Career guide
Health care assistant
Health care assistants (HCAs, also called care aides) support daily living, comfort and care under the direction of the healthcare team.
- StatusRegistry required
- TrainingCertificate, under a year
- Pay scale$25.00–$28.00 an hour
- Openings now13
A day in the job
In long-term care you help residents get up and dressed, assist at meals, help with toileting and moving safely, and tell the nurse about any change you notice. It is physical work and often the closest relationship anyone on the team has with a resident.
Where you could work: Long-term care, home support, hospitals
How to get there
- Complete a recognized Health Care Assistant certificate program (public and private colleges across BC)
British Columbia schools: Vancouver Community College (opens in a new tab), Camosun College (opens in a new tab)
Licence and registration
- Register with the BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry: publicly funded employers can only hire registered HCAs
- Employers usually ask for a criminal record check and CPR
Official starting point: BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry (opens in a new tab)
Trained outside Canada?
If you trained outside Canada, the Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry assesses your education before you can register.
Important: Requirements can change and may differ for internationally educated professionals. CareZelo links to official bodies but does not determine eligibility.