurse under number 1911, at ranking 22. The work week is 37.5 hours.

The job description requires the following: « Doit détenir un baccalauréat en sciences infirmières ou un baccalauréat comportant trois (3) certificats admissibles, dont au moins deux (2) certificats reconnus en soins infirmiers et être membre de l'Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec. » In short: a bachelor's degree in nursing, or a bachelor's degree made of three eligible certificates including at least two in nursing, and membership in Quebec's order of nurses.

What the description adds to the nurse's

The nurse holds number 2471, at ranking 19. Her job description requires only one thing: membership in the Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec (OIIQ). Both descriptions begin with the same sentence. The clinical nurse's description adds

• users « présentant des problèmes de santé complexes ou des dimensions bio-psycho-sociales variées » (with complex health problems or varied bio-psycho-social dimensions)
• designing, applying and evaluating care programs « requérant des connaissances avancées » (requiring advanced knowledge)
• coordinating teamwork and a « rôle consultatif » (advisory role) with the care team and the interdisciplinary team
• orienting new staff and training interns

One licence, one scope of practice

The Nurses Act, up to date as of August 12, 2026, defines the practice of nursing in section 36 and reserves seventeen activities to nurses there. The word « clinicienne » appears nowhere in the Act. It does not create two scopes of practice. Only one of the seventeen activities, the sixteenth, requires university training and clinical experience set by regulation.

« Infirmière clinicienne » is a job title in the nomenclature and not a separate licence. This article is neither legal advice nor union advice.

The salary scale

The scale for title 1911 has 18 steps. Here are the hourly rates from the nomenclature of September 15, 2026, next to those of the nurse.

Source: job title nomenclature, part III, pages III.63 and III.114, version of September 15, 2026.

The gap is $1.45 an hour at the first step and $7.56 at the eighteenth.

Annual salary

The FIQ collective agreement, in article 7, counts 52.18 weeks in a year.

Our calculation, full time, without premiums or overtime.

Related titles

All four scales have 18 steps. The nurse practitioner's work week is 40 hours.

The right to prescribe

The Règlement sur certaines activités professionnelles qui peuvent être exercées par une infirmière et un infirmier, up to date as of June 1, 2026, covers three areas: « Soins de plaies » (wound care), « Santé publique » (public health) and « Problèmes de santé courants » (common health problems). This is where the bachelor's degree matters.

Section 7 requires one of five training conditions. The first is a university diploma that gives access to the licence, meaning the bachelor's degree in nursing from one of seven Quebec universities or McGill University's master of science in applied nursing. The second is a bachelor's degree by accumulation of certificates, including at least 2 in nursing, with university training of at least 45 hours in wound care. The other three cover nurses trained outside Quebec.

Section 8 also requires an OIIQ certificate for a 2-hour training. The OIIQ then issues a prescriber number. According to its page on eligibility, a nurse who holds a bachelor's degree earned after a DEC (CEGEP diploma) in nursing is eligible in all areas.

A nurse with a DEC only has access through sections 9 to 11. She had to be performing these activities under a collective prescription on June 30, 2017 and have obtained the certificate before July 12, 2018.

From nurse to clinical nurse: the DEC-BAC

Université Laval describes its bachelor's degree in nursing, DEC-BAC program, on its program page dated May 7, 2025. The program has 105 credits. The Faculty recognizes 36 of them for a holder of a DEC in nursing. That leaves 69 credits, or 2 to 2.5 years full time.

See also nurse salary, nurse jobs and the FIQ collective agreement.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a nurse and a clinical nurse?

The difference is the diploma and the job title. The nomenclature requires a bachelor's degree for title 1911, clinical nurse, and only OIIQ registration for title 2471, nurse. The licence, the order and the scope of practice in section 36 of the Nurses Act are the same.

What is the role of a clinical nurse?

According to the description of title 1911, she is responsible for a set of nursing care for users with complex health problems. She designs, applies and evaluates care programs. She coordinates teamwork, plays an advisory role, orients new staff and contributes to research.

What is a clinical nurse's salary?

Since April 1, 2026, the scale for title 1911 ranges from $31.06 to $55.04 an hour over 18 steps in the public network. Full time, that comes to $60,777 a year at the first step and $107,700 at the top. On April 1, 2027, the scale will range from $32.15 to $56.97.

Can a clinical nurse prescribe medication?

Yes, in the regulation's three areas: « Soins de plaies », « Santé publique » and « Problèmes de santé courants ». She must meet a training condition of section 7, hold the certificate for the 2-hour training required by section 8 and obtain a prescriber number from the OIIQ.

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.30 to II.35, II.77, III.63 to III.69 and III.114, September 15, 2026
• LégisQuébec, Nurses Act (chapter I-8), section 36, up to date as of August 12, 2026
• LégisQuébec, Règlement sur certaines activités professionnelles qui peuvent être exercées par une infirmière et un infirmier (chapter M-9, r. 12.001), sections 2 to 11, up to date as of June 1, 2026
• LégisQuébec, Règlement sur les diplômes délivrés par les établissements d'enseignement désignés qui donnent droit aux permis et aux certificats de spécialistes des ordres professionnels (chapter C-26, r. 2), section 1.17, up to date as of June 1, 2026
• Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec, Droit de prescrire, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec, Droit de prescrire, étape 1 : admissibilité, consulted on October 10, 2026
• CPNSSS and FIQ, Convention collective, version administrative, in force from December 15, 2024 to March 31, 2028, article 7
• Université Laval, Baccalauréat en sciences infirmières (formation DEC-BAC), version of May 7, 2025, consulted on October 10, 2026

Since April 1, 2026, nurse salary in Quebec's public network has ranged from $29.61 to $47.48 an hour, or $57,939 to $92,906 a year full time. The scale has 18 steps. This article applies to nurses of all genders.

Job title 2471

The job title nomenclature of the health and social services network, updated on September 15, 2026, classifies the nurse under number 2471, at ranking 19. The title requires membership in the Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec, Quebec's order of nurses. The normal work week is 37.5 hours.

The nurse pay scale in 2026

Source: job title nomenclature, part III, page III.114, title 2471, version of September 15, 2026, still the latest on the CPNSSS website on November 10, 2026. Annual salary: our calculation, hourly rate × 37.5 hours × 52.18 weeks.

Annual salary

The FIQ collective agreement, in paragraph 7.29, counts 52.18 weeks in a year. Full time, without premiums or overtime, a nurse therefore earns $57,939 a year at the first step ($29.61 an hour) and $92,906 at the eighteenth ($47.48 an hour). On April 1, 2027, the scale will give $59,974 ($30.65 an hour) to $96,155 ($49.14 an hour).

Progression and experience

Paragraph 7.23 of the FIQ agreement sets the time spent at each step for titles at ranking 19 or higher: six months of experience at steps 1 to 8, one year at steps 9 to 18. A nurse therefore reaches step 9 after four years and step 18 after thirteen years.

At hiring, article 8 places the employee according to her previous experience. One year of work in the profession counts as one year of experience. A nurse who left more than five years ago is placed no higher than the second-to-last step. The employer requires written proof of this experience.

Premiums

The following rates come from article 9 of the FIQ agreement and the premium table of the CPNSSS, for the period from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.

The increased evening, night and weekend premiums go to an employee with 70 or more paid hours per 14-day pay period. The weekend premium also requires a service open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Paragraph 9.06 names the nurse among the titles that receive the CHSLD (long-term care centre) premium. The increased $2.33 premium goes to a nurse who works all the hours set for her job title. Our article Working in a CHSLD describes this setting.

The critical care premium applies to the emergency room, intensive care, the neonatal unit, the coronary unit and the burn unit. It is 15% for 70 or more paid hours per 14-day period, 14% from 42 hours and 10% under 42 hours.

Overtime

Paragraph 19.03 of the FIQ agreement pays overtime at time and a half of the regular salary, or $44.42 an hour at step 1 and $71.22 at step 18. Double time applies on a statutory holiday and, under the conditions of paragraph 19.04, to a full weekend shift in a service open 24 hours a day. See our article on mandatory overtime.

Nurse, licensed practical nurse and clinical nurse

The same nomenclature pays the licensed practical nurse (nursing assistant in Quebec), title 3455, from $27.78 to $37.08 an hour, or $54,359 to $72,556 a year. The clinical nurse, title 1911, earns from $31.06 to $55.04 an hour, or $60,777 to $107,700 a year. Both titles also have a 37.5-hour week. Under paragraph 7.24 of the FIQ agreement, a nurse who holds a bachelor's degree in nursing is reclassified as a clinical nurse in her position if she commits to performing its duties. See licensed practical nurse salary and our article on the clinical nurse.

This article summarizes the nomenclature and the collective agreement. It is neither legal advice nor union advice.

Frequently asked questions

What is a nurse's salary in Quebec in 2026?

Since April 1, 2026, the scale for title 2471 ranges from $29.61 to $47.48 an hour in the public network. Full time, that comes to $57,939 a year at the first step and $92,906 at the eighteenth. Premiums and overtime are added on top.

What is the nurse pay scale in Quebec?

In the public network, the nurse pay scale is the scale for title 2471 in the CPNSSS nomenclature. It has 18 steps, from $29.61 to $47.48 an hour on April 1, 2026, or $57,939 to $92,906 a year at 37.5 hours a week. The clinical nurse, title 1911, has her own scale from $31.06 to $55.04 an hour, or $60,777 to $107,700 a year.

What is a new nurse's salary?

A nurse with no experience starts at the first step: $29.61 an hour, or $57,939 a year at 37.5 hours a week. She moves up one step every six months until step 9. Our article on the candidate to the nursing profession covers the period before the licence.

What is a registered nurse's salary in Quebec?

In the public network, a nurse who is a member of the OIIQ holds title 2471: $29.61 to $47.48 an hour since April 1, 2026, or $57,939 to $92,906 a year. The Government of Canada's Job Bank publishes a median wage of $40.00 an hour for registered nurses in Quebec, group 31301, with a low wage of $27.00 and a high wage of $50.00. At 37.5 hours a week, that is about $78,270, $52,832 and $97,838 a year (our calculation). These figures cover 2023-2024 and date from November 19, 2025.

What is a nurse's take-home pay in Quebec?

No official source publishes a nurse's take-home pay. Our net salary calculator estimates it at about $41,650 a year at the first step (about $21.29 an hour), for $57,939 gross. This is an estimate for a single person, after RREGOP, the Quebec Pension Plan, QPIP, employment insurance and both income taxes, without premiums or union dues. The WebRAS tool from Revenu Québec calculates only Quebec's share of the deductions. It is meant for employers.

Which type of nurse is paid the most in Quebec?

