Canada sees exodus of nurses under 35, Quebec has slightly better numbers

Canada is struggling to retain young nurses, according to a new Montreal Economic Institute (MEI) report released on Wednesday, which shows that the number of Canadian nurses under the age of 35 leaving the profession each year is increasing relative to the number of people entering.

In 2023, 40 nurses under the age of 35 left the profession for every 100 recruits across the country.

In Quebec, the numbers are slightly less dire: 37 nurses under the age of 35 chose not to renew their licences in 2023, compared to every 100 nurses who began their careers.

Ten years earlier in the province, there were 40 departures for every 100 new nurses.

“If we look at the trend across Canada, in 2014, the same ratio, that is, for every 100 nurses under the age of 35 entering the profession, 36 did not re-register, while in 2023, that number rose to 40,” explains the report’s author and MEI economist Emmanuelle B. Faubert. “Admittedly, some provinces have seen improvements, particularly recently, but the trend is still on the rise across the country.”

Her analysis is based on the most recent data on applications for licences submitted to the provinces and collected by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI).

Faubert points out a nuance in the data: some nurses are able to practice in two provinces if they have a secondary license that allows them to work in their home province.

CIHI data only includes licences to practice in the place of residence.

“A nurse who moves from Quebec to Ontario, for example, is an outflow for Quebec, but an inflow for Ontario. So, at the Canadian level, it doesn’t affect the data,” said Faubert.

The British Columbia model

We need to improve working conditions to better retain nursing staff, argues Faubert.

“Once we attract staff, we need to make sure we give them working conditions that will keep them in the profession,” she said. “That’s what’s most crucial. It’s not just about attracting people, it’s about keeping them. How can we do that? Among other things, by looking at what has been done in British Columbia, which is a very interesting model.”

In 2023, British Columbia had the lowest ratio of young nurses leaving the workforce compared to those entering it, and the province has been successful in recruiting and retaining nurses from across the country, according to the report.

That year, there were more than 9,200 graduates from other provinces who were licenced to practice in British Columbia, compared to 3,100 British Columbia nurses registered to practice elsewhere in Canada.

“We contacted nursing associations in British Columbia to see what they were doing to retain nurses,” said Faubert, adding that one aspect that stood out was that nurses have more flexible schedules thanks to job-sharing pools.

“Essentially, nurses are placed in small groups and can swap shifts among themselves without going through bureaucracy and hierarchy,” she noted. ”These are small ways that give nurses more control over their own schedules and allow flexibility. These are things that help improve staff satisfaction."

She adds that the Quebec government is on the wrong track in wanting to wean itself off private agencies in the public system.

These agencies, the MEI argues, give nurses “more control over their schedules” and promote “better work-life balance.”

Limiting the use of staffing agencies has been one of the key measures in Quebec Minister Christian Dubé’s health plan.

With Bill 10, passed in 2023, the minister says he wants staff working in agencies to come back to the public system.

According to the latest figures from Santé Québec, since the spring of 2024, the reduction in the use of independent labour has resulted in savings of $697 million.

To date, 5,500 agency employees have joined the public health and social services network.

The Canadian Press’s health coverage is supported by a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. The Canadian Press is solely responsible for this journalistic content.

– This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Oct. 22, 2025.