Best job market for nursing in Canada

[ilovenursing2013]

Hi y'all knowledgeable nurses,

Anyone knows which province has the best nursing prospects? I'm a new grad RN in Alberta, finished all courses in Dec 2015, passed Nclex, and has been actively looking for jobs the last 2.5 months in Alberta. However, I still haven't found anything nor do I have any leads. I have visited all the major hospitals in Calgary and given out resume/spoke to unit managers. They are either not hiring right now, or have enough casuals.

As a result, I'm looking to move provinces. I've heard some good things about BC in the sense that many of the health authorities have new graduate programs where they will place new grads into jobs. Any ideas? Which province do you think have the best job prospects in Canada?

Please help, and much thanks in advance! =)

[rpsychnurse]

If you're looking to stay in Alberta you may need to look for jobs in rural areas. Calgary and Edmonton are popular and tough to find work in!

I've worked in Calgary and currently work in a rural LTC. Calgary was a brutal job market. Good luck!

[loriangel14, RN]

All I can say is Ontario is dismal and I have heard BC is not a good option either

[MPKH, BSN, RN]

Go rural. That's where there's more demands for nurses. Major urban centres have very little vacancies...which, if filled, are awarded by seniority.

I graduated in 2011 from Vancouver and moved to rural Northern Alberta for my first job. Worked there for about a year before landing a job in Edmonton.

Getting your foot in the door is the hardest part. Good luck!

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

Agreed. The job market is dismal in most Canadian cities and has been for years due to ongoing budget cuts.

However, small towns and rural areas (places where people generally don't want to go) are usually desperate for nurses.

[plub]

would definitely recommend applying for jobs in small towns in AB :) I graduated last year and was hired before the last day of classes and one year down the road, had no problem getting another position in a "relatively" bigger town in AB. Just gotta keep your hopes up and be patient/willing to take baby steps at first! GL!

[dayandnight]

My friend in Nova Scotia told me they are very short of nurses. BC is also good if you are willing to rural, the East or the Islands or the North are the areas with the most shortages. The key here is RURAL. You need to get your foot in the door. BC also has HealthMatch BC which is a government sponsored website that helps healthcare workers find jobs in BC. Try contacting them and see what they have to say.

[mariesearcy]

Yes definitely the trick is to go rural you'll get your foot in the door and as a new grad that's what you want and need. I speak from experience . I've had to leave Ontario for Saskatchewan and never regretted it. Good luck!!