Among the nursing titles in the public network nomenclature, the nurse practitioner, title 1915, has the highest scale. She earns $34.86 to $73.20 an hour on April 1, 2026, on a 40-hour week. That gives $72,760 to $152,783 a year (our calculation).

What raise is planned for nurse salaries in 2026?

Paragraph 7.27 of the FIQ agreement raises each scale by 2.50% on April 1, 2026, then by 3.50% on April 1, 2027. Before that, the adjustment clause in paragraph 7.28, tied to the consumer price index, raised the scales on March 31, 2026: the first step went from $28.86 to $28.89 an hour ($56,472 to $56,531 a year), an increase of about 0.1% (our calculation). It then rose to $29.61 on April 1, 2026 ($57,939 a year) and will be $30.65 on April 1, 2027 ($59,974 a year). The September 15, 2026 nomenclature already includes this adjustment.

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, titles 2471, 1911, 1915 and 3455, pages III.63, III.67, III.114 and III.130, September 15, 2026, checked on November 10, 2026
• CPNSSS, Primes des conventions collectives nationales 2024-2028, version of October 20, 2026, consulted on November 10, 2026
• CPNSSS and FIQ, Convention collective, version administrative, in force from December 15, 2024 to March 31, 2028, articles 7, 8, 9 and 19
• Government of Canada, Job Bank, Salaires, infirmier autorisé ou infirmière autorisée au Québec (CNP 31301), updated November 19, 2025, consulted on November 10, 2026
• Revenu Québec, WebRAS, calcul des retenues à la source et des cotisations de l'employeur, consulted on October 10, 2026

In Quebec's public network, nurse jobs have come from a single employer since December 1, 2024: Santé Québec. Applications are filed region by region, on the recruitment site of each institution. This article applies to nurses of all genders.

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.

Where to apply

The starting point is the page sante.quebec/carrieres/travailler-avec-nous. It lists institutions by region. On October 10, 2026, the page lists 16 regions and 30 institutions.

The name of each institution leads to its recruitment site, where nurse job postings can be searched.

Santé Québec also runs a job site, emplois.sante.quebec. The careers page sends visitors there for head office jobs.

What it takes to be hired

Québec.ca, in its profile of the profession updated on June 19, 2026, names two programs: the DEC (CEGEP diploma) in nursing and the bachelor's degree in nursing. The profile adds one condition: membership in the Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec (OIIQ), Quebec's order of nurses.

The network's job title nomenclature, version of September 15, 2026, requires the nurse (title 2471) to be a member of the OIIQ. It requires a bachelor's degree for the clinical nurse (title 1911).

A graduate waiting for her licence works as a candidate to the nursing profession (title 2490). This status is explained in our article on the CEPI.

Nurse job titles

The rates are those of the top step on April 1, 2026, taken from the nomenclature. The details are in our article on nurse salary.

The other titles in the table provide for 37.5 hours a week. See The clinical nurse.

Workplaces

Québec.ca writes that these workers are self-employed, work in home care or in the following settings:

• Hospital centres
• Health care or long-term care facilities
• Rehabilitation centres
• Clinics and doctors' offices
• Pharmacies and community organizations
• Call centres, businesses and schools

Avenir en santé, the government's site on network careers, names the hospital centre, the rehabilitation centre, the CLSC (local community service centre) and the CHSLD (long-term care centre). According to Canada's Job Bank, 78% of people in the profession in Quebec work in hospitals.

Full time, part time, availability list

The FIQ collective agreement, in force from December 15, 2024 to March 31, 2028, defines the statuses in its articles 1.02, 1.03 and 1.17:

• 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 candidate to the profession
• Availability list: its definition is negotiated locally. 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

This summary is neither legal advice nor union advice. See our article on the FIQ collective agreement.

Job prospects

Québec.ca rates the prospects of the profession (NOC code 31301) « Excellentes » (excellent) for Quebec as a whole in 2025-2029, and counts 75,000 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. Four regions are rated « Bonnes » (good): Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Bas-Saint-Laurent, Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine and Outaouais.

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

Nurses trained outside Quebec

The OIIQ describes three paths: graduates from another Canadian province or territory, graduates from France and graduates from outside Canada. For the last group, the Order lists eight steps: the online self-assessment, the application for recognition of equivalence, the registration certificate, the professional integration program, CEPI status, the professional exam, the licence to practise and registration on the roll. A French test is added if needed.

Frequently asked questions

What jobs can a nurse do?

The public network's nomenclature opens to OIIQ members the titles of nurse, team leader, assistant to the immediate superior and outpost nurse. With a bachelor's degree, clinical nurse and nursing care advisor are added. With a graduate degree, clinical nurse specialist and nurse practitioner are added.

What type of nurse is the best paid in Quebec?

In the public network's scales, it is the nurse practitioner (title 1915): $73.20 an hour at the top step on April 1, 2026, according to the nomenclature. Next is the clinical nurse specialist at $63.64. The nurse (title 2471) reaches $47.48. This comparison covers the public network's scales, without premiums.

Can you work as a nurse before getting your licence?

Yes, as a candidate to the nursing profession (title 2490). According to the nomenclature, she performs the activities of a nurse under the supervision of a nurse, except for the exceptions set by regulation. The rate for this title is $26.95 an hour on April 1, 2026.

Sources

• Gouvernance du système de santé et de services sociaux et création de Santé Québec, Québec.ca, updated September 19, 2025
• Travailler avec nous, Santé Québec, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Offres d'emploi Santé Québec, Santé Québec, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Infirmiers / infirmières, Québec.ca, updated June 19, 2026
• Nomenclature des titres d'emploi, des libellés, des taux et des échelles de salaire, CPNSSS, version of September 15, 2026
• Infirmière ou infirmier, Avenir en santé, Government of Quebec, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Convention collective CPNSSS et FIQ, administrative version, articles 1.02, 1.03 and 1.17, in force from December 15, 2024 to March 31, 2028
• Infirmier autorisé/infirmière autorisée au Québec, perspectives d'emploi, Guichet-Emplois (Job Bank), Government of Canada, prospects updated December 10, 2025
• Infirmière diplômée ou infirmier diplômé hors Canada, OIIQ, consulted on October 10, 2026

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

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 63^rd 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

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.

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.

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

In Quebec's public network, licensed practical nurse jobs have come from a single employer since December 1, 2024: 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.

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.

Sources

• Gouvernance du système de santé et de services sociaux et création de Santé Québec, Québec.ca, updated September 19, 2025
• Travailler avec nous, Santé Québec, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Offres d'emploi Santé Québec, Santé Québec, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Fiche d'emploi 3455, Infirmier auxiliaire ou infirmière auxiliaire, CPNSSS, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Devenir infirmière auxiliaire, OIIAQ, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Candidat à l'exercice de la profession (CEPIA), OIIAQ, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Convention collective CPNSSS et FIQ, administrative version, articles 1.02 and 1.03, signed on December 5, 2024, in force from December 15, 2024 to March 31, 2028
• Infirmiers auxiliaires / infirmières auxiliaires, Québec.ca, updated June 19, 2026
• Infirmier auxiliaire autorisé/infirmière auxiliaire autorisée au Québec, perspectives d'emploi, Guichet-Emplois (Job Bank), Government of Canada, prospects updated December 10, 2025

In the public network, the salary of the licensed practical nurse (nursing assistant in Quebec) ranges from $27.78 to $37.08 an hour since April 1st, 2026. The scale has twelve steps. A lump sum raises the first two to the patient care attendant's rate.

Job titles 3455 and 3445

The job title nomenclature of the health and social services network, updated on September 15, 2026, classifies the licensed practical nurse under number 3455, at ranking 14. The title requires the DEP in Santé, assistance et soins infirmiers and registration with the Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers auxiliaires du Québec (Quebec's order of nursing assistants).

The team leader licensed practical nurse is number 3445, at ranking 15. Our article on the role of the licensed practical nurse describes the job.

The current salary scale

Source: job title nomenclature, part III, page III.130, title 3455, version of September 15, 2026. Hourly rates.

The team leader, title 3445, earns $27.94 to $38.95 an hour over twelve steps since April 1st, 2026. The candidate to the profession, title 3456, works while waiting for her permit at a single rate of $25.28.

The lump sum for steps 1 and 2

The first two steps are below the rate of the patient care attendant, title 3480, which is $29.40 an hour as of April 1st, 2026 according to the same nomenclature. Letter of agreement No. 15 of the FIQ collective agreement pays the licensed practical nurse a lump sum equal to the difference with the single rate of ranking 9, the attendant's.

The lump sum is therefore $1.62 per paid hour at step 1 and $0.78 at step 2. It stops at step 3. It counts neither in the calculation of premiums nor for the pension plan. The FSSS-CSN agreement provides for the same measure in its letter of agreement No. 58.

The work week and annual salary

The nomenclature sets the week for title 3455 at 37.5 hours. The FIQ agreement, in paragraph 7.29, counts 52.18 weeks in a year.

Our own calculation, full time, without premiums or overtime.

Progression and experience

Paragraph 7.23 of the FIQ agreement moves the licensed practical nurse up one step for each completed year of experience. Eleven years separate the first step from the twelfth.

At hiring, article 8 places the employee on the scale according to her previous experience. One year of work in the profession counts as one year of experience. Someone who left the profession more than five years ago is placed at most at the second-to-last step.

Premiums

The following rates are those of article 9 of the FIQ agreement and of the premium table of the CPNSSS, for the period from April 1st, 2026 to March 31, 2027.

The increased evening, night and weekend premiums go to an employee who accumulates 70 or more paid hours per 14-day pay period. The weekend premium also requires a service open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The FIQ agreement names the licensed practical nurse among the titles that receive the CHSLD premium. The increased premium of $2.33 goes to an employee who works all the hours set for her job title. Our article Working in a CHSLD describes this setting.

The critical care premium applies to the emergency department, intensive care, the neonatal unit, the coronary unit and the burn unit. It is 15% for 70 or more paid hours per 14-day period, 14% from 42 hours and 10% under 42 hours.

Overtime

Article 19 of the FIQ agreement pays overtime at time and a half of regular salary, which is $41.67 an hour at step 1 and $55.62 at step 12. Double time applies on a statutory holiday and, under certain conditions, to a full weekend shift in a service open 24 hours a day.

Licensed practical nurse and patient care attendant

The patient care attendant receives a single rate, without steps. The licensed practical nurse starts at the same amount with the lump sum, then goes past it at step 3. At the twelfth step, the gap is $7.68 an hour. See patient care attendant salary and moving from attendant to licensed practical nurse.

