Careers - Long Term Care

Gain the skills and training you need to succeed as a Personal Support Worker.

Flexible Learning Options:
Training offered in-person at The Pines Long Term Care Home and remote to fit your schedule.

Hands-On Experience:
Train with leading care and gain real-world skills.

Fast-Track Your Career:
Get job-ready with a program designed to meet the growing demand for compassionate PSWs in Muskoka.

Join a free info session or visit their website to learn more!

Ontario is providing incentive funding to attract personal support workers (PSWs) to work in long-term care homes as well as home and community care organizations.

Clinical Placement Stipend (up to $5,440)

To be eligible for the clinical placement stipend, you must:

• Begin a clinical placement as part of an Ontario PSW training program at a public-assisted college, career college, district school board or Indigenous Institute that meets the 2022 program standard established by the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities with a participating long-term care home or home and community care agency; and
• Begin your eligible clinical placement on or after April 1, 2023.

Recruitment Incentive ($10,000)

To be eligible for a Recruitment Incentive grant of $10,000, you must:

• Successfully complete an Ontario PSW training program at a publicly-assisted college, career college , district school board or Indigenous Institute that meets the 2022 program standard established by the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities, on or after April 1, 2023;
• Begin employment with a participating employer between April 1, 2023 and March 31, 2026; and
• Commit to 12 months of employment at a full-time work schedule offered by a participating employer.

OR

• NEW: Have previously trained as a PSW and, for the past 12 months, have not worked in a role providing direct patient, client or resident care as part of an organization providing health care or long-term care services in Ontario;
• Begin employment with a participating employer between November 18, 2024 and March 31, 2026; and
• Commit to 12 months of employment at a full-time work schedule offered by a participating employer.

NEW: Rural, Remote and Northern Community Incentive ($10,000)

To be eligible for a Rural, Remote and Northern Community Incentive of $10,000, you must:

• Accept a PSW position in a publicly-funded LTC home or HCC organization in a community located in Northern Ontario or with a Rurality Index for Ontario (RIO) score or 40 or above;
• Begin employment with a participating employer between November 18, 2024 and March 31, 2026; and
• Commit to 12 months of employment at a full-time work schedule offered by a participating employer.

To be eligible for $10,000 in rural, remote and northern relocation support, you must:

• Meet the eligibility criteria for the Recruitment Incentive and commit to 12 months of employment with a participating employer in Northern Ontario or in a community with a Rurality Index for Ontario (RIO) score of 40 or above; and
• Relocate a minimum distance of 100 km from your primary residence for the purposes of employment with a participating employer.

Eligible PSWs can combine a Recruitment Incentive Grant ($10,000) with a Rural, Remote and Northern Community Incentive ($10,000) and/or Rural, Remote, and Northern Relocation Support ($10,000).

The Bridging Educational Grant in Nursing (BEGIN) program assists PSWs and RPNs in investing in their futures. BEGIN provides tuition grants to students enrolled in PSW-RPN and RPN-RN programs, eliminating the financial barriers for them to expand their nursing careers.

To be eligible, you must be:

• A Canadian citizen or permanent resident/landed immigrant and a resident of Ontario and
• Enrolled in or have been accepted into an approved and accredited PSW-RPN or RPN-RN program and
• Willing to work in Long-Term Care and/or Home and Community Care sectors in Ontario for a period following graduation

How much tuition will I be reimbursed?

• For eligible PSWs, you can receive a tuition reimbursement of up to $6,000 per year (maximum of $15,000).
• For eligible RPNs, you can receive a tuition reimbursement of up to $10,000 per year (maximum of $30,000).
• Participants may qualify for additional financial assistance while enrolled.

More information, FAQ’s and the application process is available here

Financial incentives are available for Registered Nurses (RNs), Registered Practical Nurses (RPNs) and Nurse Practitioners (NPs) to work in the hospitals, long-term care (LTC) homes, home and community care (HCC) agencies, Primary Care and Mental Health and Addiction agencies in greatest need across Ontario. The Community Commitment Program for Nurses (CCPN) provides $25,000 in grant funding to eligible nurses in exchange for a two-year commitment to an eligible employer.

