resident care attendant

Fiona59 · Apr 9, 2009

Nursing attendants, care aides and every other title for the frontline staff you can think of is always in demand. Not so much in the actual hospital but if you look at LTC, Continuing Care Centres, group homes, and rehab facilties you'll never be out of work.

petgroomer · Apr 14, 2009

Yes, there're usually openings for PSWs, HCAs etc; however, the pay is not very good (you're lucky if you get more than 12 an hour), most places are private with no benefits at all and very few perks. Some managers are hellish. It's great to work with residents and help people, but sometimes you're the object of a lot of abuse on this kind of job.

Fiona59 · Apr 14, 2009

LTCs and Continuing Cares and many group homes are unionized. Usually it's the home service agencies that are not.

http://www.capitalcare.net/careers/careers.html

outlines the duties and wages in a LTC. Wages are not great but not bad considering the level of training required.

OgopogoLPN, LPN, RN · Apr 21, 2009

Care aids who work for health authorities in BC make almost $22/hour. I'm not sure what the exact amount is since the raise on April 1st.

petgroomer · Apr 21, 2009

The problem in Ontario is getting HCA or PSW jobs with government regulated agencies or nursing homes.

I have a friend who after more than a year of casual work got a nursing home position: about $20 an hour...cool

Another acquaintance got an agency job (gov reg): $17

Most people I know work for retirement homes or other private positions: $10-12 an hour, no benefits and a lot of work because most of this places are understaffed (they don't want to pay for more people, just to exploit the ones working there).

Private agencies with CCAC assistance pay about $14 an hour, the workload is better; however, they need to drive a lot.

It all depends, good luck to everyone.

erisirene · Apr 22, 2009

Hi.. I'm from the Philippines and I applied for HCA I'm still waiting for my LMO.. I still dont know how much I am going to be paid.. does anyone know the range of their salary?? and do you think me and 3 of my friends can be granted LMO?? we are registered nurses here in our country...

Thanks..

petgroomer · Apr 22, 2009

Hi.. I'm from the Philippines and I applied for HCA I'm still waiting for my LMO.. I still dont know how much I am going to be paid.. does anyone know the range of their salary?? and do you think me and 3 of my friends can be granted LMO?? we are registered nurses here in our country...
Thanks..

If you have a look around here, you'll see that PSW courses in Canada last somewhere between 6 months and one year. It will be difficult for an employer to prove that there are no citizens and permanent residents available to take those positions. Some agencies catter to foreign trained professionals who are still unregulated; however, they offer jobs to the ones who are already in Canada (hundreds of them BTW).

I have very limited knowledge regarding immigration as an independent worker/professional, but I'm almost sure that you won't find it easy to come if you say you'll work as PSW/HCA. :twocents:

5cats · Apr 22, 2009

Why the hell are you applying as a hca when you are a RN??????

5cats

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Apr 23, 2009

In Alberta, unionized nursing attendants are paid $16.35 to $20.50. (Not a lot of money!)

As petgroomer said, the employer will have a great deal of difficulty convincing Immigration that they are unable to find a Canadian worker to fill the job when there are now more than 120,000 people who have lost their jobs.

erisirene · Apr 24, 2009

Why the hell are you applying as a hca when you are a RN??????
5cats

well I'm not yet qualified to enter canada as an RN since I lack experience... that's why maybe it'll be a good start for me to be HCA or maybe if allowed I can be an LPN..

sob~ sad bu no choice..

erisirene · Apr 24, 2009

so does it mean that there is little chance for us to be given LMO???

ouch~