In the private sector

No public scale applies in a private seniors' residence, a clinic or a non-subsidized private CHSLD. The employer, or the institution's collective agreement, sets the salary.

Frequently asked questions

What is a licensed practical nurse's salary in April 2026?

Since April 1st, 2026, the scale for title 3455 ranges from $27.78 to $37.08 an hour in the public network. At steps 1 and 2, the lump sum brings pay to $29.40 an hour. Premiums are added on top.

What is a licensed practical nurse's salary?

Full time in the public network, the scale gives $54,359 a year at the first step ($27.78 an hour) and $72,556 at the twelfth ($37.08 an hour). The calculation counts 37.5 hours a week and 52.18 weeks. It leaves out the lump sum, premiums and overtime.

What is the average salary of a licensed practical nurse in Quebec?

The Government of Canada's Job Bank publishes a median wage, not an average. For licensed practical nurses in Quebec, group 32101, it is $30.00 an hour, with a low wage of $24.21 and a high wage of $33.00. The reference period is 2023-2024 and the update dates from November 19, 2025.

What is a licensed practical nurse's salary right out of the DEP?

Right out of the DEP, a licensed practical nurse with no experience starts at the first step of the public network: $27.78 an hour, raised to $29.40 by the lump sum. Before the permit is issued, the candidate to the profession receives $25.28 an hour. Our article on the DEP in Santé, assistance et soins infirmiers describes the training.

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.92 to II.96 and III.129 to III.132, September 15, 2026
• CPNSSS, Primes des conventions collectives nationales 2024-2028, consulted on October 10, 2026
• CPNSSS and FIQ, Convention collective, version administrative, in force from December 15, 2024 to March 31, 2028, articles 7, 8, 9 and 19, letter of agreement No. 15
• CPNSSS and FSSS-CSN, Convention collective, version administrative, in force from June 16, 2024 to March 31, 2028, letter of agreement No. 58
• Government of Canada, Job Bank, Salaires, infirmier auxiliaire autorisé ou infirmière auxiliaire autorisée au Québec (CNP 32101), updated November 19, 2025

In 2026, a single diploma leads to the profession of licensed practical nurse (nursing assistant in Quebec): the DEP Santé, assistance et soins infirmiers, known as SASI. It lasts 1,800 hours. The accelerated 14-month training launched in 2022 is no longer advertised.

The current program: DEP 5325

The program is called Santé, assistance et soins infirmiers (health, assistance and nursing). Its number is 5325, and 5825 in its English version. According to Inforoute FPT, it lasts 1,800 hours, or about 20 months, and counts 120 units.

On October 10, 2026, Inforoute FPT and Admission FP show the same status: « Programme approuvé en 2009 » (program approved in 2009). Neither listing announces a new number or a replacement.

The program has 31 competencies, of 30 to 120 hours each. See the role of the licensed practical nurse.

Admission requirements

According to Admission FP, meeting one of these conditions is enough:

• Hold a secondary school diploma, a recognized equivalent or a higher education diploma
• Be at least 16 years old on September 30 of the school year, with Secondary 5 credits in the language of instruction and Secondary 4 credits in second language and mathematics
• Be at least 18 years old at the start of the training, pass the general development test and have Secondary 5 credits in the language of instruction
• Have Secondary 3 credits in the language of instruction, second language and mathematics, and take the missing general education at the same time as the DEP

Where the training is offered

The DEP is offered in the vocational training centres of the school service centres. On Inforoute FPT, open the listing for program 5325, then the tab of organizations that offer it. On Admission FP, the list can be filtered by region and by schedule. Each group shows its dates, schedule and cost. The admission application is done online there.

Actual length and cost

The length in months depends on the group's schedule. The cost changes from one centre to another. Three groups listed on Admission FP:

Table source: Admission FP, group listings consulted on October 10, 2026.

Internships

The Inforoute FPT and Admission FP listings do not give a number of internship hours.

The $20,000 scholarship

The Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (Quebec's Department of Health and Social Services) offers 200 scholarships of $20,000 each for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, according to its description sheet. They go to recipients who will work in a Santé Québec institution.

According to Québec.ca, you must:

• Have Canadian citizenship or permanent resident status and live in Quebec
• Be registered and accepted full time in DEP SASI 5325
• Be selected by an eligible institution after its selection process
• Commit to starting and completing the training within the set time limits

In return, the recipient commits to working at least two years in an eligible institution, as soon as their studies end, with availability that complies with local collective agreements. The application is filed with the health institution where you want to work.

The accelerated training

The news release of December 1^st, 2021 announced a 1,800-hour training given in 14 months instead of 22, starting in January 2022, with 2,400 scholarships of $20,000. In 2026, neither Québec.ca nor the scholarship sheet mentions an accelerated training.

After the diploma: the OIIAQ exam

The DEP is not enough. According to the Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers auxiliaires du Québec (OIIAQ, Quebec's order of nursing assistants), you must hold a permit to practise, and pass its professional exam to get it.

The OIIAQ fee schedule, consulted on October 10, 2026, lists these fees, plus taxes:

• File opening: $107
• Candidate to the profession (CEPIA): $82
• Professional exam registration: $342

Between the diploma and the permit, the graduate can work as a CEPIA, according to the Department's sheet. The OIIAQ announces a new version of the exam starting in September 2027. See where to apply and licensed practical nurse salary.

Recognition of prior learning

A person with experience can obtain the DEP through recognition of prior learning and competencies (RAC). CFP Pozer, of the Centre de services scolaire de la Beauce-Etchemin, describes a part-time process, with continuous entry, that you follow while keeping your job. See moving from attendant to licensed practical nurse.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the licensed practical nurse DEP offered?

In the vocational training centres of the school service centres. Admission FP and Inforoute FPT list the groups by region, in the listing for program 5325.

What studies are needed to become a licensed practical nurse?

The DEP Santé, assistance et soins infirmiers, number 5325. According to the OIIAQ, you must then pass the Order's professional exam and obtain your permit.

How much does a DEP to become a licensed practical nurse cost?

The cost varies from one centre to another. On October 10, 2026, Admission FP shows $800 at CFP Antoine-de-Saint-Exupéry and about $513.58 at CFP Pozer, supplies included. Registration for the OIIAQ exam costs $342, plus taxes.

What is SASI training?

SASI is the acronym for Santé, assistance et soins infirmiers. It is the 1,800-hour, 120-unit diploma of vocational studies that prepares for the profession of licensed practical nurse.

How long is the training to become a licensed practical nurse?

The DEP lasts 1,800 hours, or about 20 months according to Inforoute FPT. At 30 hours a week, a group listed on Admission FP runs from January 2027 to May 2028.

Will there be free training to become a licensed practical nurse in 2026?

No official source consulted announces free training. The Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux offers 200 scholarships of $20,000 for 2026-2027, in exchange for a two-year work commitment.

Sources

• Inforoute FPT, Santé, assistance et soins infirmiers (DEP 5325), consulted on October 10, 2026
• Admission FP, Santé, assistance et soins infirmiers and Organismes scolaires offrant le programme, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Admission FP, group listings for CFP Antoine-de-Saint-Exupéry, CFP Pozer and CFP Fierbourg, 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
• Office of the Minister of Health, Mise en place de deux formations accélérées concernant les agents administratifs et les infirmières auxiliaires, news release of December 1^st, 2021
• OIIAQ, Devenir infirmière auxiliaire, Examen professionnel and Inscription à l'examen, consulted on October 10, 2026
• OIIAQ, Grille tarifaire en vigueur, consulted on October 10, 2026
• OIIAQ, À venir, nouvelle version de l'examen professionnel, consulted on October 10, 2026
• CFP Pozer, Centre de services scolaire de la Beauce-Etchemin, DEP en santé, assistance et soins infirmiers, consulted on October 10, 2026

As of October 10, 2026, most hospitals, CHSLDs and residences in Quebec are no longer allowed to rent a patient care attendant from a healthcare staffing agency. The last deadline falls on October 18, 2026. Here is what the law and the regulation say. This text is not legal advice.

The 2023 law

The Loi limitant le recours aux services d'une agence de placement de personnel et à de la main-d'œuvre indépendante dans le secteur de la santé et des services sociaux (2023, chapter 8), the act limiting the use of staffing agencies and independent labour in the health and social services sector, received assent on April 20, 2023.

Its rule is now found in section 668 of the Act respecting the governance of the health and social services system: a provider cannot use a staffing agency or independent labour, except to the extent provided by government regulation.

The regulation and its three deadlines

The Règlement sur le recours aux services des agences de placement de personnel et à de la main-d'œuvre indépendante dans le domaine de la santé et des services sociaux (Order in Council 1485-2024 of October 9, 2024) replaced the first 2023 regulation. Its section 33 sets the deadline by region. The LégisQuébec version up to date as of June 1st, 2026 contains no postponement.

Source: regulation, section 33.

What is still allowed after October 18, 2026

Section 4 of the regulation still allows these providers to use an agency:

• A family-type resource
• A palliative care hospice
• A religious institution that operates an infirmary or long-term care accommodation for its members
• A private seniors' residence with 15 rental units or fewer, operated in the operator's main residence
• An intermediate resource that takes in 15 users or fewer
• The Centre régional de santé et de services sociaux de la Baie-James, the Centre de santé Inuulitsivik, the Centre de santé Tulattavik de l'Ungava and the CLSC Naskapi

Section 5 adds one case: rented staff who work exclusively in Nord-du-Québec, in Nunavik or in the territory of the CLSC Naskapi.

Section 669 of the act allows the minister, because of exceptional circumstances, to authorize a provider to use an agency for the period the minister determines.

$41.96 an hour, the cap for an attendant

Schedule I of the regulation sets the maximum hourly rate for the title of patient care attendant at $41.96. This is the amount the agency bills the provider, not your salary.

The cap does not apply in Nord-du-Québec or in Nunavik (section 18).

What the agency is not allowed to do

Section 9 of the regulation forbids an agency from supplying a provider with:

• A person who, less than a year earlier, was employed by a provider in the same health region or in a neighbouring region
• A person who has not completed the training required for their job title

Section 10 forbids it from enforcing a non-compete clause against a person who wants to be hired by a provider.

Penalties

Section 816 of the act provides for a fine of $1,000 to $25,000 for a natural person and $3,000 to $75,000 in other cases. It excludes agency staff members.

The CNESST licence

Section 92.5 of the Act respecting labour standards forbids operating a personnel placement agency without a licence issued by the CNESST (Quebec's labour standards and workplace safety board). Section 92.6 forbids a client enterprise from retaining the services of an unlicensed agency, and requires the CNESST to keep a public list of licence holders.

