Job prospects Mental Health Nurse in Northwest Territories

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "mental health nurse" in Northwest Territories or across Canada.

Job opportunities in Northwest Territories

These outlooks were updated on December 11, 2024.

Prospects over the next 3 years

Good

The employment outlook will be good for Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses (NOC 31301) in Northwest Territories for the 2024-2026 period.

The following factors contributed to this outlook:

  • Employment decline will lead to the loss of some positions.
  • Not many positions will become available due to retirements.
  • There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
  • Persistent staffing shortages and an ageing population will keep demand high for registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses in the Northwest Territories over the forecast period. These staffing shortages led the territory to regularly rely on agency nurses to fill gaps in 2024.
  • Staffing shortages created periodic disruptions in health care services throughout the Northwest Territories in 2024. These disruptions are expected to continue into 2025. For example, suspensions in birthing services in Inuvik in 2024 are expected to last into 2025 (CBC News, October 22, 2024). 
  • Nursing and allied health professionals are expected to be in the top 25 of all occupations in terms of job openings from 2023 to 2032 (NWT Bureau of Statistics, 2023).
  • Local training is available. Aurora College offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program and a Licensed Practical Nurse program.

Here are some key facts about Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses in Northwest Territories:

  • Approximately 400 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
  • Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses mainly work in the following sectors:
    • Health care and social services (NAICS 62): 81%
    • Public Administration and Defence (NAICS 91): 19%
  • 78% of registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses work all year, while 22% work only part of the year, compared to 71% and 28% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 47 weeks compared to 44 weeks for all occupations.
  • The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
    • Men: 11% compared to 52% for all occupations
    • Women: 89% compared to 48% for all occupations
  • The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
    • no high school diploma: n/a
    • high school diploma or equivalent: less than 5% compared to 26% for all occupations
    • apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: n/a
    • college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 23% compared to 18% for all occupations
    • bachelor's degree: 67% compared to 17% for all occupations
    • university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 6% compared to 9% for all occupations

Job prospects elsewhere in Canada

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "mental health nurse" in Northwest Territories or across Canada.

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Labour Market Information Survey
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