Canada’s healthcare workforce is receiving a significant contribution from younger workers, with licensed practical nurses showing the strongest renewal ratio among selected healthcare occupations. Statistics Canada reports that the renewal ratio for licensed practical nurses reached 3.2 in 2025, meaning there were roughly three workers aged 25 to 34 for every worker aged 55 to 64.
Immigration is an important part of this demographic picture. At the same time, the data reveals a less comfortable reality: some recent immigrants working as licensed practical nurses have educational backgrounds comparable to or above those expected for more advanced healthcare roles.
This creates a gap between having healthcare education and being able to use that education at the appropriate level in Canada.
What is the Healthcare Workforce Renewal Ratio?
The renewal ratio compares workers aged 25 to 34 with those aged 55 to 64.
It is a useful demographic measure because workers in the older group are closer to retirement, while workers in the younger group represent a potential source of workforce replacement.
In 2025, the renewal ratio across Canada’s health occupations was 1.9.
For licensed practical nurses, however, it was considerably higher at 3.2. Statistics Canada reported 66,800 licensed practical nurses in 2025.
That does not mean the profession is free of labour shortages.
A high renewal ratio tells us about the age composition of the workforce. It does not automatically measure retention, turnover, vacancies or whether workers are employed where they are most needed.
Statistics Canada specifically cautions that factors such as workers moving into other healthcare roles or leaving difficult work environments can affect future workforce supply.
Immigration is Helping Bring Younger Healthcare Workers into Canada
The demographic story becomes more interesting when immigration is considered.
Statistics Canada notes that immigration has contributed to workforce renewal in healthcare occupations.
For licensed practical nurses, the contribution of immigration to younger entrants is particularly relevant.
The data suggests that the comparatively strong renewal ratio is partly associated with the presence of younger immigrant workers entering the occupation.
This matters because Canada is simultaneously dealing with an aging population and growing demand for healthcare services.
A younger workforce can help reduce some demographic pressure, but immigration alone cannot solve every workforce problem.
Recruitment, licensing, retention, working conditions and regional distribution all matter.
The Credential-Recognition Problem
Perhaps the most important finding for internationally trained healthcare workers is the education mismatch.
Statistics Canada found that recent immigrants working as licensed practical nurses had educational attainment profiles similar in some respects to Canadian-born registered nurses.
In one comparison, 62% of recent immigrant licensed practical nurses had a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared with 61.8% of Canadian-born registered nurses.
That does not mean every internationally trained nurse is qualified to work as a registered nurse in Canada.
Canadian healthcare professions are regulated, and education is only one part of professional licensing.
But the data does raise a broader question:
How much internationally trained healthcare talent is working below the level of its education because licensing or credential-recognition requirements prevent a direct match?
That is an important workforce-policy issue.
Education is Not the Same as Canadian Licensure
For internationally trained nurses, this distinction is critical.
A foreign bachelor’s degree in nursing does not automatically grant the holder authorization to practise as a registered nurse in Canada.
Healthcare occupations are regulated at the provincial and territorial level, and applicants generally need to satisfy the requirements of the relevant regulatory body.
That can involve assessment of:
- Education
- Professional experience
- Language ability
- Registration history
- Competency
- Examination requirements
- Other provincial or territorial conditions
Immigration status and professional licensing are therefore two different processes.
A person can be eligible to immigrate to Canada and still need to complete professional licensing steps before working in a regulated healthcare occupation.
Why This Matters for Canada’s Immigration Strategy
Canada has increasingly targeted healthcare workers through economic immigration programs.
But attracting healthcare professionals is only one part of the equation.
The country also needs mechanisms that allow qualified newcomers to enter the workforce at an appropriate level.
If an internationally educated nurse enters Canada but cannot obtain recognition for previous training, the immigration system may successfully attract the person without fully capturing the economic value of their education.
That is the gap highlighted by these statistics.
A Healthcare Worker Can be “Qualified” in Two Different Senses
This distinction is often overlooked in immigration discussions.
A healthcare professional may be:
- Immigration-qualified: They meet the requirements of an immigration program.
- Professionally licensed: They meet the requirements of a provincial or territorial regulatory body to practise the occupation.
Those two outcomes do not always occur at the same time.
For internationally trained healthcare workers planning to move to Canada, professional licensing should therefore be considered before choosing an immigration pathway.
What InternationallyTtrainedNnurses Should Do
If you are an internationally trained nurse considering Canada, do not begin with immigration alone.
Start with the profession.
Identify the province where you realistically want to live and work, then determine which regulatory body governs your profession there.
Review the requirements for internationally educated applicants before making assumptions about employment opportunities.
You should also consider:
- Whether your nursing education can be assessed.
- Whether your professional experience is relevant.
- What language requirements apply.
- Whether an examination is required.
- How long the registration process may take.
- Whether you may need additional education.
- Whether your immigration pathway matches your professional plans.
This can prevent a common problem: obtaining immigration status first and discovering later that professional registration takes substantially longer than expected.
Immigration can renew the workforce, but licensing determines how much talent is used
The Statistics Canada findings provide a useful distinction between workforce renewal and workforce utilization.
Canada may successfully attract younger healthcare workers.
But if highly educated internationally trained professionals cannot move into roles matching their training, some of that human capital remains underused.
The issue is therefore not simply whether Canada is attracting enough healthcare workers.
It is also whether the country can make effective use of the skills those workers already possess while maintaining professional standards and patient safety.
What This Means for Healthcare Immigration
For healthcare professionals, Canada’s immigration landscape may continue to present opportunities.
However, applicants should not treat a healthcare occupation appearing in an immigration category as proof that professional licensing will be easy.
Immigration selection and professional regulation serve different purposes.
The stronger approach is to plan both simultaneously.
Statistics Canada’s latest healthcare workforce data shows a positive demographic story for licensed practical nurses, with a 3.2 renewal ratio in 2025, the highest among the selected healthcare occupations.
But the same data points to a deeper challenge: internationally educated healthcare workers may possess substantial education that does not immediately translate into equivalent professional roles in Canada.
For immigration professionals, healthcare workers and policymakers, this distinction matters.
Canada does not only need to attract healthcare talent. It needs systems that can assess, license and effectively use that talent.
For internationally trained healthcare professionals considering Canada, the right immigration strategy should therefore include a professional licensing assessment from the beginning.
ImmigCanada immigration consulting services can help applicants evaluate immigration options while keeping professional and settlement considerations in view. A Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant such as Eivy Joy Quito can help with the immigration side of the process, while professional licensing decisions remain with the applicable regulatory authority.
Frequently Asked Questions
An aging healthcare workforce creates potential replacement pressure as older workers approach retirement. Renewal ratios help show whether younger workers are entering occupations at a sufficient rate.
Licensed practical nurses had the highest renewal ratio among the selected healthcare occupations in 2025, at 3.2.
Yes. Statistics Canada identifies immigration as an important contributor to workforce renewal in several healthcare occupations.
No. Nursing is a regulated profession. Immigration status does not automatically grant professional authorization to practise.
No. Educational credentials are only one component of professional registration. Applicants must satisfy the requirements of the relevant provincial or territorial regulatory body.