The Règlement sur les agences de placement de personnel et les agences de recrutement de travailleurs étrangers temporaires (regulation on personnel placement agencies and recruitment agencies for temporary foreign workers) protects the employee:

• No fees for your assignment, for required training or for help preparing for interviews (section 23)
• After 6 months of assignment, the agency can no longer prevent the client enterprise from hiring you (section 23)

Section 95 of the act makes the agency and the client enterprise jointly and severally liable for sums owed to the employee, including wages. Section 41.2 forbids the agency from paying you a lower rate than the client enterprise's employees who do the same tasks in the same establishment, solely because of your employment status.

What this changes for you

Agency work in a CHSLD, a hospital or a large residence ends everywhere on October 18, 2026, except in the North. An attendant who leaves an institution waits one year before an agency can place them in their region or in a neighbouring region. Direct hiring remains open. See where to apply as a patient care attendant.

Frequently asked questions

Where can a PAB work?

The law names the network's settings: public and private institutions, including hospitals and CHSLDs, intermediate resources, family-type resources, private seniors' residences and palliative care hospices. Since the regulation's deadlines, the attendant there is almost always an employee of the setting itself. See also working in a CHSLD.

Can a patient care attendant still work for an agency in 2026?

Yes, but in few places. Until October 18, 2026, an agency can still place you in seven remote regions. After that date, what remains are small residences and resources with 15 places or fewer, family-type resources, palliative care hospices, infirmaries of religious institutions and the North.

How do I check whether a staffing agency has its licence?

The CNESST publishes the register of agency licence holders on its site. The agency must also display its licence in each of its establishments and put its licence number on its contracts, its invoices and its website (regulation, section 21).

Sources

• Loi limitant le recours aux services d'une agence de placement de personnel et à de la main-d'œuvre indépendante dans le secteur de la santé et des services sociaux, 2023, chapter 8, Éditeur officiel du Québec, assented to April 20, 2023
• Règlement sur le recours aux services des agences de placement de personnel et à de la main-d'œuvre indépendante dans le domaine de la santé et des services sociaux, chapter G-1.021, r. 2, LégisQuébec, up to date as of June 1st, 2026
• Décret 1485-2024, Gazette officielle du Québec, part 2, October 16, 2024
• Act respecting the governance of the health and social services system, sections 668, 669 and 816, LégisQuébec, up to date as of August 12, 2026
• Act respecting labour standards, sections 41.2, 92.5, 92.6 and 95, LégisQuébec, up to date as of August 12, 2026
• Règlement sur les agences de placement de personnel et les agences de recrutement de travailleurs étrangers temporaires, sections 21 and 23, LégisQuébec, up to date as of June 1st, 2026
• Fin du recours aux services des agences de placement de personnel dans le réseau de la santé et des services sociaux, Government of Quebec, updated July 13, 2026
• Registre des titulaires de permis d'agence, CNESST, consulted on October 10, 2026

Working in a CHSLD (long-term care centre) is one of the four main workplaces of the patient care attendant, according to the Quebec government's Avenir en santé site. Quebec had 36,350 people living in CHSLDs on March 31, 2021, according to the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux. Here is what the official sources say about the setting, the job title and the tasks.

What a CHSLD is

Québec.ca defines the mission of the residential and long-term care centre: to provide, temporarily or permanently, accommodation, assistance, support and supervision services. Psychosocial, nursing, pharmaceutical, medical and rehabilitation services are added to these.

These services are for adults who, « en raison de leur perte d'autonomie fonctionnelle ou psychosociale, ne peuvent plus demeurer dans leur milieu de vie naturel » (because of their loss of functional or psychosocial autonomy, can no longer remain in their natural living environment).

As of March 31, 2021, Quebec had 36,350 people living in CHSLDs, according to the Plan d'action pour l'hébergement de longue durée 2021-2026 of the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS, Quebec's Department of Health and Social Services). Of these, 91% were 65 or older and 47% were 85 or older. This figure covers public CHSLDs, subsidized private CHSLDs and purchased places.

Public, subsidized private, non-subsidized private

An MSSS summary dated December 19, 2020 distinguishes three types of CHSLD. The difference directly affects the employee.

Source: MSSS, summary on living environments for seniors, version of December 19, 2020.

The same document states that every CHSLD must have at least one nurse on site 24 hours a day.

Measure 5 of the MSSS action plan provides for bringing non-subsidized private CHSLDs under agreement. It aims to give staff the same working conditions in every CHSLD in Quebec. The plan announced a gradual transition until 2024.

Seniors' homes and alternative homes

According to Québec.ca, seniors' homes (maisons des aînés) house seniors with a severe loss of autonomy. Alternative homes (maisons alternatives) house adults with a physical disability, an intellectual disability or an autism spectrum disorder.

These homes are made up of households of 12 rooms. Each room has its own bathroom with an adapted shower.

The official job title

In the network's nomenclature, kept by the CPNSSS (the bargaining committee for the health and social services network), the title is number 3480: « Préposé ou préposée aux bénéficiaires ». The description begins: « Personne qui fait partie de l'équipe de soins et qui prodigue des soins d'assistance liés aux activités de la vie quotidienne. » (A person who is part of the care team and provides assistance care related to activities of daily living.)

The work week set in the job description is 35 to 36.25 hours.

The tasks

The description of title 3480 lists the tasks:

• See to the hygiene, well-being and supervision of residents
• See to their comfort, general needs and activities, in a safe environment
• Help them move around, transport them and accompany them outside the institution when needed
• Provide basic care
• Report information on residents' health and behaviour to the care team
• Set up the devices the person is trained for
• Make sure equipment and supplies are available, maintained and working properly
• Carry supplies, samples and files

The Avenir en santé site adds examples: helping with getting up, meals and going to bed, helping with washing and dressing, being in charge of bedding.

In CHSLDs, the MSSS action plan gives attendants a « rôle crucial dans l'équipe de soins » (crucial role in the care team). They help prevent deconditioning, spot a change in a person's condition and support a caring, respectful approach (bientraitance).

Service aide, a different title

The service aide is number 3244 in the same nomenclature. Its description fits in two sentences: « Personne qui exécute des tâches générales telles que nettoyer, entretenir et ranger le matériel et l'équipement en usage. Elle prépare et distribue certains produits. » (A person who performs general tasks such as cleaning, maintaining and storing supplies and equipment in use. They prepare and distribute certain products.)

This description mentions neither assistance care, nor basic care, nor the care team.

The risks of the job

The ASSTSAS, the joint health and safety association of the health and social services sector, names two risks in its references for residential care settings: musculoskeletal disorders and violence.

Its management guide from February 2022 specifies that PDSP training, formerly PDSB, cannot by itself eliminate musculoskeletal disorders. It is part of the institution's prevention program. See PDSB training.

According to the ASSTSAS file of March 24, 2026, violence is physical or psychological: assaults, hostile behaviour, insults, intimidation, threats. The institution's emergency procedure is described in code white.

Frequently asked questions

What are the tasks of a patient care attendant?

According to the description of job title 3480, the attendant sees to the hygiene, well-being, comfort and supervision of residents. They help them move around, provide basic care and look after equipment and supplies. They pass on to the care team what they observe about residents' health and behaviour.

What is the role of a patient care attendant?

The attendant is part of the care team and provides assistance care related to activities of daily living, according to the network's nomenclature. The Avenir en santé site specifies that they provide a presence with patients and help licensed practical nurses.

Why work in a CHSLD?

The verifiable facts are those of the public network. The network's nomenclature sets the rate for title 3480 at $29.40 an hour since April 1st, 2026. The Avenir en santé site announces 20 days of vacation, 13 statutory holidays and 9.6 sick days for a full-time employee. The details are in patient care attendant salary.

Where can I find CHSLD jobs in Quebec?

The Québec.ca page « Trouver un emploi en santé et services sociaux » links to the job sites of the network's institutions, region by region, and to Emploi Santé Montréal for the Montreal region. A private CHSLD does its own hiring, as the employer. See also where to apply.

Sources

• Mission des établissements de santé et de services sociaux québécois, Québec.ca, updated January 12, 2026
• Pour le mieux-être des personnes hébergées : plan d'action pour l'hébergement de longue durée 2021-2026, Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, 2022
• Résumé : milieux de vie pour aînés, Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, version of December 19, 2020
• À propos des maisons des aînés et des maisons alternatives, Québec.ca, updated May 3, 2023
• Fiche d'emploi 3480, Préposé ou préposée aux bénéficiaires, CPNSSS, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Fiche d'emploi 3244, Aide de service, CPNSSS, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Préposé aux bénéficiaires, Avenir en santé, Government of Quebec, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Trouver un emploi en santé et services sociaux, Québec.ca, updated August 20, 2020
• Références de l'ASSTSAS pour les milieux d'hébergement, ASSTSAS, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Guide de gestion du programme de formation PDSP en établissement, ASSTSAS, February 2022
• Violence, thematic file, ASSTSAS, March 24, 2026

In the public network, a single employer has hired patient care attendants (PAB) since December 1, 2024: Santé Québec. Applications are still filed region by region, on the recruitment site of each institution. Here is where to apply and what the official sources ask for.

Who hires in the public network

Santé Québec has been the sole employer of the staff of the health and social services network since December 1^st, 2024, according to Québec.ca. The seniority of transferred staff is maintained. Working conditions remain those of the collective agreements in force until new conditions are negotiated.

Where to apply

The entry 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 sorts institutions by region. On October 10, 2026, the page lists 16 regions and 30 institutions.

The steps:

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

Santé Québec also runs a central job site, emplois.sante.quebec. It shows head office jobs and those of the public float team, which lends a hand first in remote regions. You search there by keyword and by region or city.

The posted requirements

The network's job title nomenclature describes the patient care attendant (title 3480) as a person who is part of the care team and provides assistance care. The job description sets no training requirement. Each job posting sets its own.

Québec.ca, in its occupation profile updated on June 19, 2026, notes the following:

• Secondary-level vocational training (DEP or AEP) and supervised practical training
• Training in the safe patient handling principles (PDSB), often required
• First aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training, often required
• A class 5 driver's licence, sometimes required or considered an asset

The program covered by the government scholarships in 2026-2027 is DEP 5405, Soutien aux services d'assistance en établissement de santé et de services sociaux (support for assistance services in health and social services institutions). The details are in our article on patient care attendant training.

Workplaces

Sources: Québec.ca, CPNSSS, Règlement sur la certification des résidences privées pour aînés.

The health and social services auxiliary (title 3588) works in a home, a residence, a group home or a similar setting, according to the nomenclature. The Règlement sur la certification des résidences privées pour aînés (regulation on the certification of private seniors' residences) also names the patient care attendant of an intermediate resource.

