Career guide
Personal care attendant
Personal care attendants (PCAs, Newfoundland and Labrador's name for health care aides) support daily living, comfort and mobility in long-term care, home support and hospitals.
- StatusNot regulated
- TrainingCertificate, under a year
- Pay scaleNot stated in current postings
- Openings now1
A day in the job
In a personal care home 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 with a lot of contact with residents and families.
Where you could work: Long-term care, home support, hospitals
How to get there
- Complete a personal care attendant program (College of the North Atlantic and private colleges offer them)
Newfoundland and Labrador schools: College of the North Atlantic (opens in a new tab)
Licence and registration
- No licence is needed: personal care attendants are not a regulated profession
- Employers usually ask for first aid, CPR and a background check
Official starting point: College of the North Atlantic (opens in a new tab)
Trained outside Canada?
Personal care attendant work does not need a professional licence, so it is a common first job for newcomers.
Important: Requirements can change and may differ for internationally educated professionals. CareZelo links to official bodies but does not determine eligibility.