NEW: Northern Top-Up and Relocation Grants

The CCPN is now offering two new Northern incentives for nurses who make a two-year commitment to an eligible employer in Northern Ontario. These are:

• A Northern Top-Up Grant of $10,000, paid in $5,000 instalments after four (4) and eight (8) months of employment with an eligible employer; and
• A Northern Relocation Grant of $10,000, paid in $5,000 instalments upon confirmation that an eligible nurse has started employment and after four (4) months of employment with an eligible employer.

Both incentives are offered in addition to the core $25,000 CCPN incentive. Please see specific eligibility criteria for the Northern Top-Up Grant and Northern Relocation Grant below.

To be eligible for the CCPN, a nurse must:

• Not have been employed as a nurse in Ontario in the six months prior to being hired;
• Hold a Certificate of Registration in good standing from the College of Nurses of Ontario;
• Begin employment between April 1, 2024 and March 31, 2025 (confirmation of extension beyond March 31, 2025 will be communicated as early as possible);
• Commit to two-years of employment at a full-time work schedule offered by the employer;
• Not simultaneously receive funds from the Ministry of Health for the Tuition Support Program for Nurses; and
• Not be hired through the Nursing Graduate Guarantee program.

To be eligible for the Northern Top-Up Grant, a nurse must:

• Meet the core CCPN eligibility requirements; and
• Make a two-year commitment to an eligible employer located in Northern Ontario (i.e. within the North East or North West Ontario Health regions).

To be eligible for the Northern Relocation Grant, a nurse must:

• Move a minimum distance of 100 kilometres from their primary residence for the purpose of pursuing employment with an eligible CCPN employer; and
• Move from outside Northern Ontario to any Northern community (i.e. within the North East or North West Ontario Health regions); or
• Move within Northern Ontario to a smaller Northern community (defined as any community within the North East or North West Ontario Health regions excluding Thunder Bay, Sudbury, Timmins, Sault Ste Marie and North Bay).

For more information about this program, visit the Health Force Ontario website. 

The Tuition Support Program for Nurses is part of the government's commitment to provide more families with access to primary health care, and to support the recruitment and retention of nurses to rural and remote areas across the province.

The Tuition Support Program for Nurses (TSPN) offers tuition reimbursement to recent nursing graduates from rural and remote communities who are new College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) registrants and who choose to do a return-of-service (ROS) in an eligible underserviced community. The program is open to nurse practitioner, registered nurse and registered practical nurse graduates who apply within one year of having graduated from a Canadian University or College.

More information about this program is available here

The Bridging Educational Grant in Nursing (BEGIN) program assists PSWs and RPNs in investing in their futures. BEGIN provides tuition grants to students enrolled in PSW-RPN and RPN-RN programs, eliminating the financial barriers for them to expand their nursing careers.

To be eligible, you must be:

• A Canadian citizen or permanent resident/landed immigrant and a resident of Ontario and
• Enrolled in or have been accepted into an approved and accredited PSW-RPN or RPN-RN program and
• Willing to work in Long-Term Care and/or Home and Community Care sectors in Ontario for a period following graduation

How much tuition will I be reimbursed?

• For eligible PSWs, you can receive a tuition reimbursement of up to $6,000 per year (maximum of $15,000).
• For eligible RPNs, you can receive a tuition reimbursement of up to $10,000 per year (maximum of $30,000).
• Participants may qualify for additional financial assistance while enrolled.

More information, FAQ’s and the application process is available here

Canada Student Loan Forgiveness for Family Doctors and Nurses

The Government of Canada offers Canada Student Loan forgiveness to eligible nurses who work in under-served rural or remote communities that lack the primary health care they need.

To be eligible for Canada Student Loan forgiveness you must be a registered nurse or registered practical nurse and:

• have started your employment as a medical professional (full-time, part-time or casual) in an eligible community, on or after July 1, 2011
• have been employed for a full year and provided in-person services for a minimum of 400 hours in an eligible community (does not apply to residents in family medicine)
• have a Canada Student Loan that is in good standing

Fairvern Long Term Care Home in Huntsville, Ontario, and the Pines Long Term Care Home in Bracebridge, Ontario, both meet the requirements for being an under-served rural or remote community.

More information, FAQ’s and the application process is available here