In the private sector, applications go directly to the operator. For day-to-day life in residential care, read Working in a CHSLD.

Full time, part time, recall list

The FSSS-CSN 2024-2028 collective agreement defines the statuses:

• Full time: the person works the number of hours set for their job title
• Part time: the person works fewer hours than the number set for their job title
• Recall list: its definition is negotiated locally. The employer turns to it before hiring from outside

The patient care attendant title sets 35 to 36.25 hours a week, according to the nomenclature. A person on the recall list assigned to a full-time assignment of six months or more is considered full time for that period. Hourly rates are in our article on patient care attendant salary.

Criminal records

In a private seniors' residence, the Règlement sur la certification des résidences privées pour aînés (section 31) requires anyone who wants to work there to give the operator, before starting work, a declaration of their criminal record and written consent to its verification. The check covers all Canadian provinces.

Job prospects

Québec.ca rates the occupation's prospects « Excellentes » (excellent) for Quebec as a whole in 2025-2029, and counts 93,000 people employed in 2024.

Canada's Job Bank rates them « Good » in Quebec for 2025 to 2027, in an assessment updated on December 10, 2025. Fifteen regions are rated « Good ». Côte-Nord and Nord-du-Québec are rated « Moderate ». According to Job Bank, about 72,600 people hold a job in this occupation in Quebec, 46% of them in hospitals and 38% in nursing and residential care facilities.

Job Bank adds that institutions must gradually reduce their use of private agency staff, which could create other job opportunities. See our article on healthcare staffing agencies.

Frequently asked questions

What PAB jobs are available in Quebec?

Public network job postings are on the recruitment site of each Santé Québec institution, starting from the page sante.quebec/carrieres/travailler-avec-nous. They are split between full-time positions, part-time positions and the recall list. Canada's Job Bank rates prospects « Good » in Quebec for 2025 to 2027.

Where can a patient care attendant work?

Québec.ca names four settings: hospital centres, rehabilitation centres, CHSLDs and CLSCs. According to Job Bank, 46% of people in the occupation in Quebec work in hospitals and 38% in nursing and residential care facilities.

Where can a PAB work?

In the public sector, a PAB works for Santé Québec, the network's sole employer since December 1^st, 2024. In the private sector, they work for the operator of a private CHSLD, subsidized or non-subsidized, or of a private seniors' residence. For home care, the public network uses the title of health and social services auxiliary.

Sources

• Gouvernance du système de santé et de services sociaux et création de Santé Québec, Québec.ca, updated September 19, 2025
• Travailler avec nous, Santé Québec, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Offres d'emploi Santé Québec, Santé Québec, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Fiche d'emploi 3480, Préposé ou préposée aux bénéficiaires, CPNSSS, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Fiche d'emploi 3588, Auxiliaire aux services de santé et sociaux, CPNSSS, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Convention collective CPNSSS et FSSS-CSN, administrative version, articles 1.02, 1.03 and 1.14, in force from June 16, 2024 to March 31, 2028, updated May 13, 2026
• Aides-infirmiers, aides-soignants et préposés aux bénéficiaires, Québec.ca, updated June 19, 2026
• Bourses d'études pour les préposés aux bénéficiaires et auxiliaires aux services de santé et sociaux, Québec.ca, updated July 29, 2026
• Regulation respecting the certification of private seniors' residences, sections 27, 29 and 31, LégisQuébec, up to date as of June 1^st, 2026
• Préposé/préposée aux bénéficiaires au Québec, perspectives d'emploi, Guichet-Emplois, Government of Canada, outlook updated December 10, 2025

The patient care attendant salary in Quebec in 2026 is $29.40 an hour in the public network since April 1, 2026, or $53,693 a year for a 35-hour week. The rate is the same in hospitals and in CHSLDs. Premiums make the difference.

Job title 3480

The job title nomenclature of the health and social services network, updated on September 15, 2026, classifies the patient care attendant under number 3480. Its ranking has been 9 since April 1, 2020.

A single rate, with no steps

Until April 1, 2020, title 3480 had six steps, from $20.76 to $23.22 an hour. Since that date, the nomenclature shows only one rate. Seniority does not change the hourly rate.

Source: job title nomenclature, part III, page III.132, version of September 15, 2026.

Raises under the 2023-2028 agreement

The FSSS-CSN collective agreement, in effect from June 16, 2024 to March 31, 2028, sets five increases in paragraph 8.33:

• 6.00% on April 1, 2023
• 2.80% on April 1, 2024
• 2.60% on April 1, 2025
• 2.50% on April 1, 2026
• 3.50% on April 1, 2027

Paragraph 8.34 adds an adjustment clause tied to the consumer price index in Quebec, capped at 1.00% a year. It raised the rate from $28.65 to $28.68 on March 31, 2026 and may apply again on March 31, 2027 and March 31, 2028.

The work week and annual salary

The nomenclature sets the week for title 3480 at between 35 and 36.25 hours. The FSSS-CSN agreement, in paragraph 8.35, counts 52.18 weeks in a year.

Our calculation, full time, without premiums or overtime.

Premiums

The rates below come from the CPNSSS (the bargaining committee for the health and social services network) table of premiums under the 2024-2028 national collective agreements, for the period from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.

According to the FSSS-CSN agreement, the increased evening, night and weekend premiums go to employees who accumulate 70 or more paid hours per 14-day pay period. The weekend premium also requires a service open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

At the $29.40 rate, 7% gives $2.06, 14% gives $4.12 and 5% gives $1.47. The attendant therefore receives the minimums: $2.08 in the evening, $4.17 at night and $1.50 on weekends.

Salary in a CHSLD

A public CHSLD (long-term care centre) pays the title 3480 rate, like a hospital. Paragraph 9.16 of the FSSS-CSN agreement adds a premium for each hour worked in a CHSLD, a seniors' home (maison des aînés) or an alternative home (maison alternative).

The increased premium of $2.33 goes to the attendant who works all the hours set for their job title. Full time in a CHSLD, the rate therefore reaches $31.73 an hour, that is $29.40 plus $2.33.

Critical care

The FSSS-CSN agreement also gives the patient care attendant a critical care premium in the emergency department, intensive care, the neonatal unit, the coronary unit and the burn unit. It is 15% for 70 or more paid hours per 14-day period, 14% from 42 hours and 10% below 42 hours.

Overtime

Article 19 of the FSSS-CSN agreement pays overtime at time and a half of the regular salary, that is $44.10 an hour at the 2026 rate. Double time applies on a statutory holiday and, under certain conditions, for a full weekend shift in a service open 24 hours a day.

Subsidized private CHSLDs and private seniors' residences

The FSSS-CSN agreement places subsidized private institutions in the health and social services sector and gives them its Appendix M. Title 3480 and its rate apply there to employees covered by this agreement.

No public scale applies in a non-subsidized private CHSLD or in a private seniors' residence. The employer, or the institution's collective agreement, sets the salary. Our article Working in a CHSLD compares the settings.

Salary by region

The Government of Canada Job Bank publishes observed wages by region for nurse aides, group 33102, which includes patient care attendants. These figures mix the public and private sectors. They come from the November 19, 2025 update. The public network rate remains $29.40 an hour everywhere in Quebec.

Hourly wages: Job Bank, NOC 33102, updated November 19, 2025. Median per year: calculated by the editors, median rate × 36.25 hours × 52.18 weeks.

Further reading

To become an attendant, see the training and the $12,000 bursary. To apply, see where to find an attendant job. For the next step, see from attendant to licensed practical nurse. The whole trade is gathered in Patient care attendant in Quebec.

Frequently asked questions

What is a PAB's salary in 2026?

In the public network, the hourly rate is $28.65 until March 30, 2026, $28.68 on March 31, then $29.40 from April 1, 2026. Premiums are added on top.

What is the salary scale?

Title 3480 has had no step scale since April 1, 2020. The nomenclature shows a single rate: $29.40 an hour since April 1, 2026, then $30.43 on April 1, 2027.

What is the average salary of a patient care attendant?

The Government of Canada Job Bank publishes a median salary, not an average. For nurse aides in Quebec, group 33102, which includes patient care attendants, it is $25.10 an hour, with a low wage of $20.00 and a high wage of $27.92. Over a 36.25-hour week, that is about $47,477 a year. The update is dated November 19, 2025.

What does a patient care attendant earn in 2026?

Full time in the public network, the $29.40 rate gives $53,693 a year for a 35-hour week and $55,611 for a 36.25-hour week. The calculation counts 52.18 weeks and leaves out premiums and overtime.

How much does a patient care attendant earn per year, premiums included?

Title 3480 has only one rate, the same on the first day and after years of service: $29.40 an hour, or $53,693 a year at 35 hours a week and $55,611 at 36.25 hours (rate × hours from the September 15, 2026 nomenclature × 52.18, our calculation). According to the CPNSSS premium table updated on October 20, 2026 and paragraph 9.07 of the FSSS-CSN agreement, which enhances premiums at 70 hours or more per 14-day period, a 35-hour schedule worked entirely at night (enhanced premium of 18%, $5.29 an hour) gives about $63,354 a year ($34.69 an hour), entirely on evenings (enhanced premium of 10%, $2.94 an hour) about $59,063 a year ($32.34 an hour).

Full time in a CHSLD, the enhanced premium of $2.33 an hour brings the salary to about $57,948 a year over 35 hours ($31.73 an hour). No official source consulted publishes an average annual salary with premiums, which depends on the schedule, weekends ($1.50 an hour, or $2.65 at 9% for 70 hours or more in a service open 24 hours a day) and overtime.

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.96 and III.132, September 15, 2026
• CPNSSS, Primes des conventions collectives nationales 2024-2028, version of October 20, 2026, consulted on November 10, 2026
• CPNSSS and FSSS-CSN, Convention collective, version administrative, in effect from June 16, 2024 to March 31, 2028, articles 8, 9, 15 and 19, Appendix M
• CPNSSS, Titres d'emploi, salaires et primes, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Government of Canada, Job Bank, Salaires, aide-soignant au Québec (CNP 33102), updated November 19, 2025

The DEP in Assistance à la personne en établissement et à domicile (personal assistance in institutions and at home) trained patient care attendants for several years. This 870-hour DEP 5358 has been replaced since 2025 by the 705-hour DEP 5405. Here is what the official sources say about the former program, the one that succeeds it and the 2026-2027 bursary.

A program replaced by DEP 5405

Inforoute FPT, the official directory of vocational training, states on the program 5358 page that a new version exists: program 5405, Soutien aux services d'assistance en établissement de santé et de services sociaux. The 5405 page carries the note "Programme implanté en 2025" (program introduced in 2025).

