What Do Registered Nurses Really Earn in Canada in 2025? Discover Top-Paying Roles and Where to Find Them

Average Earnings for Registered Nurses in Canada

RN salaries can vary widely due to geographic location, employer type (hospital versus care home), role specialization, and employment status (full-time, part-time, contract). Typical figures include:

• Hourly wages for registered nurses in Ontario range approximately from $35.00 to $72.64 USD per hour (converted from CAD for consistency).
• This corresponds to an annual salary range of about $70,000 to over $150,000 CAD, depending on hours worked and hourly rates.
• Salaries in hospitals in major urban centers in Ontario tend to range between $37 to $56 USD per hour, while specialized roles in addiction, mental health, or critical care may earn toward the higher end of this range.
• Nurses in care homes and long-term care generally receive wages around the provincial average, ranging from approximately $35 to $56 USD per hour.

Wage levels across Canada generally reflect regional cost of living, healthcare funding, and demand for nursing skills. While detailed data are less available for provinces outside Ontario, pay structures are broadly similar, with variances depending on urban versus rural locations.

Hourly Wage Variations Across Nursing Roles and Settings

• Hospital Nurses: Most RNs in Ontario hospitals earn hourly wages typically between $39.00 and $56.00 USD. Health networks such as University Health Network and Toronto East Health Network provide examples within this range.
• Specialized Nurses: Those employed in mental health and addiction services, for example in London, Ontario, may earn wages around $64.72 to $69.82 CAD per hour, reflecting specialized training or increased demand.
• Care Home Nurses: Nurses working in care homes, such as long-term care facilities in Brampton, usually receive wages in the lower to mid-section of the provincial scale, approximately $35 to $56 USD per hour. Pay rates in smaller communities typically fall within this range, influenced by funding and budgetary factors.
• Home Care Nurses: Employment through agencies like Bayshore can offer various contract types across Canada, including part-time, casual, and full-time positions. Wages in home care reflect provincial scales and may vary depending on location and client needs.

Employment Arrangements and Flexibility for Nurses

In 2025, registered nurses work under diverse contract types across healthcare sectors:

• Full-time and Part-time: Hospitals and care homes offer both full-time and part-time positions.
• Casual and Contract Roles: Nurses in community and home care settings often have opportunities for short-term contracts, offering flexibility to support work-life balance or supplemental income.
• Remote and Rural Assignments: Some employers and agencies, including Bayshore, provide roles in northern and rural areas of Canada. These positions may include additional compensation but vary by location.

These varied options support workforce requirements across regions while accommodating individual preferences.

Nursing Roles in Care Homes and Senior Home Care

Care homes support seniors and vulnerable individuals, where registered nurses commonly manage chronic conditions, medication, and support palliative care. Although data for cities such as Calgary, Regina, and Scarborough are limited, general observations include:

• Nursing wages in care homes generally align with provincial nursing salary ranges, with variation based on local budgets and city size.
• Senior home care services, including those in regions like Scarborough, involve nurses providing in-home care, often with flexible schedules.
• Long-term care facilities such as Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care and Revera Long Term Care in Ontario employ nurses with compensation aligned with provincial norms.

Nursing Positions with Higher Wage Potential in Canada

Certain nursing roles that often require additional certifications or specialized skills tend to offer higher wages. Within Canada’s healthcare system, roles with comparatively higher pay include:

• Nurses working in critical care and intensive care units (ICUs)
• Nurses specializing in addiction and mental health
• Nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists with advanced training
• Contract-based nurses with specialized skills or remote assignments

In specific urban centers and specialized hospitals, wages for these roles can reach or surpass $70 USD per hour.

Summary

Registered nurses in Canada in 2025 experience a broad range of salary opportunities influenced by their location, role, and employer type:

• Nurses in Ontario typically earn between $35 and $72 USD hourly, corresponding to annual salaries from $70,000 to over $150,000 CAD.
• Care home nurses generally earn wages consistent with provincial averages, around $35 to $56 USD per hour.
• Specialized nursing roles in mental health and critical care are associated with some of the higher wages in the profession.
• Employers offer a spectrum of job types including full-time, part-time, casual, contract, and remote positions, which support diverse career paths and work-life balance.
• Though specific data for cities like Calgary or Regina are less detailed, the overall Canadian nursing salary landscape shows consistent trends across provinces.

Registered nurses interested in roles within care homes or home care services can expect wage levels aligned with provincial healthcare standards and potential opportunities to specialize.

Sources

• Nurse Avenue Ontario Job Listings
• Bayshore Careers in Nursing

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