The MSSS (Quebec's Department of Health and Social Services) confirms this in its 2026-2027 bursary description sheet. The 4270 AEP (attestation of vocational studies) is being gradually converted into DEP 5405. This conversion leads to the withdrawal of DEP 5358. Only one program is offered for this job title as of January 2026.

Any text that presents DEP 5358 as the current way in is therefore out of date.

DEP 5358 in numbers

Source: Inforoute FPT, pages for programs 5358 and 5405, consulted on October 10, 2026.

According to Inforoute FPT, it was approved in 2017 and amended in 2018.

The 15 competencies of DEP 5358

• Understand the profession and the training process
• Establish a helping relationship
• Use relational approaches with clients who have cognitive or mental health problems and neurodevelopmental disorders
• Determine how to intervene in relation to the needs of clients with physical illnesses and disabilities
• Support clients in everyday situations
• Prevent infection and contamination
• Provide assistance care related to activities of daily living
• Deal with risk situations
• Intervene with clients who need assistance care at home or in a substitute living environment
• Deal with family, social and cultural realities
• Assist clients receiving end-of-life palliative care
• Apply rules and procedures for administering medication and invasive assistance care related to activities of daily living
• Provide assistance care related to the clients' clinical situation
• Give first aid
• Intervene with clients who need short-term assistance care

The longest, on assistance care related to activities of daily living, has 120 hours.

The trades covered

According to Inforoute FPT, the program prepares students for the trade of patient care attendant. The page also names the job title of health and social services auxiliary, the home support trade. DEP 5405 covers the same two job titles, according to the sheet from the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux.

The salary scales are in our article on the patient care attendant salary.

Admission requirements

Inforoute FPT shows the same conditions for both programs. You only need to meet one:

• Hold a secondary school diploma, its recognized equivalent or a higher education diploma
• Be at least 16 years old on September 30 of the school year in which training begins and have earned the Secondary 3 credits in language of instruction, second language and mathematics
• Be at least 18 years old when training begins and have the functional prerequisites, meaning a pass on the general development test and the specific prerequisites

The internship

The DEP 5358 page on Inforoute FPT mentions no internship. The DEP 5405 page ends with a 75-hour workplace integration competency, in long-term care, short-term care, critical care or home care.

Where the program is given

On inforoutefpt.org, search for number 5405 or 5358. Each program page lists the centres by region, with groups and their start dates. On October 10, 2026, the 5358 page mostly shows recognition of prior learning and competencies groups. The 5405 page shows daytime groups, including one in Montreal that started on October 6, 2026.

You apply on admissionfp.com. The other ways in are in our article on patient care attendant training.

Financial aid

According to Québec.ca, in a page updated on July 29, 2026, the study bursary for patient care attendants and health and social services auxiliaries is worth up to $12,000 in 2026-2027. It is for DEP 5405 students. Students in DEP 5358 and AEP 4270 are eligible if their training began on or after July 1, 2025.

The description sheet from the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux announces 1,150 bursaries of $12,000 for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. The conditions:

• Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and live in Quebec
• Be admitted to the program at a school recognized by the Ministère de l'Éducation
• Be selected by an eligible institution and obtain a confirmation of hiring
• Work at least one year in an eligible institution after graduating

A person who does not keep their commitment may have to repay up to $8,000. The $4,000 paid at graduation is not repayable.

The Aide financière aux études loans and bursaries program also covers vocational training, according to Québec.ca.

Frequently asked questions

What is the PAB DEP?

It is the diploma of vocational studies that leads to the patient care attendant trade. Since 2025, it is DEP 5405, Soutien aux services d'assistance en établissement de santé et de services sociaux. It replaces DEP 5358, Assistance à la personne en établissement et à domicile.

How long is the training to become a patient care attendant?

According to Inforoute FPT, DEP 5405 lasts 705 hours, about 7 months. The former DEP 5358 lasted 870 hours, about 11 months.

Sources

• Inforoute FPT, Assistance à la personne en établissement et à domicile (DEP 5358), Compétences Québec, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Inforoute FPT, Soutien aux services d'assistance en établissement de santé et de services sociaux (DEP 5405), Compétences Québec, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Québec.ca, Bourses d'études pour les préposés aux bénéficiaires et auxiliaires aux services de santé et sociaux, updated July 29, 2026
• Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, Fiche descriptive, Programme de bourses d'études pour le DEP SSAESSS, specific terms 2026-2027
• Québec.ca, Respecter la période d'admissibilité, Aide financière aux études, updated September 14, 2021
• Admission FP, vocational training admission service, consulted on October 10, 2026

In 2026, only one training program leads to the patient care attendant trade in the public network: a 705-hour DEP (diploma of vocational studies). The former 870-hour DEP has been withdrawn and the three-month training is no longer offered. Here is what the official sources say.

The current program: DEP 5405

The program is called Soutien aux services d'assistance en établissement de santé et de services sociaux (support for assistance services in health and social services institutions). Its number is 5405, and 5905 in its English version. According to Inforoute FPT, it lasts 705 hours, about 7 months, and has 47 units. It was introduced in 2025.

It prepares students for two trades: patient care attendant (PAB) and health and social services auxiliary (ASSS), who works in people's homes.

What has ended

Sources for the table: Inforoute FPT, Admission FP and the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, 2026-2027 description sheet.

The 2026-2027 description sheet of the MSSS (Quebec's Department of Health and Social Services) puts it this way: AEP 4270 (attestation of vocational studies) is being gradually converted into DEP 5405. This conversion leads to the withdrawal of DEP 5358. Only one program has been offered for this job title since January 2026.

The three-month training

It did exist. According to the department's news release of May 16, 2023, the short training for PABs in CHSLDs (long-term care centres) and seniors' homes lasted 375 hours, spread over about 12 weeks, with a $12,000 bursary. The government had launched it in June 2020.

On October 10, 2026, this program's page on Admission FP carries the note "Aucun organisme scolaire n'offre ce programme présentement" (no school organization currently offers this program). The AEP 4270 page, announced on February 13, 2024 for home support, carries the same note.

Admission requirements

According to Inforoute FPT, you only need to meet one of these conditions:

• Hold a secondary school diploma, a recognized equivalent or a higher education diploma
• Be at least 16 years old on September 30 of the school year and have the Secondary 3 credits in language of instruction, second language and mathematics
• Be at least 18 years old when training begins, pass the general development test and have the specific prerequisites in language of instruction

For adults, no prerequisite is required in second language or mathematics.

Where the training is given

The DEP is given in the vocational training centres of the school service centres. Inforoute FPT lists the centres that offer the program, region by region. You apply on Admission FP, where each group shows its dates, schedule and cost.

The group pages consulted advertise daytime training, 30 hours a week. None of the sources consulted mentions online training.

The cost

The cost varies from one centre to another. One example: at CFP Le Tremplin, the group running from September 21, 2026 to March 19, 2027 is listed on Admission FP at about $320, materials included.

The $12,000 bursary

The Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux offers 1,150 bursaries of $12,000 each for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, according to its description sheet. They are for DEP 5405 students. According to Québec.ca, students in AEP 4270 and DEP 5358 who began their training on or after July 1, 2025 are also eligible.

To get it, you must:

• Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and live in Quebec
• Be admitted to the program at a school recognized by the Ministère de l'Éducation
• Be selected by an eligible institution and obtain a confirmation of hiring
• Commit to starting and completing the training within the set time limits

The eligible institutions are those of Santé Québec, subsidized private institutions and non-subsidized private institutions. A candidate cannot apply to more than two institutions at a time.

In return, the bursary holder commits to earning the diploma, then working at least one year in an eligible institution, with availability that meets the local collective agreements. Anyone who does not keep this commitment may have to repay up to $8,000. The $4,000 paid at graduation is not repayable.

The application deadline is set by the health institution or the training centre. See where to apply as an attendant and the attendant's salary.

Recognition of prior learning

A person with experience can obtain the DEP through recognition of prior learning and competencies (RAC). The Centre de services scolaire de la Beauce-Etchemin, in its October 2025 sheet, describes a part-time process, with continuous entry, that you can follow while keeping your job.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the training to become a patient care attendant?

DEP 5405 lasts 705 hours, about 7 months according to Inforoute FPT. Daytime groups take 30 hours of classes a week.

What is the new training to become a patient care attendant?

It is DEP 5405, Soutien aux services d'assistance en établissement de santé et de services sociaux, introduced in 2025. It replaces DEP 5358, Assistance à la personne en établissement et à domicile. It trains both patient care attendants and health and social services auxiliaries.

Where can I find a free patient care attendant course?

No official source consulted advertises a free course. The DEP is given in vocational training centres, at a cost that varies from one centre to another. The $12,000 bursary from the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux is obtained through a health institution, in exchange for a one-year work commitment.

When is the $12,000 bursary for the patient care attendant DEP paid?

At Santé Québec Montérégie-Centre, the bursary is paid in three instalments, two during the training and the last one when the diploma is obtained, according to its posting consulted on November 10, 2026. The ministry's sources do not set the number of instalments. The 2026-2027 fact sheet of the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux does set the amount paid at graduation at $4,000, which leaves $8,000 paid during the courses.

No official source consulted gives the date of the first instalment. According to the ministry's 2026-2027 reference framework, the entity administering the bursary program ensures that the payments are made.

Sources

• Inforoute FPT, Soutien aux services d'assistance en établissement de santé et de services sociaux (DEP 5405), consulted on October 10, 2026
• Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, Fiche descriptive, Programme de bourses d'études pour le DEP SSAESSS, specific terms 2026-2027
• Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, Programme de bourses d'études 2026-2027, Cadre de référence, June 2026, section « Versement des bourses »
• Santé Québec Montérégie-Centre, Postuler sur la bourse PAB-ASSS, consulted on November 10, 2026
• Québec.ca, Bourses d'études pour les préposés aux bénéficiaires et auxiliaires aux services de santé et sociaux, updated July 29, 2026
• Admission FP, AEP 4248 and AEP 4270, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Admission FP, DEP 5405, CFP Le Tremplin, groupe du 21 septembre 2026, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Centre de services scolaire de la Beauce-Etchemin, DEP 5405, fiche du programme, October 2025
• Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, Formation de courte durée pour les préposées et préposés aux bénéficiaires en CHSLD et en maison des aînés, news release of May 16, 2023
• Office of the Minister of Health, Une nouvelle formation de courte durée pour devenir préposé en soutien à domicile, news release of February 13, 2024

PDSB is the ASSTSAS training on safe patient handling, that is, moving people safely. It is now called PDSP. Its online theory part lasts 3.5 hours and is free, according to the ASSTSAS. Here is what the official sources say about its content, length, price and card.

What PDSB means, and its current name

PDSB stands for "Principes pour le déplacement sécuritaire des bénéficiaires" (safe patient handling principles). According to the management guide published by the ASSTSAS in February 2022, the training is now called "Principes pour le déplacement sécuritaire de personnes" (principles for moving people safely), or PDSP. The guide states that PDSP carries on from PDSB.

The ASSTSAS, the joint health and safety association of the health and social services sector, owns the program and accredits its instructors. The goal of the training: learning to protect yourself from musculoskeletal disorders during care and while moving people.

Who the training is for

According to the ASSTSAS page, the theory component is for four groups:

• Workers who provide direct care or services
• Their managers
• People who prescribe care
• People in charge of prevention in the institution

The patient care attendant belongs to the first group. The 2022 guide requires no prerequisite for the workers' track.

The two components and their length

Sources: ASSTSAS, theory component page, consulted on October 10, 2026, and training standards from the Guide du moniteur, 2024.

According to the ASSTSAS standards, the online training has 11 modules, including a final test of 20 questions. The 2022 guide sets the passing mark at 80%.

The practical component begins no later than 60 days after passing the test. After that deadline, the participant retakes the test and receives a certificate with the new date. An instructor supervises no more than 8 participants.

Staff of Santé Québec institutions take the theory component on the ENA platform, the ASSTSAS says.

The content, by its headings

The ASSTSAS reminder sheet dated February 2021 names six basic principles:

• Moving a person is care
• All care involves a relationship
• No care by force, without giving up on care
• Encourage the person's abilities
• Minimize the caregiver's effort
• Seek the safest and most reassuring care possible

The practical component follows five reference workbooks:

• Seated transfers
• Surface mobilizations
• Moving on the floor
• Equipment to reduce friction
• Ergonomic principles for preventing musculoskeletal disorders

Who gives the training

The practical component is given by a PDSP instructor accredited by the ASSTSAS. According to the 2022 guide, this instructor is employed by the institution or is a consultant hired by the institution.

The theory component page gives the steps to follow: contact the PDSP instructor at your institution.

In schools, teachers give the training. The ASSTSAS "PDSP écoles" page is aimed at teaching staff of schools certified by the ASSTSAS and names the APED, SASI and RAC programs. APED refers to the DEP in Assistance à la personne en établissement et à domicile (personal assistance in institutions and at home), the 870-hour program that trained attendants. It is replaced by DEP 5405. Your training centre will tell you whether PDSP is part of your program.

The price

The theory component is free, according to the ASSTSAS page consulted on October 10, 2026. The ASSTSAS lists no price for the practical component. It depends on the instructor and the institution that organizes it.

The PDSP card and how long it is valid

The preliminary certificate received after the online test is not the PDSP card. The ASSTSAS writes this in capital letters on its page.

After the practical component, the instructor requests the card from the ASSTSAS on the participant's behalf.

The 2022 guide is clear: "The PDSP card has no expiry date." The ASSTSAS therefore imposes no refresher training on the worker. It encourages institutions to plan continuing education, in the form of short training capsules and mentoring.

Becoming a PDSP instructor

The "PDSP moniteurs" training lasts 35 hours. It costs $416 per person at the ASSTSAS offices, or $4,160 per group in an institution, according to the page consulted on October 10, 2026.

The candidate is delegated by their institution. According to the 2022 guide, the instructor takes part in a reaccreditation activity every three years.

The component for teachers lasts 28 hours and costs $832 per person.

What the law requires of the employer

Section 51 of the Act respecting occupational health and safety requires the employer to take the necessary measures to protect the health and ensure the safety and physical and psychological well-being of the worker. The CNESST (Quebec's labour standards and workplace safety board) lists among the employer's obligations informing the worker of the risks of their work, providing training and supervising them so they have the necessary skills and knowledge.

The ASSTSAS adds a caveat in its guide: training alone cannot eliminate musculoskeletal disorders. It is part of a broader prevention program. The same association offers the Oméga training, presented in the article on code white.

Frequently asked questions

What is a PDSB?

It is the acronym for "Principes pour le déplacement sécuritaire des bénéficiaires", an ASSTSAS training on safe patient handling. It is now called PDSP, for "Principes pour le déplacement sécuritaire de personnes".

How much does PDSB training cost?

The online theory component is free, according to the ASSTSAS. The association lists no price for the practical component, which depends on the instructor.

How do I get a PDSB card?

In two steps, according to the ASSTSAS. You take the online theory training and pass the test, then you practise with an accredited PDSP instructor within 60 days. The instructor then requests the PDSP card from the ASSTSAS on your behalf.

Where can I find PDSP training in Quebec?

The theory component is taken online on the ASSTSAS Portail Apprendre, or on the ENA platform for Santé Québec staff. For the practical component, the ASSTSAS refers you to the PDSP instructor at your institution. Students in the programs named by the ASSTSAS take it with their teachers.

Sources

• ASSTSAS, Principes pour le déplacement sécuritaire de personnes (PDSP), volet théorique, consulted on October 10, 2026
• ASSTSAS, Guide du moniteur : standards de formation pour la pratique et l'émission d'une carte PDSP, 2024
• ASSTSAS, Guide de gestion du programme de formation PDSP en établissement, February 2022
• ASSTSAS, Aide-mémoire : principes fondamentaux, February 2021
• ASSTSAS, PDSP moniteurs, consulted on October 10, 2026
• ASSTSAS, PDSP écoles, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Inforoute FPT, Assistance à la personne en établissement et à domicile (DEP 5358), consulted on October 10, 2026
• CNESST, Droits et obligations des employeurs, consulted on October 10, 2026
• Act respecting occupational health and safety, section 51, LégisQuébec, up to date as of August 12, 2026

In a hospital, code pink is the paediatric counterpart of code blue. Its definition ranges from cardiac arrest to a medical emergency, depending on the institution.

What code pink means

• CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal: "Code pink is used to signal a newborn or a child weighing between 0 and 36 kg in cardiorespiratory arrest."
• CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale, July 2019: paediatric cardiac arrest or threat to life
• CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal: paediatric cardiac arrest
• CISSS des Laurentides, March 2024: paediatric medical emergency

Where it applies

At the CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, the procedure brings help to any child in cardiac arrest in a facility. It also covers the grounds and parking lots, and staff can call 911 if needed.

What the witness does

According to the CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, the witness:

• Notifies the switchboard operator or security and says "code pink" with the location, the department and the room
• Performs cardiopulmonary resuscitation, if they have the necessary knowledge
• Stays on site and waits for the code pink team

At the CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale, the witness dials the emergency number of their facility and assists the victim. The trained response team then takes charge of the situation.

Code pink or code blue

Code blue covers cardiac arrest in general. Code pink brings in a team prepared for children. The CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal draws the line by weight: from 0 to 36 kg.

The other codes

Our articles on the other codes: code white, code blue, code purple, code yellow and code red. All the colours are gathered in the table of hospital colour codes.

Frequently asked questions

What is a code pink?

It is the call made for a child in cardiac arrest or in a medical emergency, depending on the institution. A trained team goes to the scene.

What are the codes in hospitals?

The CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal lists twelve: silver, white, blue, brown, grey, yellow, purple, black, orange, pink, red and green. The list and the definitions vary from one institution to another. At work, the procedure of your facility is the only one that counts.

What is a code white?

A code white signals a violent or threatening person. A staff member calls for help, and the code white team responds.

Sources

• CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Introduction aux mesures d'urgence, consulted on October 10, 2026
• CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale, Mesures d'urgence, leaflet, July 2019
• CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Présentation des codes de couleur, consulted on October 10, 2026
• CISSS des Laurentides, Mesures d'urgence, quality sheet, March 2024

In the hospital, code red is the fire code. It is the code that the four facilities consulted define the same way.

What code red means

• CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal (integrated health and social services centre): "Code red is used to signal a possible fire."
• CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale, July 2019: fire
• CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal: fire
• CISSS des Laurentides, March 2024: fire

What the person who discovers a fire does

The CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale gives six instructions:

• Pull the manual fire alarm station
• Dial the emergency number in use at the facility
• Give as much objective information about the event as possible
• Move people away from the source of danger
• Close doors and windows
• Get ready to evacuate

The CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal adds to stay calm and not to shout fire.

On a care unit

In the hospitals and residential centres of the CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, care unit staff:

• Start no non-urgent care
• Go to their unit's nursing station and check the annunciator panel
• Wait for instructions from the unit head

When "code rouge confirmé" (code red confirmed) is announced, staff get ready for an evacuation, listen for instructions on the overhead page and follow the unit head's directions.

In a CLSC or an administrative building

In the same CIUSSS, staff evacuate as soon as the alarm sounds. They stop their activities, guide patients to the exits, close the doors of their area and go to the assembly point.

Code red and code green

Code green signals evacuation. At the CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, evacuation can follow a code red, black, grey or brown. In hospitals and residential centres, evacuation is first horizontal, behind the fire doors, before moving to the stairs.

The patient care attendant and code red

On a care unit, the patient care attendant (PAB) is part of the staff covered by these instructions. The evacuation plan of their facility shows the exits, the fire extinguishers and the assembly point.

The other codes

Our articles on the other codes: code white, code blue, code pink, code purple and code yellow. All the colours are gathered in the table of hospital colour codes.

Frequently asked questions

What is a code red in a hospital?

It is the fire alert. Staff raise the alarm, move people away from danger, close the doors and get ready to evacuate.

What are the hospital colour codes?

The CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale names eleven in its July 2019 leaflet: blue, pink, white, red, silver, black, brown, green, grey, yellow and orange. The list and the definitions vary from one facility to another. At work, the procedure of your facility is the only one that counts.

What is code red?

In Quebec's health network, code red means fire. The four facilities consulted give it that meaning.

What is a code pink?

At the CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale, code pink signals a paediatric cardiac arrest or a threat to life in a child.

Sources

• CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Introduction aux mesures d'urgence, consulted on October 10, 2026
• CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale, Mesures d'urgence, leaflet, July 2019
• CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Présentation des codes de couleur, consulted on October 10, 2026
• CISSS des Laurentides, Mesures d'urgence, quality sheet, March 2024

In the hospital, code yellow starts the search for a patient who is no longer where they should be. The four facilities consulted give code yellow the same meaning.

What code yellow means

• CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal (integrated health and social services centre): "Code yellow is used to signal a missing patient whose disappearance may have consequences for their safety or that of others."
• CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale, July 2019: search for a missing patient
• CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal: missing patient
• CISSS des Laurentides, March 2024: patient who has run away

Why speed matters

The CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal explains it: the health and safety of patients are the facility's responsibility. The procedure starts as quickly as possible to reduce the consequences of the disappearance. Any patient who is missing must be reported.

What the person who notices the disappearance does

According to the CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, the person who notices or suspects a disappearance:

• Searches the area
• Raises the alert, or asks someone else to do it
• Alerts their immediate supervisor
• Alerts other staff members nearby
• Dials the internal emergency number with the immediate supervisor's approval, and asks for a pre-alert or an alert depending on the situation

What the rest of the staff does

At the CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale, staff take part in the search if needed. They give the person in charge of the search any information that can help locate the patient.

The patient care attendant and code yellow

The patient care attendant (PAB) who cannot find a patient reports it according to the procedure of their facility. The facility then decides whether to launch a pre-alert or an alert.

The other codes

Our articles on the other codes: code white, code blue, code pink, code purple and code red. All the colours are gathered in the table of hospital colour codes.

Frequently asked questions

What is a code yellow in a hospital?

It is the call made when a patient is missing and their disappearance may have consequences for their safety or that of others. Staff search the premises and the facility organizes the search.

What is a code pink?

At the CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, code pink signals a newborn or a child in cardiorespiratory arrest. It does not signal a disappearance. Code yellow does that at the four facilities consulted.

What are the hospital colour codes?

The CISSS des Laurentides lists eleven in its March 2024 sheet: white, blue, brown, grey, yellow, silver, black, orange, pink, red and green. The list and the definitions vary from one facility to another. At work, the procedure of your facility is the only one that counts.

Sources

• CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Introduction aux mesures d'urgence, consulted on October 10, 2026
• CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale, Mesures d'urgence, leaflet, July 2019
• CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Présentation des codes de couleur, consulted on October 10, 2026
• CISSS des Laurentides, Mesures d'urgence, quality sheet, March 2024

In the hospital, code purple calls for help for a person who needs care without being in cardiac arrest. Not every facility in Quebec uses code purple.

What code purple means

• CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal (integrated health and social services centre): "Code purple is used to signal a medical emergency that requires immediate assistance."
• CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal: medical emergency other than cardiac arrest

Examples

The CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal specifies that code purple covers a person who needs medical assistance that is not life-threatening. It gives three examples:

• A fracture
• A sprain
• A fall without loss of consciousness

Who is covered

In this CIUSSS, the procedure brings help to anyone on the site, grounds included: resident, client, staff member, visitor or worker.

What the witness does

According to the CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, the witness:

• Notifies the receptionist or the security department, gives their name, the exact location and the nature of the emergency
• Gives first aid, if they have the necessary knowledge
• Stays at the scene and waits for help

A code that does not exist everywhere

The July 2019 leaflet of the CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale has no code purple. Neither does the March 2024 sheet of the CISSS des Laurentides, where code blue covers any medical emergency.

The CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal itself writes that the standardization of codes is not complete in all its facilities.

Code purple or code blue

In facilities that have both, code blue signals cardiac arrest and code purple the other medical emergencies.

The other codes

Our articles on the other codes: code white, code blue, code pink, code yellow and code red. All the colours are gathered in the table of hospital colour codes.

Frequently asked questions

What is a code purple in a hospital?

It is the call made for a medical emergency that is not a cardiac arrest, in facilities that use this code. A fall without loss of consciousness is one example at the CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal.

What are the hospital colour codes?

The CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal presents twelve: silver, white, blue, brown, grey, yellow, purple, black, orange, pink, red and green. The list and the definitions vary from one facility to another. At work, the procedure of your facility is the only one that counts.

What is a code pink?

At the CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, code pink signals a paediatric cardiac arrest. At the CISSS des Laurentides, it signals a paediatric medical emergency.

Sources

• CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Introduction aux mesures d'urgence, consulted on October 10, 2026
• CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale, Mesures d'urgence, leaflet, July 2019
• CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Présentation des codes de couleur, consulted on October 10, 2026
• CISSS des Laurentides, Mesures d'urgence, quality sheet, March 2024

In the hospital, "code blue" over the loudspeaker calls a team to a person in a life-threatening situation. The exact meaning of code blue depends on the facility.

What code blue means

• CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal (integrated health and social services centre): "Code blue is used to signal the presence of a person in cardiorespiratory arrest."
• CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale, July 2019: cardiac arrest or threat to life
• CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal: cardiac arrest
• CISSS des Laurentides, March 2024: medical emergency

Who is covered

At the CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, the procedure brings help to anyone in cardiac arrest on the site: patient, staff member or visitor. It covers the adjacent grounds, up to the sidewalks.

What the witness does

At the CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale, the witness dials the emergency number in use at their facility and assists the victim. The trained response team then takes over.

The CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal gives the witness four instructions:

• Notify security or the switchboard operator
• Give information about the situation and state the exact location
• Start resuscitation, if they have the required knowledge
• Stay on site until the responders arrive

What you hear

At the CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale, the announcement is "Attention, attention, code bleu", followed by the exact location. It is repeated three times. The end is announced the same way: "code bleu terminé" (code blue over) or "code bleu annulé" (code blue cancelled).

Code blue, code pink, code purple

• Code pink signals cardiac arrest in a child at three of the four facilities consulted
• Code purple signals a medical emergency other than cardiac arrest at the CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal

The patient care attendant and code blue

The patient care attendant (PAB) who sees the situation is a witness and follows the procedure of their facility. At the CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale, the instructions are in the operational emergency plan, posted at the main entrance, at the security desk and near the elevators.

The other codes

Our articles on the other codes: code white, code pink, code purple, code yellow and code red. All the colours are gathered in the table of hospital colour codes.

Frequently asked questions

What is a code blue in a hospital?

It is the call made for a cardiac or cardiorespiratory arrest. Some facilities add threat to life, and the CISSS des Laurentides defines it as a medical emergency. A trained team goes to the scene.

What is the emergency code?

Each facility has its own internal emergency number. The CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal uses 5555. The CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale refers to the number in use at each facility.

What is the colour code for emergencies?

Health facilities classify their emergency measures by colour. The CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale says it groups its own into 12 colour codes. The list and the definitions vary from one facility to another. At work, the procedure of your facility is the only one that counts.

Sources

• CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Introduction aux mesures d'urgence, consulted on October 10, 2026
• CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale, Mesures d'urgence, leaflet, July 2019
• CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Présentation des codes de couleur, consulted on October 10, 2026
• CISSS des Laurentides, Mesures d'urgence, quality sheet, March 2024

Over the loudspeaker of a hospital or a CHSLD (long-term care centre), "code white" followed by a location calls for backup near a violent or threatening person. Here is what Quebec's official sources say about code white in the hospital.

What code white means

The ASSTSAS, the joint health and safety association of the health and social services sector, defines code white as an emergency procedure in response to a request for immediate help from a staff member. Help is needed when a person, through violent or threatening behaviour, is a danger to their own safety and that of others.

The CISSS des Laurentides (integrated health and social services centre) sums it up this way in its March 2024 sheet: "Agression/menace à la personne" (assault or threat to a person).

According to the ASSTSAS, code white protects the physical and psychological health and safety of people exposed to violence at work.

Why a colour code

According to the CISSS des Laurentides, calling a code is a signal that designated staff respond to, with the cooperation of all staff. Using a code avoids alarming patients and visitors.

When code white is called

The ASSTSAS gives the rule: calling a code white is necessary when the situation risks escalating beyond what the responders can safely handle.

The call goes through the facility's devices. The ASSTSAS lists the panic button, the phone call, the overhead page, the portable two-way radio and the pager. With an overhead page, the start and end of the intervention are announced.

Pre-code white and code white

Table source: ASSTSAS, technical sheet 15.

The ASSTSAS recommends favouring the pre-code white to reduce physical and psychological risks.

Who responds to a code white

A code white always calls for a structured, coordinated and safe team intervention. The code white team brings together the people who answer the call and the responders on site.

Its makeup changes from one facility to another. According to the ASSTSAS, it may be an officially formed brigade, a group of designated people, for example one attendant per floor, or whoever is available at the time of the event.

A patient care attendant (PAB) can therefore be part of the team. The procedure of their facility sets their role and limits.

The three roles

• The leader assesses the person and the context. The leader is the only one who speaks, directs and decides
• The team members ensure the immediate safety of other people and follow the leader's instructions
• The support staff look after the other patients and clear the access routes

The principles of intervention

The ASSTSAS names seven:

• Ensure your own safety
• Make protecting people the priority
• Take the time to structure, organize and carry out the intervention
• Prevent or defuse escalation
• Stay calm
• Follow up after the event
• Use physical intervention only as a last resort

The sheet adds one instruction: do not take risks beyond your real ability to intervene. Otherwise, call 911.

After the code white

The post-event debriefing has two phases, according to the ASSTSAS. First, take care of the responders and, if needed, refer them to support resources. Then, review the intervention and decide on corrective measures.

The facility's code white lead also encourages reporting incidents and accidents related to violence.

The Oméga training

The ASSTSAS Oméga training for workers lasts four days, in person. Each day is the prerequisite for the next.

Source: ASSTSAS, summary of the Oméga training for workers, 2026.

The facility chooses who takes which days.

What the law requires of the employer

Section 51 of the Act respecting occupational health and safety requires the employer to protect the health and ensure the safety and physical and mental well-being of the worker. Paragraph 16 requires the employer to take measures to protect workers exposed to physical or psychological violence in the workplace.

The other codes

Our articles on the other codes: code blue, code pink, code purple, code yellow and code red. All the colours are gathered in the table of hospital colour codes.

Frequently asked questions

What is a code white in a hospital?

It is the emergency procedure called when a violent or threatening person endangers their own safety or that of others. A staff member asks for help, and the code white team goes to the scene.

What are the codes in hospitals?

The CISSS des Laurentides lists eleven in its March 2024 sheet: white, blue, brown, grey, yellow, silver, black, orange, pink, red and green. Red signals a fire, green an evacuation, yellow a patient who has run away. The list and the definitions vary from one facility to another.

What is a code blue?

At the CISSS des Laurentides, code blue signals a medical emergency. Code pink signals a paediatric medical emergency there.

Sources

• ASSTSAS, Le code blanc : intervenir avec efficacité en cas d'urgence, technical sheet 15, 2016
• ASSTSAS, Formation Oméga travailleurs, summary, 2026
• CISSS des Laurentides, Mesures d'urgence, quality sheet, March 2024
• Loi sur la santé et la sécurité du travail, section 51, LégisQuébec, up to date as of August 12, 2026